To: Board of Supervisors
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Public Hearing
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Revocation of 16 Permits Due to Unpaid Department Fees:
PLN-10508-CUP, PLN-10509-CUP, PLN-10951-SP, PLN-11171-SP, PLN-11211-ZCC, PLN-11260-CUP, PLN-11273-SP, PLN-11796-ZCC, PLN-12160-ZCC, PLN-12269-CUP, PLN-12310-CUP
PLN-12510-ZCC, PLN-12761-ZCC, PLN-12804-SP, PLN-13006-SP, PLN-13056-SPend
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Open the public hearing, receive, and consider the staff report and accept public comment; and
2. Close the public hearing.
3. Adopt the resolutions (Attachment 1-16) which do the following:
a. Find the permits have been exercised contrary to the terms and conditions of approval; and
b. Revoke the 16 permits per Section 312-14 of the Humboldt County Code; and
4. Direct the Clerk of the Board to provide a certified board order to the Planning and Building staff to be included with the notification of decision to the appropriate parties.
Body
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Core Services/Other
Strategic Plan Category: 9999 - Core Services/Other
DISCUSSION:
Executive Summary
This item requests the Board of Supervisors revoke 16 approved permits for cannabis cultivation due to the permits being exercised contrary to the terms, requirements, and conditions of approval.
On Feb. 6, 2025, the Board of Supervisors directed the Planning and Building Department to schedule revocation hearings for all permits that had not entered a payment plan for Measure S taxes and/or still owed Planning and Building Department fees as of Dec. 31, 2025. A letter was sent to these 16 permit holders on Feb. 27, 2026, notifying them that the permit had been suspended for unpaid department fees, and that the permit was being scheduled for revocation by the Board of Supervisors. The Feb. 27, 2026, letter identified that if the department fees were paid by March 31, 2026, the permit would be removed from the agenda for consideration of permit revocation. None of these 16 permits resolved their outstanding fees by March 31, 2026, and as of the date of preparation of this staff report, the department fees for these permits still have not been resolved.
Revocation of these permits is appropriate because the permits have been exercised contrary to the conditions and requirements of the permit and County Code. Section 55.4.11 (k) of the Commercial Medical Marijuana Land Use Ordinance requires a permit holder to “Pay all applicable application and annual inspection fees.” The total amount owed to the Planning and Building Department from these 16 permits is $41,358.10.
Before the Board of Supervisors consideration are 16 permits, as described below:
1. PLN-10508-CUP, Panther Gap Farms: A Conditional Use Permit for 1-acre existing outdoor cultivation in the Honeydew area on APN 107-124-015. The outstanding balance of $890.63 in department fees has not been paid.
2. PLN-10509-CUP, Panther Gap Farms: A Conditional Use Permit for 1-acre existing outdoor cultivation in the Honeydew area on APN 107-235-007. The outstanding balance of $851.52 in department fees has not been paid.
3. PLN-10951-SP, Judy Hulbert: A Special Permit for 7,854 square feet of existing outdoor cannabis cultivation in the Willow Creek area on APN 523-025-005. The outstanding balance of $1,166.40 in department fees has not been paid.
4. PLN-11171-SP, Lagniappe Farms, Inc: A Special Permit for 6,800 square feet of existing outdoor cannabis cultivation in the Bridgeville area on APN 210-051-050. The outstanding balance of $4,566.91 in department fees has not been paid.
5. PLN-11211-ZCC, Woody Ridge Farms LLC: A Zoning Clearance Certificate for an existing 4,465 square feet of mixed light and 960 square feet of outdoor cannabis cultivation in the Garberville area on APN 222-211-002. The outstanding balance of $1,146.47 in department fees has not been paid.
6. PLN-11260-CUP, S.A.F.E., LLC: A Conditional Use Permit for 28,401 square feet existing outdoor cannabis cultivation in the Ferndale area on APN 101-152-003. The outstanding balance of $2,227.44 in department fees has not been paid. The outstanding balance of $2,227.44 in department fees has not been paid.
7. PLN-11273-SP, Twin Creeks Farm, LLC: A Zoning Clearance Certificate for 3,960 square feet existing mixed light cannabis cultivation in the Whitethorn area on APN 220-092-011. The outstanding balance of $3,606.43 in department fees has not been paid.
