Cultivation of Medical Marijuana – for the City of Great Falls Montana and their Medical Marijuana Guidlines, from a .pdf on their website
cannabis sativa budding flower
From a zoning standpoint, the first primary determination made was to separate the cultivation of
marijuana from marijuana dispensaries. Successful cultivation of marijuana requires careful and
vigilant control of light, temperature, humidity and ventilation as well as irrigation. High intensity
grow lamps are required in almost all instances for successful plant growth. These grow lamps
generate significant heat so air conditioners and fans are used to cool and circulate air in the grow
area. Even a small growing operation is power and water intensive, particularly in northern climates
and in the winter months. The plants on average take 4 months to grow from clone to flowering.
The flowers and other parts of the plant are then are dried to provide yields of usable marijuana.
Cultivators of medical marijuana use various grow media, fertilizers and pesticides, and often infuse
the plants with carbon dioxide in the flowering phase to increase flower production. Large producers
grow multiple strains of marijuana plants with different chemical compositions intended to alleviate
various medical conditions. Larger and more sophisticated growers can control and time the
production of medical marijuana, control medicinal and chemical content of marijuana plants, and
offer a variety of strains to their patients.
Logically, the attached ordinance categorizes cultivation of marijuana as a type of agricultural use
consistent with the commercial cultivation of any other type of crop. General agricultural uses are
permitted in the R-1 Single-Family Suburban, AI Airport Industrial, I-1 Light Industrial and I-2
Heavy Industrial zoning districts. The intent of allowing agriculture in the R-1 residential zoning
district (homes that are generally on larger lots) is to allow small gardens or greenhouses that may
produce crops for sale at the farmers market or roadside stands as well as for personal consumption.
Montana’s climate practically mandates that marijuana be grown indoors so marijuana cultivation is
Amend Land Development Code 7 Public Hearing #1
Medical Marijuana Dispensaries & Cult. Hrg. Date 4/13/10
inconsistent with the home garden concept. Also, the yield from one mature marijuana plant could
easily have a street value of $1,000 so there are serious concerns over security and potential for
increased crime in residential neighborhoods. For these reasons the R-1 zoning district is not
appropriate for the cultivation of marijuana.
