To: Zoning Administrator
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Old Briceland Holding Co Microbusiness
Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN) 220-241-017
Record No. PLN-2026-19531
Briceland area
A Special Permit for a microbusiness to allow for non-volatile manufacturing, distribution and non-storefront retail sales of all Old Briceland Holding Co cannabis products (PLN-10697-SP). The approved cultivation operation is for 30,000 square feet of mixed light cultivation with 3,000 square feet of ancillary propagation.
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Zoning Administrator:
1. Adopt the resolution, (Attachment 1) which does the following:
a. Finds the Zoning Administrator has considered the Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the Commercial Cannabis Land Use Ordinance that was prepared for the Old Briceland Holding Co Microbusiness; and
b. Finds the proposed project complies with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance; and
c. Approves the Special Permit modification subject to the conditions of approval (Attachment 1A).
Body
DISCUSSION:
Project Location: The project is located in the Briceland area, on the North and south sides of Old Briceland Road, at the intersection of Old Briceland Road and Greta Lane, on the property known as 7777 Old Briceland Road, Briceland.
Present General Plan Land Use Designation: Residential Agriculture (RA); 2017 General Plan; Density: 40 acres per unit; Slope Stability: High Instability (3)
Present Zoning: Unclassified (U)
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 Special Permit for a microbusiness to allow for packaging, non-volatile manufacturing, distribution and non-storefront retail sales of all Old Briceland Holding Co cannabis products (PLN-10697-SP). The previously approved cultivation operation is for 30,000 square feet of mixed light cultivation with 3,000 square feet of ancillary propagation. No volatile or flammable solvents are used at any time. This 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.
The proposed facility will operate as a licensed cannabis distributor in compliance with Humboldt County Code, California Department of Cannabis Control regulations along with all applicable state and local laws. Distribution will include receiving, storage, transport coordination, and wholesale distribution of cannabis goods to licensed entities. No retail sales to the public will occur on site. On-site customer visits, walk-in sales, or consumption will not be permitted.
Water Resources: All water for the microbusiness will be sourced from the existing approved sources including a stream diversion and a groundwater well. All water used in the manufacturing process will be sourced from the approved stream diversion and ground water well. Although rainwater catchment is an approved source of water for cultivation, no rainwater catchment water will not be used for this purpose. Two (2) 5000-gallon water tanks will store water for the manufacturing process.
Biological Resources: A Biological Assessment dated February 2019 was conducted by Mother Earth Engineering. Per the assessment, no sensitive natural communities were observed within the project areas. There are two Northern Spotted Owl activity centers, one to the southwest and one to the southeast. Activity center HUM0580 is approximately 9,800 feet away from the project parcel and activity center HUM0927 is approximately 10,300 feet away from the project parcel. Use of the generators is subject to the standard condition limiting noise to 50dB at 100 feet from the generator or at the edge of the nearest forest habitat, whichever is closer (Condition of Approval B13). No new lighting is attached to this project.
The site plan depicts multiple streamside management areas and riparian buffers for significant portions of the site. Per the site plan, all existing and proposed development is to be located outside the designated buffers.
Energy: Electricity is provided by Pacific Gas and Electric, solar, and supplemented by generators. The project is conditioned to migrate to all renewable sources reserving generator usage for emergencies only (Condition of Approval B14).
Geologic Suitability: The project parcels are mapped as areas of high instability. There are historic landslides mapped in a portion of the proposed project per the Humboldt Web GIS hazards mapping layers. No new earth moving is proposed with is project.
Access: The project site is accessed from Greta Lane which is privately maintained. Greta Lane takes access from Old Briceland Road, which is county maintained. Old Briceland Road takes access from Briceland Thorne Road, which is paved with a centerline stripe and is county maintained. Evidence was provided by the applicant under the original project PLN-10697-SP demonstrating that Greta Lane has sufficient road width and sight lines to accommodate anticipated traffic. Per the Operations Plan, Access roads to the property have been rocked and are free of ruts. Erosion along roads is controlled by drainage push outs located at favorable locations along the roads.
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: The project is within the historic aboriginal territory of the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria and the Tsnungwe Council. The original project was referred to the Northwest Information Center at Sonoma State, Bear River, and the Tsnungwe. A Cultural Resources Investigation performed by Arsenault and Associates in 2017. The investigation final report was reviewed by the Bear River Tribal Historic Preservation Office which recommended the standard inadvertent discovery protocol which has been incorporated into the project as a condition of approval (Condition of Approval B1). No construction or earth moving is proposed for this project.
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 5)
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. These alternatives could be implemented if the Zoning Administrator 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
C. Operations Plan
2. Site Plans
A. Microbusiness Site Plan
B. Microbusiness Building Diagram
3. Applicant’s Evidence in Support of the Required Findings
A. Statement of Diversion PLN-10697-SP
B. Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement PLN-10697-SP
4. CEQA Addendum
5. Referral Agency Comments and Recommendations
Applicant:
Rama Boyd,
PO Box 1250,
Redway, CA 95560
Agent:
Jane D Gund,
P.O. Box 1250,
Redway, CA 95560
Owner:
Same as Applicant
Please contact Michael Kein, Associate Planner, at MKein2@co.humboldt.ca.us or 707-268-3739 if you have questions about this item.