Cat Canyon marijuana growing job cleared by Santa Barbara County Planning Commission | Government and Politics

An appeal of an authorization for 2.52 acres of outside marijuana growing off Cat Canyon Road was declined today by the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission, however the appellants’ issues about water were resolved through extra conditions troubled the job.

Operators of the Calynx Inc. marijuana job at 6968 Cat Canyon Road will be needed to keep track of the level of its watering well and send reports on the outcomes to the county on a quarterly basis for the very first 2 years of operation, under the conditions enforced by commissioners Wednesday.

After that, offered no problems with well exhaustion are discovered, the reports will be offered on a yearly basis, commissioners concurred.

The candidate had actually provided to set up a system that would keep track of the well level in genuine time, and the pump would instantly close down if the water level came within 2 feet of the pump, however the commission didn’t pursue that deal.

However, the information on the well level will be constantly taped by equipment set up in the well, which information will be forwarded to the Planning and Development Department’s compliance group.

A land usage allow authorized for Calynx Inc. late in 2015 was appealed by surrounding land owners and other interested celebrations, however a brand-new county regulation that ended up being efficient Jan. 1 needs all marijuana operations to obtain a conditional usage authorization.

So the candidate obtained a CUP, and the well keeping an eye on turned into one of the conditions troubled the job.

James Sullivan, representing the appellants, said the next-door neighbors were worried about the possible influence on other wells from pumping groundwater for the marijuana job, however the concern of compliance was likewise a concern.

“There is a history of noncompliance here,” Sullivan said, describing 4 big water tanks that were set up, grading and building and construction of a bridge, all done without licenses.

He likewise declared the candidate had actually been growing marijuana unlawfully on the property, not in compliance with the county policy on legal nonconforming usage for growing.

“It’s very clear to us there was never medicinal production on that site,” he said.

County staff said the unpermitted tanks, bridge and grading are all being resolved by the candidate as part of the authorization.

Lisa Bugrova, representative for Calynx, said all the problems raised in the appeal had actually been resolved by the commission in the past and slammed the appeal’s authenticity and effects.

“In our opinion, the appeal before you today shows a frivolous disregard for governmental process, as the issues raised were essentially cut and pasted from this appellant’s opposition to the Moriarty project, which you heard several months ago, which was both much larger and in closer proximity to the appellant,” Bugrova said.

She kept in mind the appeal required Calynx to postpone operations for a complete growing season, postponed tax earnings to the county, triggered the candidate to spend extra money and consumed county resources by needing the staff to get ready for the hearing.

She likewise said the pumping from the well for the marijuana growing wouldn’t impact Sullivan’s well, which was half a mile away and was already having problems with need.

Most of the commissioners appeared likely to accept the staff’s suggested conditions and authorize the job.

“This isn’t a whole heck of a lot of water that’s going to be pulled out for this,” said Commission Chairman and 3rd District Commissioner John Parke. “In the absence of data that says there’s a problem with water use, I don’t want to guess.”

Commissioner Larry Ferini, whose fourth District consists of the job website, noted it is a little job however got a great deal of examination, consisting of a hydrogeologist’s report, which he said was well-done.

But both first District Commissioner C. Michael Cooney and 5th District Commissioner Vincent Martinez didn’t wish to OK the job without resolving the water concern.

“My real struggle comes down to the way this well is conditioned and it’s on another [property],” Martinez said, keeping in mind that parcel might be offered, which might raise a range of issues with usage of the well.

He was likewise worried that the last well test happened 13 years back.

During a break, staff customized among the conditions to need the quarterly reports on the well’s efficiency to fulfill Cooney’s and Martinez’s issues, and the modifications and the job were all authorized.