Petrolia project notice-- the one you've been wondering about

[laurac...@frontiernet.net]

Pay attention!
There's a week left for commenting/challenging this (at this point). See attached notice.

As far as i know, nobody except adjoining neighbors, who were legally required to be notified, would have seen this if someone hadn't just shown it to me to share.

Read the paragraph at the bottom of the first page of the attachment beginning with "North Fork Mattole Farms, LLC." This is what's planned for Petrolia. It's on the old Leonard Cook property, below the cemetery.

Are we all just fine with these major changes in the Valley, changes already obviously underway (by others) and already ugly and divisive? So divisive that people are afraid to even look at them or begin a challenge, it seems.

I think if people care about this town and this Valley, they might have something to say.

Do not just respond here... the Google Group will not decide anything. However, it could be used to plan and coordinate activities for further education/discussion.

There was a similar proposal in Honeydew, which the Hindley Ranch Neighbors addressed. They did not stop the project, but they did manage to mitigate some of the more obnoxious aspects of it. It is worth doing something/saying something if you care.

Thank you,

~Laura

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: McClenagan, Laura <lmccle...@co.humboldt.ca.us>

To: laurac...@frontiernet.net <laurac...@frontiernet.net>

Sent: Wednesday, September 8, 2021, 04:34:09 PM PDT

Subject: Petrolia project notice

Please find the attached Notice for the North Fork Mattole Farms project.

 

Laura McClenagan Executive Secretary Humboldt County Planning and Building Department 3015 H Street  |  Eureka, CA  95501 Phone: 707-268-3702  |  Fax: 707-268-3792 Email: lmccle...@co.humboldt.ca.us

 

 

[Dan B]

  Thank you Laura. Adding growing into the populated areas has already impacted us near Crane Hill. This needs to be said. I've spoken to most of my neighbors. I'm not alone when I voice these concerns. There are a lot of permits applied for in and around Petrolia for new greenhouses now that the creeks and hills are not a free for all. Coming to a parcel near you? You can check for them here if you click on the plat map, the parcel, and then assessor parcel number: https://webgis.co.humboldt.ca.us/HCEGIS2.0/    From up on Chambers Rd. the fans at the bottom of Crane Hill that belong to NY Dave are audible day and/or night while they are running under certain conditions. And this is after he was nice enough to dial them back to an annoying hum when asked to. Not everyone is as considerate. ....I always enjoyed the profound quiet we had here before. That's often gone now. At first they sounded like a plane sitting on a runway, revved up, but it never took off. They are half a mile away. Dave lives over on Evergreen where it's quiet. My feeling is he taking something from us that doesn't belong to him. The sound radiates extremely well upward from the valley floor so as more greenhouses become operational there will be a constant hum everywhere. Each installation will add more noise to the already existing ones. And all of them will justify what they do by saying so and so is already doing it and they have to be competitive. So no more peace and quiet in our residential areas or in the surrounding mountains. Our view shed is on the way down the toilet too but you can look away. Having your ears treated like an open sewer for someone elses profit when the sound is permeating your home and property is on another level. Property values and tourism wil be affected. When zoning is created as RA (residential/agricultural) the intent is not to create residences in neighborhoods that have machinery running day and night. That would be ludicrous. It's about cows, goats, sheep, chickens, hay, fruit trees, etc. But now the county is ready to allow machinery that runs day and night to be installed within earshot of existing residences. The justification is that it's not too loud. Tell that to people who bought property here precisely because it is profoundly natural and quiet. It's a stretch to argue because there is a plant growing in a plastic pot, in a plastic building, with soil from a plastic bag, living on water from a plastic tank ,and needing a 600 AMP electrical service, that when the word agriculture was used in the code this is what was intended. This could all be done much more ecologically in an asphalt parking lot somewhere close to the markets that consume it all. In a light industrial area. To say this is "Humboldt grown" is an insult to all the people, most of my neighbors included, who grow quiet, clean, in the ground, and peacefully. I'm not very knowledgable about the subject but it appears that by limiting the size of grows the county has inadvertantly made light dep greenhouses the way to get more crops from a small footprint. And plants sealed in plastic tunnels with electric lights need a lot of fans. The law of unintended consequences. So the soundscape is sacrificed. The view shed is sacrificed. Maybe the aquifer and all the shallow wells in town too. The peace and beauty that people come here for and love is diminished and replaced by noise and plastic all because of a business model that benefits some but disregards the character of the neighborhood and the people who live in it. Is the peace and beauty of Petrolia worth saving? Might be time to say something if you think so .............................. Sincerely, Dan B

