Agenda Item
5 21-1161 9:25 A.M. Public Hearing to reconsider approving Use Permit UP 20-22. Applicant/Owner: WeGrow LLC / Zarina Otchkova. Proposed Project: Fifteen (15) A-Type 3B mixed light commercial cannabis cultivation licenses and one A-Type 13 'Self Distribution' license. The applicant is proposing thirty (32) 90' x 125' greenhouses; two (2) 90' x 125' greenhouses for immature plant starts; four (4) 50' x 100' drying buildings; one (1) 200 sq. ft. shed; twenty (20) 5,000 gallon water tanks; one (1) 6-foot tall galvanized woven wire fence covered with privacy mesh to screen the greenhouses from public view. Total proposed cultivation area is 387,600 sq. ft. (roughly 9 acres); total proposed canopy area is 330,000 sq. ft. The applicant is also proposing the removal of 130 blue oak trees, which will require a 3:1 tree replacement using similar species trees prior to the start of cultivation. Location: 16750 Herrington Road, Middletown, CA (cultivation site); 17610 Sandy Road, Middletown, and 19678 Stinson Road, Middletown consisting of 309+ acres. (Eric Porter)
I would conditionally support the operation if it could implement means to drastically reduce the number of oak trees to be cut down. Looking at the parcels where the operation is to be sited, there is ample area to locate 15 acres of green houses without downing so many oaks.
I would expect increased traffic would be similar to that generated by other agricultural operations in the area (such as vineyards).
As for the water requirements of such a project. Hidden Valley Lake receives an average of 30" of rain per year, that's 2.5 feet per acre or 37.5 acre feet for the proposed grow area. According to the Journal of Bioscience, one acre of cannabis requires 457,600 gallons of water per season, or 6.8 million gallons for 15 acres; that's 21 acre feet of water. Given that the property consists of over 309 acres there should be adequate recharge of the aquifer for this project.
I oppose this Use Permit and project. The fact they want to remove 130 old growth oak trees is disgusting. Trees cycle water, sequester carbon, cool the planet, and produce oxygen. Water and oxygen are required for life while cannabis is not. We should be considering the impact on global warming and removing trees is not in our future's best interest. This project is also too close to a heavily populated community and the nuisances are many: offensive odors, continuous noise, increased traffic, and mental and emotional stress to name a few. Please do not pass another large grow that will destroy the natural beauty of our communities!
The Biological Studies are not accurate.
Mitigation is unreasonable to monitor.
Negative long-term heath issues, water, energy, noise, traffic are no addressed using recent scientific.