To: Planning Commission
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Strope and Green Diamond General Plan Amendment, Zone Reclassification and Lot Line Adjustment
Assessor Parcel Numbers: 516-091-064, 516-081-004, 516-081-003 and 516-091-063 which is one legal parcel with two APN’s
Record Number: PLN-2025-19355
Fieldbrook Area
A General Plan Amendment (GPA) to change the designation of approximately 1.13 acres of Green Diamond Resource Company property from Residential Agriculture with a density of one unit per 5-20 acres (RA5-20) to Agriculture Exclusive (AE). Also included is a Zone Reclassification to rezone this land from Agriculture General with a 20-acre minimum parcel size (AG-B-5(20)) to Agriculture Exclusive (AE). This will allow for a Lot Line Adjustment (LLA) of the three parcels resulting in three parcels of approximately 97.94 acres, 5.41 acres and 3.55 acres. The LLA is necessary to accommodate encroachments of existing development associated with the smaller parcels onto Green Diamond Resource Company land and the GPA and Zone Reclassification are necessarily in order to align the general plan and zoning designations with the new property lines. The smaller parcels (Stropes) are developed with single-family residences and accessory structures. They are served by community water provided by the Fieldbrook Community Services District and onsite wastewater treatment systems. The Green Diamond Resource Company land is vacant resource land. A petition to change the General Plan designation and Zone classification (PLN-2024-19094) was accepted by the Board of Supervisors on June 3, 2025.
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Planning Commission:
1. Adopt the resolution (Attachment 1), which does the following:
a. Makes all the required findings for approval based on evidence in the staff report and public testimony; and
b. Recommends that the Board of Supervisors approve the General Plan Amendment and Zone Reclassification; and
c. Approves the Lot Line Adjustment subject to the recommended conditions of approval.
Body
DISCUSSION:
The project is an applicant-initiated General Plan Amendment and Zone Reclassification to facilitate a Lot Line Adjustment in the Fieldbrook area between APN 516-091-064, owned by Ian Strope, APN 516-081-004, owned by Seth Strope, and APN’s 516-081-003 and 516-091-063 a single legal parcel with two APN’s, owned by Green Diamond Timber Company. The purpose of the Lot Line Adjustment is to incorporate development inadvertently built on the Green Diamond Timber Company Property into the Strope parcels. The Lot Line Adjustment seeks to adjust two boundaries on the three parcels. APN 516-091-064 will add .46 acres and APN 516-081-004 will add .67 acres. These amounts will be subtracted from 516-091-063 and 516-081-003 respectively, these parcels are a single legal parcel with two APN’s. No estimate of the accessory structures’ age was made. As confirmed by a lot line adjustment map, (Attachment 1B) by Mike O’Hern, the encroaching development from 516-091-064 includes a garage and driveway area. The encroaching development from 516-081-004 includes an existing driveway and a building. Included in the attachments is a signed application from Craig Compton, Real Property Manager for Green Diamond Resource Company supporting the General Plan Amendment, Zoning Reclassification and Lot Line Adjustment. A Survey Map, Attachment 1B, shows the accessory development at issue, and details the proposed Lot Line Adjustment, and the 1.13-acre area targeted for the General Plan Amendment, and the areas proposed for Zone Reclassification.
A review of creation documents to determine the legal status of the subject parcels found that all involved parcels have been created in compliance with the Subdivision Map Act. APN 516-091-064 (Ian Strope Property) has been determined to be one legal parcel as shown on Parcel Map recorded in Book 05 of Parcel Maps page 133. 516-081-004-000 (Seth Strope Property) has been determined to be one legal parcel created prior to 1964 as noted in book 170 of Deeds page 353. APN’s 516-081-003 and 516-091-063 (Green Diamond) are one legal parcel described as Parcel 1 of Book 5 of Parcel Maps, Pages 133 and 134.
On June 3, 2025, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors Accepted a General Plan and Zone Amendment Petition with Resolution Number 25-100. The petition authorized the applicant to submit the complete application.
Based on review of Planning Division reference sources and comments from all responding referral agencies, planning staff believe that the applicant has submitted evidence in support of making all of the required findings for approving the General Plan Amendment, Zone Reclassification and Lot Line Adjustment.
Project Location: The project site is located in the Fieldbrook area, on the east side of Fieldbrook Road, approximately 2,000 feet north of the intersection of Fieldbrook Road and Parker Lane, on the properties known as 743, 841 and 923 Fieldbrook Road.
Present General Plan Land Use Designation: Ian Strope property, APN 516-091-064: Agricultural Exclusive (AE). Seth Strope property, APN 516-081-004: Agricultural Exclusive (AE). Green Diamond Resource Company: APN 516-081-003 and 516-091-063: Residential Agriculture (RA 5-20).
Present Zoning: Ian Strope property APN 516-091-064: Agricultural Exclusive (AE). Seth Strope property: APN 516-081-004 Agricultural Exclusive (AE). Green Diamond Resource Company: APN 516-081-003 and 516-091-063: Residential Agriculture (RA 5-20).
Environmental Review: Project is exempt from environmental review per Section 15305(a) - Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations - and 15061(b,3) - No Possibility of Significant Impact - of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
State Appeal: Project is not appealable to the California Coastal Commission.
Major concerns: None.
Monitoring Required: None.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The project was referred to responsible agencies and all responding agencies have either recommended approval or conditioned approval (Attachment 4).
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. The Planning Commission could elect not to approve the project. This alternative should be implemented if your Commission is unable to make all of the required findings. Planning Division staff is confident that the required findings can be made. Consequently, planning staff does not recommend further consideration of this alternative.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft Resolution
A. Conditions of Approval
B. GPA, ZR & LLA Site Map and adjustment detail
C. Draft Ordinance for Adoption by the Board of Supervisors
2. Location Map
3. Applicant Evidence in Support of the Required Findings
4. Referral Agency Comments and Recommendations
Applicant/Owner:
Ian Strope
743 Fieldbrook Road
McKinleyville, CA. 95519
Owner:
Seth Strope
106 T Street
Eureka, CA 955501
Owner:
Green Diamond Resource Company
1301 5Th Ave #2700
Seattle, WA. 98101
Agent:
Mike O'Hern
Kelly-O'Hern Associates
3240 Moore Avenue
Eureka, CA 95501
Please contact Andrew Whitney, Associate Planner, at awhitney2@co.humboldt.ca.us <mailto:awhitney2@co.humboldt.ca.us> or (707)268-3735 if you have any questions about this item.