[GABRIELLE COHEN]

It’s infuriating, but the rich ALWAYS get richer on the backs of the poor, who always stay without enough resources. Are all the huge “legal” growers paying their workers as employees, and not just contractors?  Are they all paying workers compensation, so if someone gets hurt, or gets COVID, he or she can have proper medical care without going into huge debt?  There are many small legal growers who are just trying to support their families, but the huge growers are making the prices so low, that it is becoming less and less viable for them. These are the pertinent questions.  Thanks, Gaby

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 8, 2021, at 8:45 PM, Dan B <calco...@gmail.com> wrote:

  Thank you Laura. Adding growing into the populated areas has already impacted us near Crane Hill. This needs to be said. I've spoken to most of my neighbors. I'm not alone when I voice these concerns. There are a lot of permits applied for in and around Petrolia for new greenhouses now that the creeks and hills are not a free for all. Coming to a parcel near you? You can check for them here if you click on the plat map, the parcel, and then assessor parcel number: https://webgis.co.humboldt.ca.us/HCEGIS2.0/    From up on Chambers Rd. the fans at the bottom of Crane Hill that belong to NY Dave are audible day and/or night while they are running under certain conditions. And this is after he was nice enough to dial them back to an annoying hum when asked to. Not everyone is as considerate. ....I always enjoyed the profound quiet we had here before. That's often gone now. At first they sounded like a plane sitting on a runway, revved up, but it never took off. They are half a mile away. Dave lives over on Evergreen where it's quiet. My feeling is he taking something from us that doesn't belong to him. The sound radiates extremely well upward from the valley floor so as more greenhouses become operational there will be a constant hum everywhere. Each installation will add more noise to the already existing ones. And all of them will justify what they do by saying so and so is already doing it and they have to be competitive. So no more peace and quiet in our residential areas or in the surrounding mountains. Our view shed is on the way down the toilet too but you can look away. Having your ears treated like an open sewer for someone elses profit when the sound is permeating your home and property is on another level. Property values and tourism wil be affected. When zoning is created as RA (residential/agricultural) the intent is not to create residences in neighborhoods that have machinery running day and night. That would be ludicrous. It's about cows, goats, sheep, chickens, hay, fruit trees, etc. But now the county is ready to allow machinery that runs day and night to be installed within earshot of existing residences. The justification is that it's not too loud. Tell that to people who bought property here precisely because it is profoundly natural and quiet. It's a stretch to argue because there is a plant growing in a plastic pot, in a plastic building, with soil from a plastic bag, living on water from a plastic tank ,and needing a 600 AMP electrical service, that when the word agriculture was used in the code this is what was intended. This could all be done much more ecologically in an asphalt parking lot somewhere close to the markets that consume it all. In a light industrial area. To say this is "Humboldt grown" is an insult to all the people, most of my neighbors included, who grow quiet, clean, in the ground, and peacefully. I'm not very knowledgable about the subject but it appears that by limiting the size of grows the county has inadvertantly made light dep greenhouses the way to get more crops from a small footprint. And plants sealed in plastic tunnels with electric lights need a lot of fans. The law of unintended consequences. So the soundscape is sacrificed. The view shed is sacrificed. Maybe the aquifer and all the shallow wells in town too. The peace and beauty that people come here for and love is diminished and replaced by noise and plastic all because of a business model that benefits some but disregards the character of the neighborhood and the people who live in it. Is the peace and beauty of Petrolia worth saving? Might be time to say something if you think so .............................. Sincerely, Dan B

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mattole Valley Bulletin Board" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mattole+u...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mattole/990f5599-048c-4e84-bd6b-dc8821020064n%40googlegroups.com.

