To: Zoning Administrator
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Terrapin Farms Special Permit Modification
Assessor Parcel Numbers: 529-036-011
Record Number: PLN-2025-19195
Orleans area
A Modification to an approved Special Permit (PLN-12136-SP) to allow for a microbusiness. The approved Special Permit was for an existing commercial cannabis operation consisting of 6,500 square feet of outdoor cultivation. The Modification to the approved project is to add manufacturing, distribution, and processing as well as to allow hoophouses to cover existing garden beds. Proposed manufacturing activities include extraction utilizing ice water. No use of solvents is proposed.
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Zoning Administrator:
1. Adopt the resolution (Resolution 25-__) (Attachment 1), which does the following:
2. Finds project exempt from environmental review pursuant to section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines; and
3. Finds the proposed project Modification complies with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance; and
4. Approves Special Permit Modification subject to the conditions of approval (Attachment 1A).
Body
DISCUSSION:
Project Location: The project is located in the Orleans area, on the north side of Bark Shanty Road,
approximately 0 .08 miles northeast from the intersection of a private drive and Bark Shanty Road,
0.2 miles northwest from the intersection of Bark Shanty Road and lshi Pishi Road, approximately
4.5 miles north from the intersection of lshi Pishi Road and Hwy 96, on the property known as 221 Bark Shanty Road, Orleans.
Present Plan Land Use Designations: Residential Agriculture (RA), Humboldt County General Plan, Density: 5 to 20 acres per dwelling unit, Slope Stability: Moderate Instability (2).
Present Zoning: Unclassified (U)
Environmental Review: The project is exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section: 15301 - Existing Facilities.
State Appeal Status: Project is located outside the Coastal Zone and is therefore NOT appealable to the California Coastal Commission.
Major Issues: None
Monitoring Required:
Annual Compliance Monitoring.
Executive Summary: This application is a Modification to an approved Special Permit. The approved Special Permit was for 6,500 square feet of existing outdoor cannabis cultivation. The Modification to the approved project is to add manufacturing, distribution, and processing. Proposed manufacturing activities include extraction utilizing ice water, no use of solvents is proposed. The proposed manufacturing will occur in the garage along with the existing processing.
The modification will also allow the operation to add 10’ wide seasonal hoop houses over the existing garden beds. The garden beds are 6’wide within native living soils and will add square footage to accommodate the 2’ wide aisles on both sides of the existing beds. The reconfiguration will not change the existing cultivation amount with the approved permit (PLN-12136-SP).
The original project was approved by the Zoning Administrator on May 2, 2019. The modification is required as the proposed changes to the project include the addition of manufacturing, distribution, and processing which differs from what was originally approved. These activities qualify as a microbusiness under the Commercial Cannabis Land Use Ordinance and are not expected to add any significant traffic or resource impacts.
Environmental Review
The existing cultivation project is exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section: 15301 - Existing facilities.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Based on a review of Planning Division reference sources, Planning staff is confident that the applicant has submitted evidence in support of making all of the required findings for approval of the Special Permit Modification.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Zoning Administrator could elect to add or delete conditions of approval. The Zoning Administrator 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.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft Resolution
A. Conditions of Approval
B. Operations Plan
C. Modification Site Plan
2. ZA Staff Report May 2, 2019
A. Approved Site Plan
3. Original ZA Resolution
4. Referral Agency Comments
APPLICANT AND OWNER INFORMATION:
Applicant
Terrapin Farms, LLC
Michael Korejko
PO Box 144
Orleans, CA 95556
Owner
GEORGE J & MARIE PEARLINGI COTR
8130 WEST END RD
ARCATA CA 95556
Agent
None
Please contact Derek Wiles, Planner, at 707-268-3727 or by email at dwiles@co.humboldt.ca.us, if you have any questions about the scheduled item.