Carson City OKs hemp growing moratorium

CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Carson City Board of Supervisors last week adopted a resolution to place a moratorium on hemp growing.

The goal is to temporarily halt any applications while a policy on growing the crop inside city limits is drafted.

The Feb. 20 decision comes after a lawsuit was filed against the city by Tahoe Hemp LLC last month.

The business wants to grow hemp on the former Buzzy's Ranch, now open space land, and needs permission from Carson City, which will not give it because hemp growing there could jeopardize the state grant that paid for the property.

“That's part of the reason we want the moratorium, because we don't know the answer to that,” said Lee Plemel, community development director, when Supervisor Brad Bonkowski asked what the city can do to regulate hemp without a new policy.

The move comes amid the Silver State's blossoming hemp industry.

The city used the same process — a temporary moratorium — on medicinal and recreational cannabis production and retailing when those were legalized as it worked out policies.

Supervisors are slated to discuss the issue in more detail at their Feb. 27 annual strategic workshop.