8. PLN-11796-ZCC, Butte Creek Humboldt Farms, LLC: A Special Permit for 7,500 square feet of existing cultivation, (5,500 square feet of outdoor cannabis and 2,000 square feet mixed light cannabis) and 2,500 square feet of new mixed light cannabis cultivation in the Kneeland area on APN 314-222-004. The outstanding balance of $1,897.99 in department fees has not been paid.
9. PLN-12160-ZCC, DKT Holding Group: A Zoning Clearance Certificate for 10,000 square feet new mixed-light cannabis cultivation in the Hydesville area on APN 204-171-012. The outstanding balance of $2,350.45 in department fees has not been paid.
10. PLN-12269-CUP, Redtail Ranch MBC: A Conditional Use Permit for 43,550 square feet outdoor cultivation and 5,121 square feet mixed-light cultivation in the Blue Lake area on APN 316-086-017. The outstanding balance of $2,154.74 in department fees has not been paid.
11. PLN-12310-CUP, Redwood Valley Farms, LLC: A Conditional Use Permit for an existing 14,810 square feet outdoor cannabis cultivation in the Willow Creek area on APN 316-174-010. The outstanding balance of $7,808.82 in department fees has not been paid.
12. PLN-12510-ZCC, GS Farm Lands, LLC: A Zoning Clearance Certificate for 10,000 square feet mixed light cannabis cultivation in the Honeydew area on APN 107-291-017. The outstanding balance of $751.29 in department fees has not been paid.
13. PLN-12761-ZCC, Otto Farms LLC: A Zoning Clearance Certificate for 3,400 square feet existing mixed light cultivation. It is the retiring site of a “Retirement, Remediation and Relocation Program” (RRR) site in the Bridgeville area on APN 208-111-020. The outstanding balance of $6,813.19 in department fees has not been paid.
14. PLN-12804-SP, Mecak LLC: A Special Permit for an existing 10,000 square feet outdoor cannabis cultivation in the Dinsmore area on APN 208-341-028. The outstanding balance of $1,363.34 in department fees has not been paid.
15. PLN-13006-SP, Lauren Marlak: A Special Permit for 8,000 square feet existing outdoor cultivation in the Dinsmore area on APN 210-250-009. The outstanding balance of $1,073.16 in department fees has not been paid.
16. PLN-13056-SP, Redcrest Farms, LLC: A Special Permit for onsite and offsite processing; manufacturing using non-volatile solvents; and for a distribution facility in the Redcrest area on APN 209-351-083. The outstanding balance of $2,689.32 in department fees has not been paid.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
There is no identified funding source for this action. This is funded by the General Fund Contribution to department operations.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The total amount owed to the Planning and Building Department from these 16 permits is $41,358.10. There are no funds that have been identified to cover the costs of processing this revocation. The Planning and Building Department will use the department’s General Fund contribution to reimburse these costs, normally paid by the permit holder.
STAFFING IMPACT:
This item has been accomplished with existing staff at the Planning and Building Department and the Tax Collector. However, because the costs of these actions are paid with the General Fund contribution, as opposed to permit fees, the Planning and Building Department will be more restricted in discretionary activities it can pursue this year and more reliant on activities that are grant funded or paid by fees.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board could choose not to revoke the permits. The Planning and Building Department does not recommend this because of the continued cost of permitting review and inspections.
ATTACHMENTS:
NOTE: The attachments supporting this report have been provided to the Board of Supervisors; copies are available for review in the Clerk of the Board's Office.
1. PLN-10508-CUP Resolution
2. PLN-10509-CUP Resolution
3. PLN-10951-SP Resolution
4. PLN-11171-SP Resolution
5. PLN-11211-ZCC Resolution
6. PLN-11260-CUP Resolution
7. PLN-11273-SP Resolution
8. PLN-11796-ZCC Resolution
9. PLN-12160-ZCC Resolution
10. PLN-12269-CUP Resolution
11. PLN-12310-CUP Resolution
12. PLN-12510-ZCC Resolution
13. PLN-12761-ZCC Resolution
14. PLN-12804-SP Resolution
15. PLN-13006-SP Resolution
16. PLN-13056-SP Resolution
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: N/A
File No: N/A