In response to public issues, two Tri-Valley males proposing to construct a hashish farm close to Livermore stated their neighbors don’t must concern the enterprise will convey crime, swallow up properly water or produce a pungent odor.
James Thomas Halter, who previously ran a automotive repossession enterprise on the identical Tesla Highway property that may home the 1.5-acre marijuana cultivation website, claimed the group truly will turn out to be safer.
“They’re going to have a degree of safety on this neighborhood they’ve by no means had earlier than,” stated Halter, who holds a safety guard license. “It is a secure place. This will probably be an extremely secure place.”
Halter and his long-time pal, Frank Imhof — a member of the East County Board of Zoning Changes (ECBZA) that may approve the farm — proposed the cultivation website for Halter’s 4.36-acre property in unincorporated Alameda County 4 years in the past. They funded a county research launched in October that confirmed it can don’t have any vital damaging results on the atmosphere.
Regardless of that, not less than one Tesla Highway resident stated neighbors had been involved concerning the mission and its impact on their quiet lifestyle. Imhof prompt their issues are unwarranted.
“We’re solely speaking an acre right here. We’re not speaking 20 or 30,” he stated. “It’s like a yard backyard.”
Imhof stated he’ll recuse himself when the topic comes earlier than the ECBZA and may have no affect over how the opposite two panelists vote. The ECBZA will adhere to the provisions of the Brown Act, the rules for public conferences.
“I do not inform individuals find out how to vote or when to vote,” Imhof stated. “That will probably be as much as them.”
Imhof, the previous president of the Contra Costa Alameda County Cattlemen’s Affiliation, reported that he plans handy over the reins of his present companies — rising 500 acres of wheat hay, elevating 200 mom cows, hydroseeding, weed abatement, and paving and grading — to his son.
The 60-year-old farmer and rancher stated he proposed the concept for the marijuana farm with Halter as a result of “I’m going to want one thing to do” in retirement.
On the similar time, Halter, 56, famous that he hopes to discover a quieter lifestyle from his years working in bail bonds enforcement and automotive repossession, which frequently concerned violent confrontations.
“I really like gardening. I really like rising,” Halter stated. “Whenever you want (hashish) for medical causes or to perform, that’s the facet of the sector I wish to play on. I wish to get right into a peaceable enterprise. That appeared like an unbelievable alternative.”
Imhof and Halter’s proposal requires 20 separate 1,000-square-foot hoop homes to develop mature vegetation, and one 3,000-square-foot hoop home to lift mature vegetation. The plan consists of development of 4 10,000-gallon water tanks, an 8-foot safety fence, lighting, video surveillance and parking.
Halter, who lives in a virtually 3,000-square-foot home on the property and holds a safety guard license, would function the 24-hour on-site safety listed of their proposal. He stated they plan to rent safety guards who wouldn’t solely defend his property, but additionally patrol the streets exterior.
“I’m going to have my safety posted up, going from Greenville to Cross Highway patrolling,” Halter stated.
Halter, who has been mates with Imhof for about 18 years, described him as one of many smartest males he is aware of. He referred to as Imhof a “sensible man.”
Imhof added that Halter’s property is a superb safe location for a marijuana farm. He stated it can meet the provisions of Measure D, which voters accredited in 2000 to guard agricultural land.
“It’s fairly simple to do,” Imhof stated. “Marijuana grows as a weed. It does not take a whole lot of water. It’s a weed. When you can’t develop this, then you definitely’ve received an issue.”
Halter stated he’s trying ahead to his new potential enterprise. His property previously housed H & H Restoration, a enterprise that repossessed some 100,000 automobiles in 18 years. After Halter misplaced his state license to run the enterprise in 2012, one other man ran Champion Restoration Companies on the website. Halter labored for him till that enterprise closed final 12 months.
Halter stated he turned “uninterested in being the man that’s placing the nail within the coffin of some man who’s down on his luck.” He additionally famous he wished a quieter way of life, removed from the each day assaults that he and his workers confronted.
“Folks joke that I’m bulletproof as a result of I’ve been shot at so many occasions,” he stated.
The hashish enterprise is peaceable and productive, he added.
“To see what CBD and THC has carried out for people who find themselves ailing and misplaced, and are uninterested in medical doctors throwing tablets at them, it’s thrilling,” Halter stated. “I wish to be part of that. That’s my objective.”
Halter took exception to California Bureau of Safety and Investigative Companies (BSIS) experiences on-line that confirmed the state revoked his license to run his automotive repossession enterprise following complaints and lawsuits involving 5 incidents in 2010 and 2011.
BSIS investigators accused Halter of utilizing unregistered brokers and failing to well timed report violent incidents involving their interactions with debtors throughout repossessions. Investigators cited particular confrontations, however Halter stated it was the automotive house owners who turned indignant or violent.
“How are we the villains?” Halter requested. “Firearms getting pulled on brokers had been weekly occurrences, however nobody desires to listen to the soiled little secrets and techniques of what restoration brokers should endure to attempt to get better collateral for monetary establishments.”
Halter stated he would have wanted to rent additional workers to easily file experiences, so he reported solely these incidents the place someone was arrested or hospitalized.
“I’m so blessed I am out of that trade,” he stated.
Halter denied a report {that a} neighbor reported seeing him emerge from his home with a gun to satisfy somebody accumulating a automotive throughout his repossession days. Halter stated he had not carried a gun in a long time, and if anybody had one, it was an worker or Champion’s proprietor.
Officers on the state Division of Hashish Management will resolve whether or not to challenge Imhof and Halter’s license for the Tesla Highway farm. A spokesperson for the company reported that Halter’s earlier non-cannabis license revocation wouldn’t disqualify him from a hashish license, however it will be thought-about through the course of.
Halter, who holds a black belt in karate, stated he has taught martial arts to 10,000 children at companies in Livermore and Newark. He stated he continues to show about 20 youngsters without spending a dime.
“I do have a fame as a troublesome man,” Halter stated, “however I am additionally a good man and an sincere man.”
The county planning division is at present taking public enter on the mission via Nov. 15. Experiences can be found for overview at https://bit.ly/Indy_farm.
