The CDPH is committed to providing the public with the facts that are needed to make safe and informed choices. For more information on “Let’s Talk Cannabis” and the CDPH visit The Let’s Talk webpage.
Personal Gardens in the City
The City of Mt. Shasta allows residents in specific areas to grow personal gardens on their property. Gardens can be exposed in the yard or be covered in a greenhouse or temporary structure. Please check the above zoning regulations for allowed areas. A personal garden is no more than six plants grown at a time for personal use, regardless of an individual’s medical status. Residents who wish to grow their personal gardens are required to acquire a Personal Garden Tag.
Personal Garden Tag- Fillable- Application
How to reduce odor
Cannabis can have a pleasant or displeasing smell depending upon the time of year, maturity of the plant, and the individual experiencing the scent. The City aims to alleviate any problematic scent of personal gardens through conditions on permits and suggestions for first-time gardeners.
Physical barriers and filtration
A greenhouse and filtration system are the best ways to control the scent of your personal garden. The physical barrier can also provide additional security if you are concerned about neighbor access. An activated carbon filtration system is the preferred type of filtration for a greenhouse or indoor garden and come in a variety of sizes and prices. The activated carbon system removes impurities in the air including the scent of cannabis.
It is ideal to have a system that can circulate the air every five minutes. For example, if you have a greenhouse or personal grow room that has a square footage of 500 square feet, then choose a fan and filter that can handle 100 CFM to achieve 500 square feet in five minutes. This will successfully clean the air for outside ventilation.
Typical air filters do not successfully remove cannabis scent from the air. Traditional air filters can remove dust, smoke, and some impurities in your home or greenhouse but lack the ability to capture smaller scent molecules.
Negative air pressure is another technique that can ensure that your personal garden’s scent does not disturb neighbors. Negative pressure is achieved when the power of the outtake fan is strong enough to create negative pressure. The negative pressure ensures that air is not leaking out through any cracks or spaces. Negative pressure in only successful when achieved with a filtration system. This technique also helps keep the scent of your garden permeating into other rooms of your home if you are growing indoors.
Companion Planting
Outside of constructing a greenhouse for your outdoor garden, there are ways to reduce the impact odor can have on your neighbors and nearby public spaces. The one way to prevent this is to plant other plants around it that give off a strong fragrance, using aromatic varieties like thyme, peppermint, mint, and even lavender, which will help mask your cannabis. It is best to plant a variety of these plants to allow for continuous scents throughout the various seasons.
Having problems with a neighbors garden?
The City of Mt. Shasta requires all outdoor gardens to obtain a personal garden tag to ensure that the gardener understands the regulations around outdoor, personal grows. These garden tags may also have conditions placed on them to alleviate neighborhood concerns. The tags also give the City the ability to directly contact the gardener if there are nuisance issues.
People are free to make complaints if the garden has a strong odor, and depending on the situation, the city may or may not be able to resolve the situation. The City is able to regulate the outdoor gardens but not indoor. The state of California offers personal protections to individuals growing in their home. Regardless of the indoor r outdoor nature of the garden, the City will make contact to and attempt to alleviate concerns.
Personal garden tags can be revoked if a tag holder continuously violates City regulations through a hearing process at the Planning Commission.