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Planning and Building Department recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to execute agreement 4314 for the provision of imagery services with Planet Labs, Inc., which will be used for geographic information systems to provide updated satellite imagery of the County for the primary use of identifying illegal cannabis cultivation, in an amount not to exceed $491,827 for the period of three years upon final execution by both parties.
FUNDING: Commercial Cannabis Tax. (General Fund)
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
During cannabis meetings in the County over a three year period, the subject of illegal cannabis grows was a major topic. These grows threaten County neighborhoods by not following health and safety rules. In addition, with the regulated commercial cannabis market coming to El Dorado County, the illegal grows will be undercutting the legal market.
To help combat the illegal cannabis grows in the County, staff have been looking for innovative methods that are not as resource intensive and reach more illegal grows. Currently, Code Enforcement and Sheriff’s Office staff take complaint calls on illegal grows, which takes considerable time and resources to verify and complete the investigations. In an effort to find a more efficient and effective method to combat illegal grows, staff in the Chief Administrative Office, Planning and Building Department and Sheriff’s Office collaborated by calling other counties to study their operations. Through conversations with other counties, staff was able to identify the high resolution satellite data method that Humboldt County was using to actively identify and monitor permitted and unpermitted cannabis cultivation operations.
Humboldt County has been obtaining satellite data through a contract with a private satellite provider. Humboldt County owns the 70 cm data and imagery collected by the satellite provider. Through the data, it was able to digitize and integrate the information into its ...
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