Zarina Otchkova, owner of WeGrow LLC, is planning a project on a portion of a 309-acre property she purchased early last year at 16750 Herrington Road, 17610 Sandy Road and 19678 Stinson Road in Middletown.
Otchkova went to the commission seeking approval of numerous cannabis-related licenses, a mitigated negative declaration and a use permit for the project, which includes 35 greenhouses, which during the meeting was described by a neighbor, Dan Levine, as an area equaling the size of 13 football fields.
Other aspects of the project include four 50-foot by 100-foot drying buildings, a 200-square-foot shed, four 2,500-gallon water tanks and fencing. The total cultivation area will cover nine acres.
During his report to the commission, Associate Planner Eric Porter said there has been a lot of public interest in the project, with 80 letters and comments submitted.
They also had gotten a letter from a law firm against the project and comments submitted by the Redwood Valley Pomo objecting due to aquifer usage. Porter said there was no way of doing an aquifer adequacy test.
After a comprehensive review and reviewing comments, Porter said he couldn't find a reason to recommend anything other than approval.
Otchkova and her consultant, Sufyan Hamouda of Lake County Planning Consultants – who also worked as an associate planner for a year for the county of Lake – attended virtually to answer questions.
“I do understand that this project has had a lot of public comments,” said Otchkova, explaining she and Hamouda had tried to read through each of the comments.
“We have considered all of these concerns in great detail,” she said.
Otchkova added, “A business cannot run without the support of its community.”
In a letter Otchkova submitted to the commission ahead of the meeting, she said she chose the property because it meets all of the qualifications for a major use permit for commercial cannabis cultivation.
“I am fully aware that this property will need modifications to continue to meet the requirements for a commercial cannabis business and I will implement those at every stage. At no point do I want to infringe upon anyone’s rights within the community, so if there are conditions that can be put in place to mitigate for any impacts this project may have upon the community, I will put those in immediately. I am not only here to mitigate, but I would like to be a positively contributing member of the community, so all comments are appreciated,” she wrote.
The letter can be read below.
Commissioner John Hess said there has been an enormous amount of community concern about stolen or unauthorized equipment found on the property, which reportedly resulted in a California Highway Patrol case.
Hamouda said the property was purchased early last year and since then none of Otchkova's team had been on the property regularly. He said he had contacted the CHP and the case didn’t pertain to Otchkova or her project.
Separately, Lake County News reached out to the CHP about the allegations of stolen farm equipment being recovered from the property but didn’t receive a response by the time of publication.
Hess said the stolen equipment was observed on the property in February 2020 after Otchkova purchased the land.
Hamouda said the CHP has not given him information on what occurred. “We are unsure of that situation to be completely honest with you.”
Water a main concern for neighbors
Nearly 20 community members provided comment to the commission, each raising concerns about the project which ran the gamut from traffic, safety, visual impact, smell, quality of life impacts, environmental damage and negative impacts on wildlife.
One of the key issues related to water, especially as Lake County faces a drought year.
Dan Levine said that, contrary to the findings in the initial study, many who live in the area will have a view of the project. He questioned how many generators would need to run it to support it if the power goes out.
Misha Grothe, who lives near the project area, said her biggest concern is the aquifers.
“I cannot understand how the county is willing to consider allowing such a massive consumption of water at this time,” Grothe said.
She said it’s close to other homes, not in a neighborhood area, and will decrease home values.
Mary Sullivan, who lives in the nearby Rim Rock Ranch Vineyards Estate, said she opposed the project, noting they are already having well failure in their community.
“We feel like it’s an imminent threat to our livelihood given what we’ve already experienced,” Sullivan said. “We could lose everything because of this development.”
Carly Swatosh-Sherman also was concerned about the millions of gallons of water the project would require, and said that it violates requirements of the Middletown Area Plan relating to protection of scenic ridges, oaks and quality of life.
“The proposal needs to be denied for countless reasons,” Swatosh-Sherman said.
Commissioner Lance Williams said the greenhouses would have to have blackout systems otherwise it wouldn’t be acceptable.
Hess said he understood there are strong feelings about the project and that he lives nearby. He said he’s looked high and low for a way to oppose it but didn’t find anything.
Porter noted that the greenhouses would have to have blackout screening before cultivation can occur. The project requires 20,000 gallons of onsite water storage, with an additional 5,000-gallon tank for water suppression. The commission also agreed to require an 8-foot-tall fence to screen it.
Hess moved to find the major use permit won’t have a significant effect, will Williams seconding and the commission approving the vote 4-0. Chair Batsulwin Brown had to leave the meeting before the vote.
Hess also moved to find the major use permit meets the requirements of the county zoning ordinance and grant it subject to conditions. Williams also seconded and the vote passed, 4-0.
The commission noted that the zoning ordinance provides for a seven calendar day appeal period.
Levine told Lake County News afterward that he expects an appeal will be filed.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
WeGrow LLC Public Comments Letter 4.21.21 by LakeCoNews on Scribd