[ginar...@gmail.com]

Thanks to Laura and Dan for approaching this delicate topic. Water use, noise and increased traffic are major concerns of anyone living near a large commercial grow, especially in our quiet valley.

 Cumulative impacts of total water use dedicated to industrial cannabis grows has me worried about our aquafers and water available for the river. I'm concerned habitat restoration and other work to save the Mattole's salmon could be for naught if there is little water left to feed the river, especially in drought years.  I'm no scientist, but I imagine taking millions and millions of gallons of rain water away from its natural flow can't be good for the fish.

The noise issues associated with the constant humming of fans is very stressful (and unpleasant) on residents who can hear them. I'm sure the birds and wildlife nearby are severely stressed by the noise also, and are probably changing their behavior as a result of the constant industrial hum. Apparently the constant noise of traffic is considered to be a severe health problem in Europe, second to air pollution. Just today an article about a lengthy study on noise and links to dementia and other health problems was published in Medical Express (link Exposure to traffic noise linked to higher dementia risk ) Here are the last two paragraphs:  The widespread and substantial exposures to noise worldwide, the severity of associated health consequences, and the limited tools available for people to protect themselves, strongly support the WHO's argument that "noise pollution is not only an environmental nuisance but also a threat to public health," they write.

"Reducing noise through transportation and land use programs or building codes should become a public health priority," they conclude.

Thanks for reading.

Gina

[Roxy Kennedy]

I hope this is not too Polyanna, but....I am not sure who the owners are on this project, but have heard they might be local people with heart. Perhaps several who have these concerns could mediate with them and come up with a project that is more considerate of the community and more sustainable for workers, neighbors, and the farmer?? Not always possible. But perhaps this particular group would be more open to this than some that have tried to overbuild here in the Mattole.

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mattole Valley Bulletin Board" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mattole+u...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mattole/c40d14b0-7098-4241-a81d-9e22ea3251d4n%40googlegroups.com.

[Dan B]

Thank you jb. I remember sitting behind Gardner, the owner of the Green Tortoise bus line, as he drove the bus, and getting his story about how that iconic business came to be. The part I remember is him saying he started doing it for love. Then it was three quarters love and one quarter money. Then half love and half money. Then three quarters money and one quarter love. Eventually we can end up just doing it just for the money. My feeling is people can make enough money doing what they love without abusing the environment and their neighbors. It's important to know how much is enough. It is becoming apparent that too much production and consumption is probably going to put a stop to us all. No exceptions, no escape, globally. The Mattole is one of the few places left were this is not quite so apparent yet. Our quality of life is remarkable. We can value it and work to preserve it or let some of our tendencies turn it into just another developed job site. Doing it right might make a decent income. Doing it wrong will certainly make neighbors resent you, or worse. 

[Michael Evenson]

Ellen and I are not personally affected by this since we live 4 miles away, but it will impact our experience going to town (Petrolia) and the people we care about here.  I asked the planner to send a map and it is attached to this email.  It will give everyone a better picture of what’s proposed.

[Dan B]

Thanks Michael. The more information the better in an effort to think this through. Apparently the Crane Hill/School area is incrimentally being transformed into a indusrial/business district without ever having been zoned as such. Without sidewalks, adequate traffic lanes, lighting, signage, PG+E capacity, or the consent of homes that are impacted. The permit allows for SEVENTY-TWO of the 5000 gallon plastic tanks. There are forty-eight shown in the illustration. Any other details missing? How about the generator and solar panels? I'm told PG+E is out of more capacity for years to come........This recent story has me wondering about the future viability of the developement of more production: https://weedcoastcustoms.com/2021/09/09/growers-in-the-emerald-triangle-are-facing-a-potential-extinction-event/    

[Dan B]

The homes impacted by this are not occupied by the people who are financing and own this development. If anyone wants to object to what happens in neighborhood in the future (possibly when the business is sold) they should raise that issue now by commenting or they will not be able to do so later according to the county. 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

HUMBOLDT COUNTY ZONING ADMINISTRATOR

On Thursday, September 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard, the Humboldt County Zoning Administrator will hold a public hearing to consider the matter listed below.

NOTE: In accordance with Executive Order N-29-20 the County of Humboldt Zoning Administrator meeting will be held virtually until further notice. 

