As much of the state focuses on the selling of marijuana, California City is readying for marijuana cultivation efforts inside their city limits.
Fences are being built around David Stafford's 160 acres just outside the main city. He and his partner run California Cannabis Inc., and soon they'll be leasing the land to marijuana growers.
"We got the infrastructure going in for all the growers, they come in and take it from there, then they lease it from us on a monthly cost," said Stafford.
Stafford says he expects the fencing around the area to be done by this week, portable units and generators to be installed within the next two weeks, and he's hoping buildings and starter plants will be ready to go within 60 days (dependent on approval by the city). Marijuana cultivators have been applying for licenses; if they're approved, they can use land like Stafford's to grow. The product then can be distributed for medicinal purposes.
California City is over 200 square miles, making it the third-largest city in the state by land mass. Much of that land is unused after failed housing development plans in the past, but Stafford sees cultivating as another chance for the city to expand.
"This town will grow because of it," Stafford said. "This is gonna help the infrastructure, this is gonna help everything in the city, and this is what this city needed to get started."
Stafford says the grows will be taxed and 5% of net profits will go back to the city.
As far as selling marijuana goes, Cal City has said in the past that it will only allow one dispensary per 13,000 residents. A 2016 estimate had the population sitting at 13,707, meaning they'll only allow one dispensary in town until the population doubles.
For more on Cal City cultivation efforts, click here.
