To: Planning Commission
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Quantum Leasing LLC Conditional Use Permit
Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN) 203-231-003
Record No. PLN-2026-19563
Rohnerville area
A Conditional Use Permit for the addition of Cannabis Distribution and Non-Volatile Manufacturing to an approved cannabis cultivation project. The approved cultivation operation is for 9,792 square feet of mixed light cultivation. This includes 8,640 square feet of mature mixed-light cannabis cultivation canopy and 1,170 square feet of immature plant cultivation for propagation and research and development (R&D). A Conditional Use Permit is required due to the project's location within a Community Planning area.
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Planning Commission:
1 - Adopt the resolution, (Attachment 1) which does the following:
a - Finds the Planning Commission has considered the Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the Commercial Cannabis Land Use Ordinance that was prepared for the Quantum Leasing LLC. Microbusiness project; and
b - Finds the proposed project complies with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance; and
c - Approves the Conditional Use Permit modification subject to the conditions of approval (Attachment 1A).
Body
DISCUSSION:
Project Location: This project is located in the Rohnerville area, on the western side of Triple K Place, approximately 986 feet due southwest from the intersection of Rohnerville Road and
Triple K Place, on the property known as 210 Triple K Place.
Present General Plan Land Use Designation: Agricultural Exclusive (AE), Fortuna Area Community Plan (FCAP), Airport Land Use Compatibility Zone (AP), Density: 20 to 60 acres per dwelling unit, Slope Stability: Low In stability (l) and Moderate Instability (2)
Present Zoning: Agricultural Exclusive (AE)
Environmental Review: An Addendum to a previously adopted Environmental Impact Report has been prepared for consideration per §15164 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
State Appeal: Project is NOT appealable to the California Coastal Commission
Major Concerns: None
Monitoring Required: Annual Compliance Monitoring
Executive Summary: A Modification of an existing Zoning Clearance Certificate for the addition of Cannabis Distribution and Non-Volatile Manufacturing to an approved cannabis cultivation project. The approved cultivation operation is for 9,792 square feet of mixed light cultivation. No changes to the cultivation type or amount are proposed.
The project consists of adding non-volatile cannabis manufacturing and cannabis distribution. No volatile or flammable solvents will be used at any time. The manufacturing process will occur indoors within a permitted structure in compliance with the Humboldt County Code and state of California cannabis regulations. No overnight processing will occur. No chemical solvents are used at any time during this extraction process. The extraction process involves agitation of cannabis resin glands in a washing machine with ice water, which will then be filtered to make hash. Hash can then be further processed into rosin using a rosin press, which uses heat and mechanical pressure. Cannabis utilized in this manufacturing process will be sourced either directly from the on-site cultivation or by the permit holder’s other permitted site, which is in Carlotta (PLN-2025-19325, APN 206-101-059).
The proposed distribution operation will involve cannabis cultivated on the subject property as well as cannabis cultivated and harvested from the permit holders other permitted site in Carlotta (PLN-2025-19325, APN 206-101-059.
The only additional traffic associated with the proposed addition of manufacturing and distribution will be from transporting cannabis from the site in Carlotta to the subject property. At most this would be a few trips per harvest and would not substantially add any demand onto the local road system.
Water Resources: The water source for all water required for non-volatile cannabis processing will be derived from an approved onsite well. The well was approved under Permit # 15/16-0802 and completed in 2016. No additional water will be required for the distribution activities. Water associated with this sort of manufacturing process is minimal and will likely be no more than a few hundred gallons per year. There is currently 45,000 gallons of water storage available on the property. Two additional 5,000 gallon water tanks and a reverse osmosis water filtration system with a 1,200 gallon tank is proposed to be added to the site to support the manufacturing process.
Biological Resources: In September of 2016, a botanist with SHN Engineers & Geologists completed a Special Status Botanical Species Survey on parcel APN 203-231-003 and concluded no special status botanical species or special status natural communities were encountered within the study area. Particular attention and consideration was given to detecting the possible presence of the Siskiyou checkerbloom (Sidalcea malviflora ssp. patilla) due to a known occurrence of this taxon nearby. CNDDB reports an offsite occurrence of the Siskiyou checkerbloom approximately 200 feet south of the southern parcel boundary and although there is a moderate potential for this species to occur within the study area, it was not observed. Lastly, no sedge species (Carex spp.) were observed within study area. In summary, no special status botanical species or special status natural communities were encountered within the study area.