HOW TO LISTEN OR WATCH THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR MEETING:

You may access the live stream of the meeting in two ways:

1. You may access the live stream of the meeting by using the following link: https://zoom.us/j/93263143044   Password: 421159
2. Call in via telephone at 346 248-7799, enter meeting ID 932 6314 3044 Password: 421159

PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS DURING THE MEETING:

Participate in the public comment period of the meeting in the following two ways:

1. Via Computer as an attendee: To raise your hand click the Raise Hand icon on the bottom of the Zoom window. When you click the Raise Hand icon, a hand icon will appear next to your name that will notify the host your hand is raised. You will also see the hand icon turn green. When you want to lower your hand, you can click the hand icon again and your hand will be lowered. When you are called upon to speak the Zoom platform will ask you for permission to unmute your mic.  If you encounter any issues, please use the call-in option below. 

1. Via phone call using cellphone or landline: When the Zoning Administrator meeting begins, call in to the conference line. When the Zoning Administrator starts to discuss the item you wish to comment on, Press *9 to raise your hand. When you are called upon to speak, you will be prompted to unmute your mic, press *6 to unmute. 

PUBLIC COMMENT PRIOR TO THE MEETING:

Submit public comments via email to Planni...@co.humboldt.ca.us and provide the Project title, Record or Case number and date of the hearing.  If you do not have access to email, contact the planning clerk at 707-268-3702. If you want to provide comment to the Zoning Administrator it must be received by Wednesday, September 15, 2021. Comments received after Wednesday can be found at the “Attachments” section of the “Meeting Details” link next to the posted Agenda at: https://humboldt.legistar.com and will be included with the administrative record after the fact.

Please note that each Zoom meeting has a unique meeting ID and password.  Any item on this agenda that is continued to a future date will use the meeting ID and password applicable to the date the agenda item is to be heard again.  Agendas are posted on the Friday before the meeting at https://humboldt.legistar.com

North Fork Mattole Farms, LLC: Petrolia Area, Record Number PLN-2020-16766 (filed 11/03/2020); Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 105-051-009. The applicant is seeking a Special Permit for 23,560 square feet of new dry farmed full sun outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation, and 20,000 square feet of new light deprivation cultivation. 20,000 square feet of outdoor cultivation utilizing light deprivation will occur in ten (10) 20’x100’ (2,000 square feet each) cold frame greenhouses. Full sun outdoor cultivation will occur in twenty-one (21) 4’x200’ rows, sixteen (16) 4’x100’ rows, and one (1) 4’x90’ row, for a total cultivation space of 23,560 square feet. Ancillary propagation will occur in three greenhouses totaling 4,350 square feet. The applicant anticipates there will be two cultivation and harvest cycles occurring annually for the outdoor cultivation utilizing light deprivation techniques, and one harvest cycle occurring annually for the full sun outdoor cultivation. Water for irrigation will be provided by a proposed rainwater catchment system to fill seventy-two (72) 5,000-gallon water tanks for a total water storage of 360,000 gallons. The applicant anticipates a total of 229,000 gallons of water will be required annually for irrigation (219,000 gallons for the light deprivation cultivation, and 10,000 gallons for the full sun outdoor dry-farmed cultivation). After harvesting, drying cannabis will occur onsite within a proposed 5,000-square-foot barn, after which cannabis will be bucked and stored in totes to be transported off site for further processing. The applicant anticipates three (3) operating partners and three (3) part time staff. Approximately twelve (12) seasonal employees will be required during peak operations for a total maximum of eighteen (18) employees on site. Power for the project will be provided by an onsite solar array system and a backup generator until PG&E service is available. The Humboldt County Zoning Administrator will consider an Addendum to a previously adopted Environmental Impact Report and has been prepared for consideration per §15164 of the State CEQA Guidelines. This project is located in Humboldt County, in the Petrolia area, on the west side of Mattole Road, approximately 1,100 feet southwest from the intersection of Mattole Road and Chambers Road, on the property known as 29330 Mattole Road. Specific questions regarding the proposed project may be directed to Michael Holtermann, Planner at (707) 268-3737 or by email at mholt...@co.humboldt.ca.us.

