A Turlock property, which has repeatedly grown illegal marijuana, as well as other drug and harassment problems, has been placed under bankruptcy following a court ruling.
While the property owner continues to own the property, a bankruptcy trustee has been ordered by the Stanislaus County Superior Court to take over management of the property. The appointed bankruptcy trustee secures the means to code property and resolve any health and safety issues.
After the renovation of the property has been completed, the property is sold and any deposit, construction and material costs, renovation costs and foreclosure costs are paid. The remaining sales proceeds will be paid to the property owner.
The property is located at 8400 Harding Road. Public records show it is 19.26 acres. Property tax lists show the property with an estimate of $ 808,792.
The Stanislau County Superior Court appointed a bankruptcy trustee on Wednesday.
The property has been the source of recurring drug and marijuana problems. Several on-site marijuana violations have occurred in recent years, including a discovery of approximately 5,000 cannabis plants in various stages of growth in 2019 and a recent extermination of 2,827 plants by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department in 2020. The property was the source Numerous calls to law enforcement for services and the ensuing arrests have failed to contain drug, crime and other harassment activity there, county spokeswoman Amy Carroll said in a press release.
“The county is keen to allow the legal cultivation of cannabis and deal quickly with bad actors,” said Vito Chiesa, chairman of the Stanislaus board of directors. “Legal action, like this week’s court ruling, is critical to our efforts to develop successful mitigation strategies.”
The property is in a dilapidated condition and poses a threat to the health and safety of residents, neighbors and the public. The property consists of an inferior single-family house, a barn with improperly converted living space, an improper extension and greenhouse structures. Many structural hazards, unsanitary conditions, fire and electrical hazards, visual rot and other signs of unsafe living conditions were also recorded, Carroll said.
“This is an important step in moving our civil warning process forward and holding individuals accountable,” said Jeff Dirkse, Stanislaus County Sheriff. “The goal is to safely and efficiently eradicate the illegal crops that are plaguing our community.”
For more than five years, the district has been trying in vain to obtain the voluntary consent of the person responsible and the redevelopment of the disruptive property after numerous complaints have been received from neighbors about the property. Despite several references and other contacts, the owners have made little effort to renovate the property. The county has confirmed the persistent presence of numerous extremely dangerous and life threatening law violations on the property, including: elaborate cannabis cultivation operations and the sale of crystal methamphetamine, multiple violations of health and safety laws, unauthorized construction of a chicken coop (conversion to housing), Jan. up to 30 inoperable vehicles on site and regular criminal activity related to stolen property in connection with the property.