Plumas County currently permits residents to cultivate up to six cannabis plants within private residences, but county code remains silent on whether retail sales are allowed. Crescent Mills businessman Mat Fogarty is pushing to change that, sparking a renewed debate over the county’s commercial cannabis regulations.
Fogarty, owner of the Crescent Store and Hotel, has formally applied for a county code amendment (CA 3-24/25-01) that would allow up to five retail cannabis dispensaries across unincorporated Plumas County, excluding the city of Portola.
The proposal arrives after nearly a decade of local policy reversals. Following a temporary moratorium and a defeated 2018 ballot initiative (Measure B), county supervisors established a permanent ban on commercial cultivation in 2019 while maintaining allowance for restricted personal home grows.
Economic Potential vs. Community Pushback
Supporters argue that local retail would keep consumer tax dollars within the county. Fogarty proposed a 5% local tax on retail sales, pointing to neighboring Lassen County, where two dispensaries generate over $4 million annually and provide substantial local tax revenue.
“Today Plumas people are paying tax to Lassen,” Fogarty noted, emphasizing that local revenue could help offset budget pressures in area school districts.
However, the application faces organized resistance from local residents and business owners:
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Public Health Concerns: Opponents, including Concerned Cannabis Group representatives and local business owner Matthew Kitchens, argue that expanding retail access sends a harmful message regarding youth usage and brain development.
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Policy Alignment: Local residents noted that a majority of California’s 58 counties continue to prohibit retail cannabis in unincorporated areas.
Next Steps
The Plumas County Planning Commission has scheduled a public workshop for Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors room in Quincy to review the proposal and collect public input. Planning Director Tracey Ferguson confirmed that following the review process, the commission will deliver a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, who hold the final decision-making authority.