Consistent with the above instructions for public comment, any person may appear and present testimony in regard to this matter at the hearing. If you challenge the nature of the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Zoning Administrator at or prior to the public hearing. The Zoning Administrator’s decision will become effective if an appeal is not filed within the appropriate filing period. An appeal may be filed by any aggrieved person who has testified in person or in writing on the project and must be submitted in writing with the required fees to the Planning Division of the Humboldt County Planning and Building Department at 3015 H Street, Eureka, California 95501, post marked before the end of the appeal period. If appealed, the decision will not become effective until the appeal is resolved.  

The staff report for this project will be posted on https://humboldt.legistar.com on the Friday before the Zoning Administrator meeting.  General questions regarding the Zoning Administrator, the permit process, submission of materials and other information not specific to this project may be obtained from the Planning Division of the Humboldt County Planning and Building Department, 3015 H Street, Eureka, California 95501 or email planni...@co.humboldt.ca.us. Telephone (707) 445-7541. 

The County of Humboldt is committed to providing equal access to all county programs, services and activities through the provision of accommodations for individuals with disabilities as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). With 72 hours prior notice, a request for reasonable accommodation or modification can be made.  Please contact the Zoning Administrator clerk at 707-445-7541 or by email planni...@co.humboldt.ca.us or the ADA Coordinator at 844-365-0352 or by email at a...@co.humboldt.ca.us

Humboldt County Zoning Administrator

September 01, 2021

[laurac...@frontiernet.net]

Here is where we are warned that we should raise issues now-- before the hearing next Thursday, or during it-- or forever be barred from raising them at all. This is from the second page of the original Notice of Public Hearing regarding the North Fork Mattole Farms:

"If you challenge the nature of the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Zoning Administrator at or prior to the public hearing. The Zoning Administrator’s decision will become effective if an appeal is not filed within the appropriate filing period. An appeal may be filed by any aggrieved person who has testified in person or in writing on the project... "
which is another topic and may well come in handy after next Thursday, the 16th.



Here is how to navigate around the links to get to the heart of this matter:

Start at the County Planner's calendar:
https://humboldt.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx On this page, go to the second item listed, Zoning Administrator, 9/16/2021. Click on the link for the Agenda-- it's an 11-page .pdf. 
On the 9th page of the Agenda, find the link (in blue) that opens the .pdf of the specific agenda item, North Fork Mattole Farms, a 58-page .pdf. You will find this document most eye-opening. There are maps and Google-Earth views and all kinds of assertions that you may or may not roll your eyes at.

One aspect of all this that's rather upsetting is that even before the hearing, there's a preliminary recommendation of approval. (Did they ask us? Not at all.) You can find this 3-page resolution, all ready for Planner John Ford's signature, on pp. 6-9 of this last 58-page document. For your convenience, i have copied it here [my boldface highlighting]:

RESOLUTION OF THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR OF THE COUNTY OF HUMBOLDT Resolution Number 21- Record Number: PLN-2020-16766 Assessor’s Parcel Number: 105-051-009 Resolution by the Zoning Administrator of the County of Humboldt certifying compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act and conditionally approving the North Fork Mattole Farms LLC, Special Permit request
WHEREAS, North Fork Mattole Farms, LLC, submitted an application and evidence in support of approving a Special Permit for the operation of a proposed 23,560 square foot full sun outdoor dryfarmed cannabis cultivation and 20,000 square foot light deprivation cannabis cultivation, with drying activities;
WHEREAS, the County Planning Division, the lead agency, prepared an Addendum to the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the Commercial Cannabis Land Use Ordinance (CCLUO) adopted by the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on May 8, 2018. The proposed project does not present substantial changes that would require major revisions to the previous Environmental Impact Report. No new information of substantial importance that was not known and could not be known at the time was presented as described by §15162(c) of CEQA Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, the Humboldt County Zoning Administrator held a duly-noticed public hearing on September 16, 2021, and reviewed, considered, and discussed the application for a Special Permit and reviewed and considered all evidence and testimony presented at the hearing.
Now, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Zoning Administrator makes all the following findings: 

