Staff Report
Date: May 9th, 2024
To: Planning Commission
From: Mireya G. Turner, Community Development Director
Michelle Irace, Principal Planner
Subject: Consideration of proposed Major Use Permit (UP 21-15), and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 21-16), for commercial cannabis cultivation including twenty (20) A Type 3 'Medium Outdoor' licenses for 19.6 acres of outdoor canopy; Applicant: Rancho Lake, LLC; Location: 19955 Grange Road, Middletown (APNs 014-290-08; 014-300-02, 03, & 04)
Executive Summary:
The applicant, Rancho Lake, LLC, is requesting a major use permit proposed Major Use Permit (UP 21-15), and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 21-16), for commercial cannabis cultivation including twenty (20) A-Type 3 "Medium Outdoor" licenses for 19.6 acres of outdoor canopy (within a 34-acre cultivation area), located at 19955 Grange Road, Middletown (APNs 014-290-08; 014-300-02, 03, & 04). The proposed cultivation (Project) would occur on APN 014-290-08 ("Project parcel"), while APNs 014-300-02, 03, and 04 will be used for clustering. The proposed cultivation operation would be established in areas of the Project parcel that have been used to farm oats and hay, as well as for cattle grazing, since at least the early 1900s. Cannabis cultivated on-site would be dried within the proposed Harvest Storage and Staging Areas, then transported to State of California-licensed processing and manufacturing facilities for processing and/or extraction.
The parcel is accessed via Grange Road, a paved and County Maintained roadway. Grange Road connects to Highway 29 approximately 1 1/2 miles west of the Project Property. The Project parcel
is accessed via Comstock Ranch Road, a graveled road off of Grange Road. Locking metal gates across Grange and Comstock Ranch roads control access to the parcel.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends the Planning Commission take the following actions:
A. Adopt Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 21-16) for Major Use Permit...
Click here for full text