Douglas County gets harsh with marijuana growing
Douglas County commissioners passed one of Colorado’s toughest marijuana grow ordinances Tuesday, restricting the number of plants at any primary residence to 12, banning outdoor grows and prohibiting tenants in rental properties from cultivating the drug without permission from the property owner.
The new restrictions apply to unincorporated portions of the county and come in response to what law enforcement officials say is a proliferation of small-scale grow operations popping up in private homes across Douglas County.
“We’ve been struggling with this for a couple of years,” said Chief Deputy Steve Johnson of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s really gotten out of control.”
Johnson said some grow operations overload electrical capacity, increasing the risk of a fire. The county’s ordinance also prohibits the use of compressed flammable gas, such as butane, in growing pot.