1. FINDING: Project Description: The application is a Special Permit to allow for 23,560 square foot full sun outdoor dry-farmed cannabis cultivation and 20,000 square foot light deprivation cannabis cultivation, with drying activities and appurtenant propagation. Power is provided by solar with a backup generator until PG&E power can be secured. Water for irrigation will be provided by a proposed rainwater catchment system. EVIDENCE: a) Project File: PLN-2020-16766 

2. FINDING: CEQA. The requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act have been complied with. The Humboldt County Zoning Administrator has considered the Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the Commercial Cannabis Land Use Ordinance (CCLUO) adopted by the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on May 8, 2018. EVIDENCE: a) Addendum Prepared for the proposed project. b) The proposed project does not present substantial changes that would require major revisions to the previous EIR. No new information of substantial importance that was not known and could not be known at the time was presented as described by §15162(c) of CEQA Guidelines. d) A Biological Reconnaissance Assessment was prepared by Naiad Biological Consulting dated September 25th, 2020, which found that no adverse impacts are likely to occur if mitigation recommendations are PLN-2020-16766 North Fork Mattole Farms September 16, 2021 Page 6 followed. e) A protocol level Floristic Survey was prepared by Naiad Biological Consulting dated August 2021, which found that the proposed project will likely have no adverse impact on sensitive plant communities, and as such no mitigation measures are recommended. f) The property is accessed via private driveway from Old Coast Wagon Road, which has been determined to be equivalent to Road Category 4 standards for cannabis projects g) A Cultural Resource Investigation prepared by Archaeological Research and Supply Company dated September 2020 which concludes the current and proposed cannabis operation will have no effect or changes to any cultural or historic resources from the project, provided mitigation measures are followed.
3. FINDING The proposed development is in conformance with the County General Plan, Open Space Plan, and the Open Space Action Program. EVIDENCE General agriculture is a use type permitted in Agricultural Grazing (AG) land use designation. The proposed cannabis cultivation, an agricultural product, is within land planned and zoned for agricultural purposes, consistent with the use of Open Space land for managed production of resources. The use of an agricultural parcel for commercial agriculture is consistent with the Open Space Plan and Open Space Action Program. Therefore, the project is consistent with and complimentary to the Open Space Plan and its Open Space Action Program. 

4. FINDING The proposed development is consistent with the purposes of the existing U zone in which the site is located. EVIDENCE a) The Unclassified Zone or U Zone is intended to be applied to areas of the County in which general agriculture is a principally permitted use. c) Humboldt County Code section 314-55.4.6.1 b allows up to 43,560 square feet of new cannabis on a parcel over 10 acres subject to approval of a Special Permit. The application for 43,560 square feet of commercial cannabis cultivation on an 82-acre parcel is consistent with this. 

5. FINDING The proposed development is consistent with the requirements of the CCLUO Provisions of the Zoning Ordinance. EVIDENCE a) The CCLUO allows new cannabis cultivation to be permitted in areas zoned U when accompanied by a Resource Production General Plan land use designation (HCC 314-55.4.6.1.1). b) APN 105-051-009 contains a number of legal parcels created by deed conveyances circa 1880s - 1900s. A map reflecting the true configuration of parcels is provided for this parcel. A Certificate Of Subdivision Compliance is being processed for all parcels; said parcels will be requested mapped individually by Assessor's Office Fall 2021.The location of the unmapped parcels does not affect the project as proposed. PLN-2020-16766 North Fork Mattole Farms September 16, 2021 Page 7 c) The project will obtain water from a non-diversionary water source. d) The property is accessed via private driveway from Old Coast Wagon Road, which has been determined to be equivalent to Road Category 4 standards for cannabis projects e) The slope of the land where cannabis will be cultivated is less than 15%. f) The location of the cultivation complies with all setbacks required in Section 314-55.4.11.d. It is more than 30 feet from any property line, more than 600 feet from any school, church, or Tribal Cultural Resource, and setback waivers have been obtained from neighboring parcels to reduce the 300-foot setbacks to residences on neighboring parcels. 

