Planning Commission

825 Fifth Street Board of Supervisors Chambers Eureka, California

Agenda — 27 items

1. 1 The County of Humboldt is committed to providing equal access to all county programs, services and activities through the provision of accommodations for individuals with qualified disabilities as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act. With 72 hours prior notice, a request for reasonable accommodation or modification can be made. Please contact the Clerk of the Board Office at 707-476-2390 or by email cob@co.humboldt.ca.us or the ADA Coordinator at 844-365-0352 or by email at ada@co.humboldt.ca.us.
2. 2 Please note: Those not able to attend the Planning Commission meeting in person will have the opportunity to provide public comment via Zoom; however, the County of Humboldt cannot guarantee that the Zoom system will be available for the entirety of every meeting. The only ways to guarantee that your comment is received and considered by the Board of Supervisors are to attend the meeting person or submit your comment in writing in advance of the meeting.
3. 3 HOW TO LISTEN OR WATCH THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: 1. https://zoom.us/j/87544807065 Password: 200525 2. Call in via telephone at 346 248-7799, enter meeting id 875 4480 7065 Password: 200525 3. A live stream of the meeting can be found by using the following link: https://humboldt.legistar.com or by watching Access Humboldt on cable 1. In Person Public Comment: Any person may appear and present testimony for an item on this agenda at the hearing located in the Board of Supervisors' Chamber, Humboldt County Courthouse, 825 Fifth Street, Eureka, California. The Planning Commission needs 15 COPIES of any materials submitted at the meeting. 2. Zoom Public Comment: When the Planning Commission announce the agenda item that you wish to comment on, call the conference line, enter the Meeting ID and press star (*) 9 on your phone, this will raise your hand. You’ll continue to hear the Planning Commission meeting on the call. When it is your turn to speak, you’ll hear a prompt to unmute, press star (*) 6. Please turn off your TV or live stream to avoid delays. If you encounter any issues, please use the call-in option below. 3. Phone call using cell phone or landline: When the Planning Commission meeting begins, call in on the conference line. When the Planning Commission Chair starts to discuss the item you wish to comment on, Press *9 to raise your hand. When you are called upon to speak, you will be prompted to unmute, press *6 to unmute. You may access the live stream of the meeting by using the following link: https://humboldt.legistar.com SUBMITTING PUBLIC COMMENT PRIOR TO THE MEETING: Public comments may be submitted via email to Planningclerk@co.humboldt.ca.us. Please provide the project title, record or case number and date of the hearing. The deadline for submitting written comments is 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 06, 2024. After the deadline, written comments may be submitted to the commission in person during the meeting (15 copies). Comments can be found at the “Attachments” section of the “Meeting Details” link next to the posted Agenda at: https://humboldt.legistar.com and will be included with the administrative record. If you do not have access to email, contact the Planning Clerk at 707-267-9409.
4. A. CALL TO ORDER / SALUTE TO FLAG
5. C. CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR NOMINATION AND ELECTION approved Pass ▶ jump to 8:40
6. B. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT ▶ jump to 6:23
7. C. CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR NOMINATION AND ELECTION approved Pass ▶ jump to 7:28
8. D. AGENDA MODIFICATIONS ▶ jump to 9:30
9. E. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS ▶ jump to 13:34
10. F. CONSENT AGENDA ▶ jump to 12:52
11. 9 CONSENT AGENDA VOTE: approved Pass ▶ jump to 12:52
12. 1. Review and approval of the October 03, 2024, Action Summary 24-1540 approved
13. 2. MIB 2, LLC Conditional Use Permit and Special Permit Assessor Parcel Number 221-021-026 Record No.: PLN-11543-CUP Miranda Area A Conditional Use Permit for 33,000 square feet of existing outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation with 3,160 square feet of ancillary propagation. Estimated annual irrigation water usage of 200,000 gallons will be sourced from rainwater catchment and a groundwater well. Water storage is provided by a 250,000-gallon pond. Processing, including trimming, will occur onsite. Electricity is provided by solar power with a generator reserved for emergencies only. A Special Permit is included because the project is within 600 feet of Public Lands managed for open space and requires a setback reduction. 24-1545 approved Pass ▶ jump to 80:06
14. 3. Ten Redwoods LLC Conditional Use Permit and Special Permit Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN) 208-241-017 Record No.: PLN-11737-CUP Dinsmore Area DENIAL of a Conditional Use Permit for 11,700 square feet of existing outdoor cannabis cultivation and a Special Permit for development and restoration in a streamside management area. 24-1551 continued Pass ▶ jump to 121:39
15. 4. Renewable America, LLC Conditional Use Permit Modification Assessor Parcel Numbers: 505-151-012, 506-231-019 and 506-231-022 (one separate legal parcel) Record Number: PLN-2022-17922-MOD01 Arcata area A Modification to an approved Conditional Use Permit. The approved Conditional Use Permit was for a two phased community-scale solar energy and storage project that included the development of approximately 549,696 square feet of solar panels and a 5,000 square-foot equipment pad within pollinator habitat, in an area of approximately 30 acres (Record Number: PLN-2022-17922). The Modification to the approved project is to allow for the design change and reconfiguration of the solar panels and the equipment pad. The new design will include approximately 493,389 square feet of solar panels and two equipment pads, 2,500 and 2,156 square feet in size within pollinator habitat, in an area of approximately 27.43 acres. In addition, the layout of the panels will now shift from the west and extend north to within 50 feet of the northern parcel boundary. The new solar panels will be configured like those proposed in the approved permit; however, they are approximately 9.75 feet in height instead of 14 feet. 24-1552 approved Pass ▶ jump to 155:30
