Staff Report
Date: January 11, 2024
To: Planning Commission
From: Mireya G. Turner, Community Development Department
Michelle Irace, Principal Planner
Prepared by Eric Porter, Associate Planner
Subject: Consideration of proposed Major Use Permit (UP 20-71), and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 20-86), for approval of 130,680-sf of outdoor cannabis cultivation area and 36,000-sf of greenhouse cultivation area; Applicant: Cruz Family Farms; Located: 8300 Old Dirt Road, Kelseyville (APN: 007-023-05)
Executive Summary:
Cruman Family Limited Partnership, represented by Armando and Vanessa Cruz, requests discretionary approval of a Major Use Permit for a proposed commercial cannabis cultivation operation (Cruz Family Farms) located at 8300 Old Dirt Road, approximately 3 miles southeast of the township of Kelseyville. The project consists of 130,680 sf of outdoor cultivation with an estimated 110,000 sf of canopy; six (6) 30' x 200' greenhouses containing 36,000 sf of cultivation area with 22,000 sf of mixed light canopy, and one (1) A-Type 13 Distributor Transport Only, Self-distribution License to allow legal transportation of cannabis to and from the site.
The subject site is accessed by a dirt and gravel shared accessway referred to as "Old Dirt Road," which connects with Wight Way in Kelseyville. The applicant has provided evidence that they have a legal right to use this shared accessway; this was confirmed by the Lake County Surveyor (Attachment 6, "Agency Comments").
The site is presently undeveloped. The project will rely on solar power and backup generators as a power source.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends the Planning Commission take the following actions:
Adopt Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 20-86) for Major Use Permit (UP 20-71) with the following findings:
1. Potential environmental impacts related to Aesthetics can be mitigated to less than significant levels with the inclusion of mitigation measure AES-1 and AES-2.
1....
Click here for full text