6. FINDING The cultivation of 43,560 square feet of commercial cannabis cultivation and the conditions under which it may be operated or maintained will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare or materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity. EVIDENCE a) The property is accessed via private driveway from Old Coast Wagon Road, which has been determined to be equivalent to Road Category 4 standards for cannabis projects b) The site is in a rural part of the County where the typical parcel size is over 40 acres and many of the land holdings are very large. The parcel is adjacent to a school and residences, however due to the parcel size cultivation activities meet all required setbacks from sensitive receptors. The proposed cannabis cultivation will not be in a location that will impact sensitive receptors such as a school, church, park or other use which may be sensitive to cannabis cultivation. Approving cultivation on this site and the other sites which have been approved or are in the application process will not change the character of the area due to the large parcel sizes in the area. c) Setback waivers have been obtained from neighboring parcels to reduce the 300-foot setbacks to residences on neighboring parcels. d) Irrigation water will come from a proposed rainwater catchment system. 

7. FINDING The proposed development does not reduce the residential density for any parcel below that utilized by the Department of Housing and Community Development in determining compliance with housing element law. EVIDENCE The parcel was not included in the housing inventory of Humboldt County’s 2019 Housing Element. The approval of cannabis cultivation on this parcel will not conflict with the ability for a residence to be constructed on this parcel. PLN-2020-16766 North Fork Mattole Farms September 16, 2021 Page 8 

DECISION NOW, THEREFORE, based on the above findings and evidence, the Humboldt County Zoning Administrator does hereby: • Adopt the findings set forth in this resolution; and • Conditionally approves the Special Permit for North Fork Mattole Farms, based upon the Findings and Evidence and subject to the conditions of approval attached hereto as Attachment 1 and incorporated herein by reference; and Adopted after review and consideration of all the evidence on September 16, 2021 I, John H. Ford, Zoning Administrator of the County of Humboldt, do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true and correct record of the action taken on the above entitled matter by said Zoning Administrator at a meeting held on the date noted above. ________________________________________________ 

John H. Ford, Zoning Administrator Planning and Building Department

~~~~~~~~~
Below, Dan has copied the essentials as to how and when to comment either before or during the hearing next Thursday, 9/16/2021. The same document describes the planned operation... let me just put it in front of you one more time, again using boldface for pertinent aspects:

North Fork Mattole Farms, LLC: Petrolia Area, Record Number PLN-2020-16766 (filed 11/03/2020); Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 105-051-009. The applicant is seeking a Special Permit for 23,560 square feet of new dry farmed full sun outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation, and 20,000 square feet of new light deprivation cultivation. 20,000 square feet of outdoor cultivation utilizing light deprivation will occur in ten (10) 20’x100’ (2,000 square feet each) cold frame greenhouses. Full sun outdoor cultivation will occur in twenty-one (21) 4’x200’ rows, sixteen (16) 4’x100’ rows, and one (1) 4’x90’ row, for a total cultivation space of 23,560 square feet. Ancillary propagation will occur in three greenhouses totaling 4,350 square feet. The applicant anticipates there will be two cultivation and harvest cycles occurring annually for the outdoor cultivation utilizing light deprivation techniques, and one harvest cycle occurring annually for the full sun outdoor cultivation. Water for irrigation will be provided by a proposed rainwater catchment system to fill seventy-two (72) 5,000-gallon water tanks for a total water storage of 360,000 gallons. The applicant anticipates a total of 229,000 gallons of water will be required annually for irrigation (219,000 gallons for the light deprivation cultivation, and 10,000 gallons for the full sun outdoor dry-farmed cultivation). After harvesting, drying cannabis will occur onsite within a proposed 5,000-square-foot barn, after which cannabis will be bucked and stored in totes to be transported off site for further processing. The applicant anticipates three (3) operating partners and three (3) part time staff. Approximately twelve (12) seasonal employees will be required during peak operations for a total maximum of eighteen (18) employees on site. Power for the project will be provided by an onsite solar array system and a backup generator until PG&E service is available. The Humboldt County Zoning Administrator will consider an Addendum to a previously adopted Environmental Impact Report and has been prepared for consideration per §15164 of the State CEQA Guidelines. This project is located in Humboldt County, in the Petrolia area, on the west side of Mattole Road, approximately 1,100 feet southwest from the intersection of Mattole Road and Chambers Road, on the property known as 29330 Mattole Road. Specific questions regarding the proposed project may be directed to Michael Holtermann, Planner at (707) 268-3737 or by email at mholt...@co.humboldt.ca.us.

