Original Blog Entry: Oakland close to approving big indoor marijuana farms

NBey6 — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:21:06 GMT

Jul 20, 2010

Oakland close to approving big indoor marijuana farms

USAToday

01:35 PM

The Oakland City Council is on the verge of approving permits for four large-scale indoor marijuana farms, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The newspaper says some proposed operations would be as large as the size of two football fields.

If approved at tonight's council meeting, the farms could only sell to medical cannabis dispensaries, but would be positioned to expand if voters statewide pass a November initiative to legalize recreational use of marijuana.

City officials say the plan could generate sizable revenue from business license taxes as well as the $211,000 that each farm operator would pay for an annual permit.

One businessman forecasts that he could hire 371 employees and pay at least $1.5 million a year in taxes under the plan, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Oakland's four retail marijuana stores did $28 million in business last year, the Oakland Tribune reports.

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