- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Planning commission to consider major cannabis projects near airport, Hidden Valley Lake
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 22, 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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At 9:20 a.m., the commission will hold a public hearing for a major use permit sought by Gustafson Farms LLC for property at 4440, 4460, 4520 and 4550 George Road in Lakeport owned by Walter Stryker. The property is located near Lampson Field.
Gustafson Farms is applying for 111,620 square feet of canopy area – 89,620 square feet outdoor and 22,000 square feet mixed-light – within a total of 237,220 square feet of cultivation area and facilities including 50,000 square feet processing facility, 24,000 square feet of greenhouse for nursery, 50,000 square feet for drying facility, three storage sheds, and 23,000 square feet of greenhouse structures for mixed-light canopy.
The Community Development Department has received letters from neighbors along with a petition against the project citing issues with road access and traffic, air quality, aesthetics, odor management and groundskeeping requirements, to name a few.
Agricultural Commission Steve Hajik sent an email to county staff in February on the project.
“I oppose any outdoor grow of cannabis in this area of Lake County because of the proximity to active wine grapes and walnut production,” Hajik wrote, also raising issues of outdoor cannabis creating problems due to possible pesticide drift.
The Lake County Chamber of Commerce has submitted a letter to the commission, dated April 20, noting that it can’t support the use permit.
“Over the past few years, our ordinance has evolved to accommodate the cannabis industry while also being careful to address the concerns of neighboring traditional farmers,” wrote Chamber President Bobby Dutcher. “This resulted in areas of the County which required cannabis cultivation to be inside buildings or mixed light greenhouses with filtration systems. Outdoor cultivation is clearly not allowed at this location. This property is not isolated from traditional farming enough to warrant an exception to this rule. It is also directly upwind from the Lampson Airport. Our members operating businesses there have serious concerns with possible odor issues.”
Neighbor Diane Deuchar also submitted a letter noting the impact on local residents and reporting that the applicant is not making attempts to comply with regulations. She said they started the permitting process in March 2020 and subsequently planted cannabis plants and added hoop houses.
“There was no notification by the owners to any existing neighbors in person or by mail,” Deuchar wrote. “One might think a small grow on a few ag acres would have no impact, but that would be incorrect. The impact last year was huge, negative and inescapable. The smell was so bad it made outdoor activities untenable. Ironically we were instructed to congregate with family outside and maintain social distancing due to the pandemic, but our outdoors was unusable for months. The additional proposals which include 150,000 sq ft of buildings would be inconceivable in impact and irreversible once implemented.”
In a public hearing scheduled for 9:35 a.m., the commission will discuss a mitigated negative declaration for the proposal from Zarina Otchkova and WeGrow LLC for a 309-acre project located at 16750 Herrington Road, 17610 Sandy Road and 19678 Stinson Road in Middletown, next to the Hidden Valley Lake subdivision.
The applicant is seeking 15 A-Type 3B mixed-light commercial cannabis cultivation licenses, one A-Type 1C “specialty cottage” or greenhouse license and one A-Type 13 “self-distribution” license.
The proposal is for 30 greenhouses measuring 90 feet by 125 feet, one 90-foot by 112-foot greenhouse, four 90-foot by 125-foot nursery greenhouses, four 50-foot by 100-foot drying buildings, a 200-square-foot shed, four 2,500-gallon water tanks and fencing. Total cultivation area will cover nine acres, according to county documents.
The county has received numerous letters and messages raising concerns or stating opposition to the plan, citing impacts on nearby residences, water usage, allegations of unpermitted construction and cannabis growing, and a host of other concerns.
The staff report, from Community Development Director Scott De Leon and Deputy Director Toccarra Thomas, notes that the cultivation site is outside of the 1,000-foot required setback from the Hidden Valley Lake boundaries and that it’s consistent with land uses in the vicinity, along with being in compliance with the Lake County General Plan, Middletown Area Plan and the applicable Zoning Ordinance standards and criteria for a commercial cannabis cultivation operation.
