Memorandum
Date: September 12, 2023
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Mireya G. Turner, Community Development Director
Marcus Beltramo, Code Enforcement Program Manager
Written by Sarah Whitman, Staff Services Analyst
Subject: Approve Common Interest Agreement between the County of Lake and the State Water Resources Control Board and Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board regarding Investigation and Potential Enforcement against Unlicensed Cannabis Cultivators and authorize the Chair to Sign.
Executive Summary:
The Community Development Department requests Board approval of Common Interest Agreement Regarding Investigation and Potential Enforcement Against Unlicensed Cannabis Cultivators entered into by the California State Water Resources Board, the California Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the County of Lake. These parties have a common interest to investigate unlicensed, illegal cultivation of cannabis within Lake County for which the sharing of confidential and/or privileged information is essential. The County of Lake Community Development Department, SCWB, and CCVRWQCB wish to enter into an agreement to share such information while maintaining confidentiality and/or privilege.
The privileged and/or confidential information shared will be used solely in connection with investigating, pursuing litigation, or settlement to address and seek remedies for the alleged violation(s) according to the terms of the Agreement.
Benefits to the County:
1) County of Lake Departments or other entities may have access to essential information to further investigations and resolutions of violations.
2) The shared information will compliment and further assist Code Enforcement in its investigation and enforcement into illegal cannabis cultivation in Lake County.
3) Information sharing is an effective and proven tool to combat illegal cultivation of cannabis.
The privileged and/or confidential information shared between County of Lake departments and divisions including but is not limited to Code Enforcement, Planning, Building and Safety, Sheriff, and Water Resources. All information will remain privileged and/confidential, and only released to a specified list of people from each department.
After the Board approves the agreement, each department will confirm their privileged and/or confidential contacts.
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Estimated Cost: ________ Amount Budgeted: ________ Additional Requested: ________ Future Annual Cost: ________
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☒ Well-being of Residents ☒ Public Safety ☐ Disaster Prevention, Preparedness, Recovery
☒ Economic Development ☐ Infrastructure ☐ County Workforce
☐ Community Collaboration ☐ Business Process Efficiency ☐ Clear Lake
Recommended Action: Approve Common Interest Agreement Regarding Investigation and Potential Enforcement Against Unlicensed Cannabis Cultivators in Lake County entered into by County of Lake, the State Water Resources Control Board and Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.