Very little additional development is proposed and the project is not expected to have significant impacts on sensitive species, water courses, or sensitive habitats. The only new development associated with the proposed are three water tanks and a small administrative office building. The parcel contains a small freshwater emergent wetland on the north end of the property and is approximately 300 feet from the cultivation area and the proposed manufacturing and distribution building. According to the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB), the parcel potentially contains habitat suitable for the foothill yellow-legged frog.
The project was referred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, but no response was received.
Energy: Power is provided by PG&E.
Access: This project is located in the Rohnerville area, on the western side of Triple K Place, approximately 986 feet due southwest from the intersection of Rohnerville Road and Triple K Place, on the property known as 210 Triple K Place. Access is taken from a privately maintained road from Rohnerville Road. A 2017 Road Evaluation (Attachment 2C) completed by Whitchurch Engineering determined that Triple K Place could accommodate an increase of vehicle traffic associated with a cannabis operation. The road serves a total of five parcels, including the subject parcel, and is considered very low volume and complies with the design standards outlined in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guidelines for Geometric Design of Very Low Volume Local Roads. This standard amounts to less the 400 trips a day. Per the Engineer assessment, the road averaged 44 vehicle trips per day at the time of measurement (2017).
The proposal to add non-volatile manufacturing and distribution of product grown on site is not expected to add any significant number of trips to the road. As previously discussed, a limited number of trips will occur during harvest time to transport cannabis from the operator’s other site in Carlotta. The entire operation, including cultivation, manufacturing and distribution, is expected to have four full time employees.
Security and Safety: The operation is secured behind a gated road and monitored by onsite staff. There is no public access to the site other than scheduled distribution. No on-site customer visits, walk-in sales, or consumption are permitted.
Tribal Consultation: This project is located in the Bear River of the Rohnerville Rancheria Aboriginal Territory. A Cultural Resource Investigation was conducted by Roscoe and Associates in October of 2016 for the original permit approval. The report concluded that no significant archaeological or historic period resources, that for the purposes of CEQA would be considered historically significant, exists on the project parcel. No earth moving is proposed for this project. The original cultivation project was referred to the Bear River Tribal Historic Preservation Office, the Wiyot Tribe and the Northwest Information Center. It was requested that the project be conditioned with inadvertent discovery protocol. This project is also conditioned with inadvertent discovery protocol.
Community Planning Area: The subject property is located within the City of Fortuna Sphere of Influence which is subject to the Special Area Provisions of the Commercial Cannabis Land Use Ordinance. Consistent with these requirements, a Modification of the Zoning Clearance Certificate is being requested, and a Notice of Application was sent to property owners and occupants within 1,000 feet of the site. The Notice of Application was sent on July 16, 2026, and two public comments with concerns regarding the project were received. These letters can be found in Attachments 5A and 5B. As a result of the neighbors’ concerns, the Applicant developed a “Good Neighbor Letter” to inform the residents who received the Notice of Application letter of the operations intent. These letters were sent or delivered to the residents along Triple K Place.
A Notice of Public Hearing was also sent to owners and occupants within 1,000 feet and published in the paper on September 17, 2026, and as of the date of this staff report no public comments had been received.
Consistency with Humboldt County Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 18-43: There is no expansion or increase of cultivation proposed regarding this permit. The cap for cultivation within a particular watershed set forth under Resolution No. 18-43 does not apply.
Environmental Review: An Addendum to a previously adopted Environmental Impact Report has been prepared for consideration per §15164 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The project was referred to responsible agencies and all responding agencies have either responded with no comment or recommended approval or conditional approval. (Attachment 4)
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Planning Commission could elect to add or delete conditions of approval. The Planning Commission could elect not to approve the project, or to require the applicant to submit further evidence, or modify the project. Modifications may cause potentially significant impacts, additional CEQA analysis and findings may be required. These alternatives could be implemented if the Planning Commission is unable to make all of the required findings. Planning Division staff have concluded that the required findings are in support of the proposal have been made.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft Resolution
A. Conditions of Approval
B. Location Map and Site Plan
2. Evidence in Support of Required Findings
A. Operation Plan
B. Biological and Botanical Survey
C. Triple K Place Road Evaluation 2017 Whitchurch Engineering
D. Good Neighbor Letter
3. CEQA Addendum
4. Referral Agency Comments and Recommendations
5. Public Comments
A. Public Comment - Quentin Owsley
B. Public Comment - Ryan Kleiner
Applicant:
Hem LLC & California LLC,
210 Triple K Place,
Fortuna, CA 95540
Owner:
Same as Applicant
Agent:
Kelly Flores and Suzanne Maese,
117 Wildwood Ave
Rio Dell, CA 95562
Please contact Michael Kein, Associate Planner, at MKein2@co.humboldt.ca.us or 707-268-3739 if you have questions about this item.