Staff recommends approval based on numerous mitigations including for aesthetics, biological resources, air quality, noise, water and energy.
Other items on the Thursday agenda are as follows.
9:05 a.m.: Public hearing to consider a major use permit (UP 19-47). Owner/applicant: Work Right Building LLC. Proposed project: One Type 6 “Non-Volatile Cannabis Manufacturing License,” one Cannabis Processor License and one Type 11 Cannabis Distributor License consisting of 48,100 square feet of processing area, 690 square feet of manufacturing area and 1,810 square feet of distribution area located within an existing 60,000 square foot building. Location: 4615 Work Right Circle, Lakeport; APN: 008-032-51. Environmental evaluation: Categorical exemption (CE 21-06).
9:10 a.m.: Public hearing to consider major use permit (UP 19-46). Applicant/owner: Stuart Spivack. Proposed project: Applicant is applying for a total of 28,012 square feet canopy area within a total of 28,252 square feet of cultivation area and facilities including two 120 square feet accessory structures and water tanks. Location: 1027 Watertrough Road, Clearlake Oaks; APN(s): 628-100-10. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-65).
9:15 a.m. Public hearing to consider major use permit (UP 20-03). Applicant: Freddie Alvarez. Owner: Alvarez Ignacio Trustee. Proposed project: Applicant is applying for 131,000 square feet of outdoor canopy area and 500 square feet indoor canopy within a 600 square feet metal building. It will take place over four site locations totaling up to 3.6 acres of cultivation area within the property. Location: 12990 Spruce Grove Road, Lower Lake; APN: 012-067-40. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration (IS 20-33).
9:25 a.m. Public hearing to consider a rezone (RZ 19-02) and general plan amendment (GPAP 19-02) to change the zoning of a property from R-3 High Density Residential to R1 Low Density Residential; to change the general plan designation of a property from high density residential to low density residential, and consideration of a mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-41). Applicant/owner: Richard Siri. Proposed project: Rezone and general plan amendment on a property presently zoned R3. Location: 4436 Lakeshore Boulevard, Lakeport; APN: 029-141-22. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration.
9:30 a.m.: Public hearing to consider major use permit (UP 19-08). Applicant/Owner: Golden State Herb. Proposed project: One A Type 3 (medium outdoor) commercial cannabis cultivation license; four A-Type 2 small outdoor commercial cannabis licenses and one A-Type 13 ‘self-distribution’ license. Location: 8550 Highway 175, Kelseyville; APN: 011-055-06. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-14).
9:40 a.m. Continued from April 8. Public hearing to consider a major use permit (UP 19-40) to consider approval of a commercial cannabis cultivation project on a 77-plus acre property, and consideration of adopting a mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-59). Applicant/owner: CUA Enterprises. Proposed project: Three A-Type 3 medium outdoor cannabis cultivation licenses requesting 104,800 square feet of cannabis cultivation area and one one A-Type 13 self-distribution license. Location: 25252, 25322, 25372 and 25312 Jerusalem Grade Road, Middletown; APNs: 013-017-92, 013-017-74, 013-017-36 and 013-017-31. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration.
9:45 a.m. Continued from PC Meeting April 8th, 2021. Public Hearing to consider a Major Use Permit (UP 19-31) to consider approval of a commercial cannabis cultivation project on a 333+ acre property, and consideration of adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 19-39) on Thursday April 22, 2021, 9:45 a.m., in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers, 255 N. Forbes Street, Lakeport, California. Applicant / Owner: Badlands LLC. Proposed Project: Twelve (12) A-Type 3 medium outdoor cannabis cultivation licenses requesting 529,560 sq. ft. of cannabis cultivation area and one (1) A-Type 13 self-distribution license. Location: 21518 Bartlett Springs Road, Lucerne, CA; APN: 016-032-01. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration.
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