ALAMOSA — While industrial hemp is becoming a popular crop among farmers and ranchers, a special use permit for commercial greenhouses gave rise to some concern during the Alamosa Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Wednesday.

Meeting in regular session May 22, the commissioners conducted a public hearing on an application by Parker Graham of Hemp or Die LLC, represented at the hearing by employee Michael Smith.

Land Use Administrator Rachel Baird explained the application and said Alamosa County’s land use code allows hemp cultivation as an agricultural product, so the use would be acceptable so long as Graham and his employees followed the compliance process.

These are for activities that are eligible in certain zoned districts but must be evaluated individually by the BOCC. They are usually subject to conditions on a case-by-case basis.

Special use permits are for activities eligible in certain zoned districts that must be evaluated individually by the BOCC. They are usually subject to conditions on a case-by-case basis.

Since hemp is an accepted agricultural product, Baird said the planning commission recommended approval and set conditions that should be followed. The operation has been out of compliance in several areas in the past but appears to have remedied those issues.

That being the case, Kay Jones, a resident of the area, said her mother lived across the road from the proposed operation and didn’t feel safe.

The operation already has greenhouses and Jones claimed it has been out of compliance for some three years, with no building permits for the existing greenhouses and electrical uses that, at one time, caused her mother to receive a large electric bill for a center pivot pump that wasn’t hers.

Someone sent her mother $800, Jones said, but she isn’t sure the issue had been resolved.

Baird said another meter was installed.

The workers also are burning trash without a permit, she alleged, in spite of ordinances controlling it.

On behalf of her mother and the older woman’s safety, Jones said she would like to see the water supply and electrical lines investigated since she believes a domestic well is being used for hemp production in violation of existing water rules.

While the applicant said he has been hauling water for the greenhouses, Jones said that wouldn’t augment the use of the center pivot irrigation system.

Essentially voicing opposition to a hemp farm, Jones said the area is rich agriculturally and “we do not need hemp to sustain us if they are not in compliance with the law.”

If the current operation is not fully compliant, Jones asked, “Why issue a permit to grow even more?”

Claire Barber, another neighbor across the road, said there had been issues with water spillover and special lighting.

She acknowledged that hemp consumes less water as a crop than others in the surrounding agricultural area and greenhouses use 

less water in growing hemp or vegetables.

Barber said everyone in the area burns trash, even though it’s probably non-compliant with county codes.

Her concerns differed from those of Jones, in that she wasn’t really in opposition to the operation, but was greatly concerned about increased traffic.

Barber said she didn’t know the difference between hemp and marijuana, so she wasn’t complaining about what was grown, believing it is hemp.

Both women wanted to see the hemp grow complying with what their agriculture producer neighbors must do.

Baird said the operation has had compliance complaints in the past but is in compliance now.

Commissioner Darius Allen asked County Attorney Jason Kelly what the BOCC can or can’t do about it.

Kelly said the current use has been approved.

Allen said hemp is the crop now, farmers and ranchers are turning to it to grow, so denying this application could send the wrong message.

He was disappointed the owner wasn’t present for the hearing. 

Baird explained that an agricultural use couldn’t be denied if it was operated like any other farm.

It would not need regular inspections, she continued, “if they abide by the rules and follow our recommendations.”

Commission Chairman Michael Yohn said the dilemma was to “approve, deny or postpone it” and it was unanimously approved with compliance required.