Madera County changes marijuana ordinance

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Madera County just changed its marijuana ordinance and it's officially in effect. And it's no slap on the hand. The fines are hefty, and they're aimed at those who are growing in excess.

Thursday, July 17, 2014. Cameras are rolling as Sheriff John Anderson navigates his way through a marijuana grow the size of a football field. 42 rows filled with plants hidden in a vegetable garden.

Shannon Strother lives nearby and watched it all go down.

"We just saw a bunch of unmarked go by and we didn't know what was going on and it was enough to wake us up and had the horses going crazy," said Strother.

If that grow was discovered and raided today -- the grower would be fined $250 per plant. Deputies pulled nearly 2,000 plants out of the ground. If you do the math, that's $500,000 in fines.

Sheriff John Anderson said, "We decided we've got to control this somehow we're running into acres and acres of marijuana and they're saying they're growing it for the compassionate care act."

Aside from the fines, the ordinance is otherwise the same -- you can grow in a room that's no bigger than 120 square feet. Or if it's outside, it has to be enclosed in some fashion.

Sheriff Anderson added, "I don't think I've been to more than half a dozen legal medical marijuana grows that are within 120 square feet."

He hopes those new fines will deter people from growing what he says is in excess. But also says he gets reports everyday -- complaining about marijuana fields. And he wants those growers to know deputies are on their way.

"We've probably got 200 identified grows right now."

And he says they'll all receive those hefty fines if they're out of compliance. Something that Shannon Strother hopes will make a difference.

"Let's see hopefully we'll see a turnaround with it."

And the sheriff says they're giving people ample time to get their properties in compliance before they start raiding some of the grows believed to be in excess.