Agenda Item
6.6 23-107511:00 A.M. - PUBLIC HEARING - (Continued from September 19, 2023) Consideration of Draft Ordinance Amending Chapter 5 of the Lake County Code Relating to Permitting Agriculture-Exempt and Temporary Cannabis Processing Structures, and Amending Chapter 27 of the Lake County Code regarding Mitigation Fees, and Amending Article 68 of the Zoning Ordinance Regarding Definitions of Temporary Building Types
In regards to containers being allowed for only 60 days out of the year for total of two years. The result of this part of the resolution needs to be examined. The intent seems to be to give cultivators an incentive and time to build permitted structures to replace the shipping containers and it may indeed achieve that, but with some unintended results as well. Let us take an example of a farm with 2 acres of agricultural development, which would allow for 4356 SF of shipping containers for storage or dry sheds. This would amount to 13 - 40 foot shipping containers or 27 - 20 foot shipping containers. The logistics and shipping would total of 4 times over the 2 years. This would add an unnecessary financial cost to already struggling cannabis operations and would have environmental costs related to carbon use, road wear, traffic and road safety concerns. A 2 year limit on the use of containers to achieve the goal of transitioning to permanent permitted structures.