16. G. PUBLIC HEARINGS
17. 1. Showers Pass LLC Conditional Use Permits and Special Permit Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN) 317-182-019-000 and 317-182-020-000 Record Numbers.: PLN-10854-CUP Kneeland area Project Description: A Conditional Use Permit for 12,200 square feet (SF) existing outdoor cannabis cultivation and includes 1,400 SF of ancillary nursery and propagation space. A permitted well supplies cultivation water. Water storage of 10,000 gallons occurs in tanks. Annual water budget is approximately 93,000 gallons. Processing is proposed onsite but will utilize offsite processing until an appropriate facility is constructed. Power is provided by generators, the project is conditioned to transition to 100% renewable power by January 1, 2026, with generators reserved for emergencies only. The project includes a special permit for reduced setbacks to public lands. 24-1541 approved Pass ▶ jump to 189:16
18. 2. Showers Pass Farms LLC Conditional Use Permit and Special Permit Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN) 317-182-020-000 and 317-182-019-000 Record Numbers.: PLN-11989-CUP Kneeland/Showers Pass area Project Description: Conditional Use Permit for 18,634 square feet of existing, outdoor cannabis cultivation. A permitted well on APN 317-182-019 provides cultivation water. 10,000 gallons of water is stored in hard tanks. An estimated 160,000 gallons of water is needed annually for irrigation. Drying/curing of harvested cannabis to occur within an on-site shed. All processing activities occur at a licensed facility off-site. Power is provided by generators, the project is conditioned to transition to 100% renewable power by January 1, 2026, with generators reserved for emergencies only. Special permit for the use and maintenance of a waterline in the Streamside Management Area. 24-1543 approved Pass
19. 3. Marcas Land Co., Inc., Conditional Use Permit Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN) 317-033-008-000 Record No.: PLN-11099-CUP Pilot Ridge/Showers Pass area A Conditional Use Permit 19,595 square feet (sf) of pre-existing outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation and 1,142 sf of ancillary nursery area. Processing, including drying and trimming occurs in an existing building on-site. Water for irrigation is sourced from two permitted groundwater wells. The applicant estimates 577,500 gallons of water used for irrigation per year. Off-grid power is supplied by one generator and proposed solar arrays. The project is proposed to be conditioned to transition to 100 percent on-site renewable energy by January 1, 2026. 24-1544 approved
20. 4. The Hills, LLC and Shadow Light Ranch, LLC; Conditional Use Permits and Special Permits Record Numbers: PLN-11638-CUP, PLN-11642-ZCC, PLN-11643-CUP (filed 12/2/2016) Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN) 223-061-003, 223-061-038, 223-061-039, 223-061-043, 223-061-046, 223-073-004 and 223-073-005 Garberville area Two Conditional Use Permits and a Zoning Clearance Certificate for continued commercial cannabis cultivation and two Special Permits for commercial cannabis processing, including packaging, and a wholesale nursery. The project site consists of three legal parcels, one of which is proposed to be retired from cannabis operations. The total commercial cultivation proposed is 60,940 square feet of existing cannabis, of which 50,940 square feet is outdoor and 10,000 square feet is mixed light. The project includes relocation and consolidation of cultivation areas to environmentally superior locations with the remediation of the retired cultivation areas. New development activities associated with this project include greenhouses for existing and relocated cultivation areas, a proposed 10,080 square foot wholesale nursery, which will also support on-site operations, a warehouse processing facility with support office space that would total up to 13,472 square feet, and employee housing of up to approximately 5,184 square feet. Water for irrigation purposes is anticipated to be approximately 756,900 gallons annually and is from an existing permitted groundwater well to be supplemented by rainwater catchment. Water for domestic purposes is from an existing spring. On-site power is currently provided by generators and solar and PG&E power is proposed. In addition to the cultivation operation, wholesale nursery, processing operations and employee housing, the proposed project also includes decommissioning and restoration of three existing on-site ponds. These actions are proposed to satisfy requirements associated with the December 2023 Stipulated Judgement from the Superior Court of California Case No. CV2001113. 24-1546 continued Pass ▶ jump to 191:45
21. 5. Laura Muzzy Conditional Use Permit Modification Record Number: PLN-2024-19013, PLN-12468-SP Assessor Parcel Number: 210-072-009-000 Carlotta area A modification to Conditional Use Permit PLN-12648-CUP to add a well as an additional water source for the project and increase the amount of water used for irrigation annually from 200,000 gallons to 759,480 gallons. The approved permit authorized 30,000 square feet of outdoor cannabis cultivation with a 3,000 square foot nursery. The proposed well on the project parcel is likely to be hydrologically disconnected from surface waters...end 24-1553 continued Pass ▶ jump to 192:50
22. 6. Lynnette Chen Coastal Development Permit Assessor’s Parcel Numbers: 017-192-006 Record Numbers: PLN-2024-19041 Eureka area A Coastal Development Permit (CDP) for a repair of a damaged leach fields and tree removal of approximately 60 trees for structure protection for the existing residence and pump house for Humboldt Community Services District (HCSD). 24-1554 approved Pass ▶ jump to 220:59
23. H. ITEMS PULLED FROM CONSENT
24. I. REPORT FROM PLANNER ▶ jump to 222:01
25. J. PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSION ITEMS ▶ jump to 223:47
26. K. ADJOURNMENT ▶ jump to 224:57
27. L. NEXT MEETINGS: November 21, 2024 6:00 p.m. Regular Meeting - Hybrid December 05, 2024 6:00 p.m. Regular Meeting - Hybrid