Agenda Item
23-6259:35 A.M. - PUBLIC HEARING - (Continued from 5/25/2023) Consideration of proposed Major Use Permit (UP 20-95 Artemis Farms, LLC) and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 20-115) for permit approval that would allow for up to 653,400 square feet (sf) of outdoor commercial cannabis canopy within approximately 1,306,800 sf of cultivation area, located at 52005500, 4960, and 4970 Bartlett Springs Road, and 7197 15 N 11 Rd, Lucerne, CA (APNs: 004-018-07, 004-018-19, 004-018-20, 004-018-22, 0004-018-33, 004-018-34, 004-018-35, 004-018-36, 004-028-21, 004-028-22)
In my 20 year real estate career, I have sold these parcels numerous times. Once was to a development company that failed. The attorneys who appointed me to sell them had me sell these in individual parcels. Most of those were disasters, these individual owners grew cannabis illegally, were living in tents and trailers, and litter was everywhere. A local winery owner then purchased them and spent thousands of dollars cleaning them up. The current owner bought these with one use in mind, to farm cannabis. If the Planning Commission denies this permit, I'm sure the current owner will have me or some other agent again sell these off individually, I've already seen the environmental disaster this will cause. The choice before you is having a very successful company operating a legal, multi million dollar farming operation or 10 future slums. If you doubt me, just drive up Bartlett Springs Rd and count the code violations you see. Cannabis is the highest and best use of this property.