To: Board of Supervisors
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Departmental
SUBJECT:
title
Planning Commission Letter on Water Storage Requirements
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Consider the Letter Submitted by the Planning Commission; and
2. Provide Direction to the Planning Commission.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
General Fund (1100)
DISCUSSION:
On July 8, 2022, the Planning Commission approved two cannabis permits using wells as their water source. The commission applied a condition to these permits requiring that 20% of the water come from rainwater catchment. This condition had not previously been applied to any cannabis project. As a result of the imposition of these conditions, the commission voted to send a letter to the Board of Supervisors asking for direction on whether the ordinance should be modified or whether formal policy should be developed to establish a requirement that rainwater catchment be a requirement of cannabis permit approvals. That letter is attached.
Requesting an ordinance change or policy development is the appropriate course of action when considering making changes to land use requirements. The drought, climate change concerns, and the number of cannabis applications have all heightened the concern with water use, and particularly groundwater use. Cannabis applicants, most of whom have been in the process for 6 years are working through constant changes. Initially people were encouraged to move from surface diversions to wells, now applications with wells need a geologic report, many are having those completed, but since there seems to only be one geologist in the county working on these applications, application are backlogged for up to 6 months.
Sometimes change is necessary to address conditions and that cannot be avoided. The benefit of the change should always be considered in relation to the cost of making the change. Adding the cost of rainwat...
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