- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Planning commission to reconsider WeGrow cannabis project near Hidden Valley Lake
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The agenda is here.
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In an item timed for 9:25 a.m., the commission — which did not meet on Oct. 28 as planned — will reconsider approving the use permit sought by WeGrow LLC, owned by Zarina Otchkova.
Otchkova received the commission’s approval of a previous iteration of the project, to be located on her 309-acre Middletown property located at 16750 Herrington Road, 17610 Sandy Road and 19678 Stinson Road. The nine-acre cultivation site is at the Herrington Road location.
However, neighbors in the area appealed and in June the Board of Supervisors upheld an appeal against the project due to questions about the environmental analysis, but did so without prejudice, allowing her to reapply.
The project, as proposed, includes 32 90-foot by 125-foot greenhouses, two 90-foot by 125-foot greenhouses for immature plant starts, four 50-foot by 100-foot drying buildings, one 200 square foot shed, 20 5,000 gallon water tanks, one 6-foot-tall galvanized woven wire fence covered with privacy mesh to screen the greenhouses from public view.
It also will remove 100 blue oak trees, which will require a three to one ratio tree replacement using similar species trees, a replacement that county planning documents said must take place before cultivation starts.
Other cannabis items on the Thursday agenda include Lake Vista Farms LLC’s project at 2050 and 2122 Ogulin Canyon Road in Clearlake with up to 25.8 acres of cannabis, and modifications to existing projects, Green Bear Farms Cali LLC at 4680 Clark Drive in Kelseyville and Sunny S Ranch at 19424 Butts Canyon Road in Middletown.
In other business, at 9:05 a.m. the commission will consider an application from Laurie Dohring for the vacation of Dillard Avenue in Kelseyville. The property is located at 3440, 3430, 3420, and 3400 Dillard Ave. and 6420 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville.
At 9:10 a.m., the commission is scheduled to consider approving a use permit for Sunrise Shore Mutual Water Co., which is planning to update some of its facilities.
The construction is proposed to include a new filtration building, abandonment of two wells, new pipelines for the water system, two new 45,000 gallon water tanks on concrete slabs, a new concrete retaining wall and removal of two 15,000 gallon redwood water tanks and concrete pads. The project will not require the removal of any trees, or any significant earth movement.
The full agenda follows.
AGENDA
Consideration of the approval of minutes from the Oct. 14 Planning Commission meeting.
Consideration of the approval of minutes from the Oct. 28 Planning Commission meeting.
Consideration of the adoption of Assembly Bill 361 findings authorizing teleconference meetings during a state of emergency.
Consideration of proposed 2022 planning commissioner regular meeting calendar.
9:05 a.m.: Public hearing to consider general plan conformity (GPC 21-01; CE 21-38). Applicant/owner: Laurie Dohring. Proposed project: Application for a general plan conformity for the vacation of Dillard Avenue in Kelseyville, California. The Lake County Public Works Department is currently processing the application for the vacate of Dillard Avenue. Location: 3440, 3430, 3420, and 3400 Dillard Ave. and 6420 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville, CA 95451. (Laura Hall)
9:10 a.m.: Public hearing to consider approving Use Permit UP 21-18. Applicant: Brelje and Race Consulting Engineers. Owner: Sunrise Shore Mutual Water Co. Project description: General improvements to the existing Sunrise Shore Mutual Water Co. facility. Location: 6030 Sunrise Court and 6200 Sunrise Drive, Lower Lake. (Eric Porter)
9:15 a.m.: Public hearing to consider approving modification (MMU 21-20) of original Use Permit UP 18-43. Applicant/owner: Sunny S Ranch/Shannon Sanders. Proposed project: Four 2,499 square foot nursery areas (greenhouses) for immature cannabis plants in conjunction with previously approved file No. User Permit 18-43. Location: 19424 Butts Canyon Road, Middletown. (Planner Eric Porter)
9:20 a.m.: Public hearing to consider approving modification (MMU 21-22) of original Use Permit UP 18-35. Applicant/owner: Green Bear Farms Cali LLC / Wais Amin. Proposed Project: Amendment to original canopy/cultivation area; 16 additional greenhouses, and one A-Type 13 Self Distribution license to allow legal transport of cannabis to and from the site. Location: 4680 Clark Drive, Kelseyville. (Planner Eric Porter)
9:25 a.m. Public hearing to reconsider approving Use Permit UP 20-22. Applicant/Owner: WeGrow LLC/Zarina Otchkova. Proposed project: 15 A-Type 3B mixed light commercial cannabis cultivation licenses and one A-Type 13 “self distribution” license. The applicant is proposing 32 90-foot by 125-foot greenhouses, two 90-foot by 125-foot greenhouses for immature plant starts, four 50-foot by 100-foot drying buildings, one 200 square foot shed, 20 5,000 gallon water tanks, one 6-foot-tall galvanized woven wire fence covered with privacy mesh to screen the greenhouses from public view. Total proposed cultivation area is 387,600 square feet (roughly nine acres); total proposed canopy area is 330,000 square feet. The applicant is also proposing the removal of 100 blue oak trees, which will require a 3:1 tree replacement using similar species trees before the start of cultivation. Location: 16750 Herrington Road, Middletown (cultivation site); 17610 Sandy Road, Middletown, CA and 19678 Stinson Road, Middletown consisting of 309-plus acres. (Planner Eric Porter)
9:30 a.m.: Public hearing to consider major use permit (UP 19-36). Applicant: Brian D. Pensack and Garrett W. Burdick (Lake Vista Farms LLC). Owner: Lake Vista Farms LLC. Proposed project: Applicant is applying for 15 acres of outdoor commercial cannabis canopy area within five fenced cultivation areas, up to 25.8 acres. Cultivation accessory items include portable toilets, trash enclosures, vegetative waste storage area, 2,500-gallon water storage tanks at each cultivation area, and Conex shipping containers and/or 8-foot by 8-foot storage sheds (or similar) for storage of pesticides, fertilizers and hazardous materials. On-site nursery within an existing barn. Renovated 10-foot by 30-foot shipping container to house security equipment and camera monitors, and 6-foot-tall security fencing, secured by locked gates, to enclose cultivation areas. Address: 2050 and 2122 Ogulin Canyon Road, Clearlake. (Planner Michael Taylor)
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