As of Friday 11 people have scheduled an appointment with Nevada County officials to get a temporary medicinal commercial cannabis permit, the first step toward a legal marketplace.

It’s a number of growers a member of the Nevada County Cannabis Alliance’s executive board said is unsurprising, considering what he called the county’s restrictive ordinance.

Officials set Wednesday as the first day applicants could request an appointment with county staff. Those appointment are scheduled for June 20 through June 22, said Craig Griesbach, director of the county’s Building Department.

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Staff will examine applications at the appointments. Applicants will pay the $542.49 permit fee at that time.

It’ll take about two weeks for staff to review the applications. Incomplete applications will require more work.

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“They would go back and forth until they meet the minimum requirements,” Griesbach said.

On-site inspections could occur about a week after an application’s review. Griesbach estimated applicants could receive permits by the second week of July, if all requirements are met at every stage of the process.

The Board of Supervisors last month approved the temporary licensing program. It’s intended to give growers a chance to enter the legal market before supervisors implement their new permanent marijuana ordinance, a set of rules still months away from passing.

The temporary licensing rules are part of the county’s existing grow ordinance, which restricts gardens by zoning and acreage.

Existing rules allow a maximum of 25 plants on over 20 acres.

“It’s a highly restricted program, but for some folk it’ll make sense,” said Jonathan Collier, a member of the cannabis alliance’s executive board. “The setbacks, the grow size — these things can be very limiting.”

To contact Staff Writer Alan Riquelmy, email ariquelmy@theunion.com or call 530-477-4239.