[420 Girl]

Tehama County may have to choose between one hemp festival or six.

On Tuesday, Donna Will, the woman behind World Hemp Expo Extravaganja 2010, said if the county denies her a festival permit, she will hold as many six simultaneous events on neighboring parcels, each capped at 499 people to get around county regulations of events of 500 or more.

Will previously said she expects about 1,800 people over the three-days Memorial Day weekend at the Riverside Avenue site, just south of Red Bluff.

The county's festival permit, which will be issued or denied by Planning Director George Robson, only kicks in for events with 500 people or more.

If Will kept 499 people or fewer on each property, WHEE 2010 could technically be exempt from the permit, Planner II Bob Halpin said.

County Counsel Arthur Wylene said he could not comment on the specifics of Will's strategy.

But speaking in general, when transparently artificial means are used to circumvent a law, the law usually still applies, Wylene said.

Sheriff Clay Parker, one of the department heads Robson asked to weigh in before Robson makes his choice, said he would still consider separate, simultaneous events run by Will as one festival.

Parker said he had contacted Will Friday to discuss the festival.

He backed off from his earlier request for a 24- hour law enforcement presence for the three-day event, which will allow camping, and instead Advertisementsaid he was looking for a 10-hour-a-day presence with
regular communication between the department and the event's private security.

If Will runs an event with 499 people or fewer, my hands are tied, he said.

But if she runs anything larger, the department may shut down the event.

I hope it doesn't come down to that, Parker said. I hope they continue to work with us.

Parker and other department heads have until Friday to issue their recommendations to the Planning Department.


NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: redbluffdailynews.com
Author: Geoff Johnson
Copyright: 2010 Red Bluff Daily News
Contact: Contact Us - Red Bluff Daily News Online
Website: World Hemp Expo Extravaganja 2010: Divide and conquer? - Red Bluff Daily News Online

• Thanks to Irish for submitting this article


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