~~~~~~~

Please prepare your comments and set aside next Thursday for this important issue.

This is obviously only one battle; as Dan pointed out, and as you can see by looking at any of the County's documents, applications for "Special Permits" (what does that even mean-- why are they special?) for cannabis factories are numerous and are going to keep coming. We next need to form a non-profit group, obtain legal counsel, and be prepared for this BS every time it crops up. But for now... here are a few key words to remind you of why it matters:

Noise affecting people and wildlife. Lights affecting people and wildlife. Smells affecting people and wildlife. Toxic fumes from petroleum-powered generators affecting people and wildlife. Noise from fans, noise from generators. ("...Backup generator until PGE power becomes available..." Yeah, sure. PGE power has been available there for about 80 years; it just requires money to set it up. I can tell you, once they get that good old petroleum-powered, roaring machine from hell going, they will never turn it off. Personal experience! It's apparently easier and cheaper to listen to the grinding wheels of the inferno of fossil fuel combustion for hours on end, and to subject your neighbors and entire community to same, than to invest in PGE.) Workers needing homes when many long-time locals cannot even find housing. And, not least, the visual offense of having a once-beautiful landscape dominated by white plastic piles of trash. White trash, anyone? Hmmm. Well, it's nothing we can be proud of. It's shameful and disgusting. And the more so when you consider the makeup of our community, which is largely people who CHOOSE to live here to escape the noise of industrial greed. Why should a few players dominate the looks of the main route through the once-beautiful Mattole Valley, which attracts nature- and beauty-lovers from around the world? They shouldn't, and only will if we let them.

My opinions only, if you couldn't tell. 

By the way, several people have contacted me privately to sympathize and support. Nobody wants the strife of a public feud over this issue. Nobody has even mentioned the names of the perpetrators of this proposed (and pre-approved) nightmare. Someone reminded me that the names and details of every LLC in California is available on the California Secretary of State's webpage, by simply entering the name of the LLC: so check that site, or... just look at what i found when i did https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=202026810626-29061489 

Obviously this is nothing personal about these individuals... just about their proposed transformation of our beautiful and beloved town into an ugly plastic money factory. People wonder how we can live in such a small community while openly having issues with the actions of others. To me, it's based on respect for each person doing what he or she feels is right; nobody would have anyone's respect at all if they figured they were cowering around in silence so as not to make waves, while inwardly seething with resentment. So speak up about what you think is right.

We did it for wind farms on distant ridges; let's do it for our own home and the freedom to sit outside in the evening and hear birds and crickets, breezes in the trees and feathers on the wind, rather than the sick drone of cycling machinery churning out the moola for the brazen few.

Thank you,
~Laura

PS "Brazen" is really only a negative word for "bold" or "brave." And i must say, it is a bit brave to attempt something like this. Now let me be on record as saying i am not proposing or suggesting this, but just noting that extremely unpopular offenses do not last long out here, no matter what the law says. Which brings up the issue of security and firearms and all sorts of other crap we also wish we were not now forced to think about.

PPS I expect there will be, at some point, a defense of this proposed operation put up on the Google Board or in some other way meant to be widely read. It may tell of how incredibly responsible these growers are acting, how all the water used will be rainwater, how it really will be a solar power source most of the time, how beautiful those rows of actual outdoor (as opposed to the BS use of the word "outdoor" for stuff in plastic greenhouses) will look, and, quite possibly, of how agreeably they stepped back from original goals (if those who love the Mattole Valley's beauty succeed in putting some brakes on this proposed operation) and are only doing half or 3/4 of what they originally wanted to. Perhaps that is part of a strategy-- asking for a ridiculous goal, then seeming to be humble when downsizing to what will still be too much. You be your own judge of what you make of such contentions of idealistic innocence!

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mattole Valley Bulletin Board" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mattole+u...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mattole/f72f5f28-2a06-4517-912c-a6628309d4d6n%40googlegroups.com

.