Supervisors approve amendment to JH Ranch planned development; residents raise fire, traffic and noise concerns

The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance Tuesday to amend the planned development and master plan for JH Ranch on assessor’s parcel number 023-190-510, and approved Use Permit 24-16 and a finding of a California Environmental Quality Act existing‑facilities exemption, county staff said.

The measure, presented at the second reading by Haley Wayne, Planning Director, formalized a revised planned development (PD) plan and added the project’s baseline occupancy to the zoning and staff report, staff said. County staff recommended approval, and the board voted to approve the recommended motion; recorded aye votes in the transcript were Supervisor Harris, Supervisor Cobset and Supervisor Ocren.

Why it matters: The amendment both codifies an occupancy baseline the applicant says reflects historical use and adds specific conditions of approval into the PD plan and the county zoning ordinance. Neighbors said the change affects traffic, noise, and wildfire evacuation plans for rural roads that also serve local residents.

County staff and applicant Haley Wayne, Planning Director, opened the hearing for the item and described it as the second reading of an ordinance amending the JH Ranch planned development master plan on APN 023-190-510 and as including approval of Use Permit 24-16 and the CEQA exemption.

Chip Whipple, identified as director of special projects and compliance for JH Ranch, told the board the applicant appreciated staff’s work and looked forward to complying with the county’s requirements.

Occupancy baseline and CEQA Wayne and other staff explained the occupancy baseline used to support the county’s finding that the project qualifies under CEQA’s existing‑facilities exemption. Planning staff said the 505 figure the applicant provided includes everybody on site (staff, campers, workers) and is based on the applicant’s historical occupancy data covering roughly 10–15 years. Wayne noted the PD plan and the updated staff report now incorporate that occupancy baseline and reference it in the zoning ordinance and conditions of approval.

Public concerns: traffic, speeds and noise Several nearby residents spoke in opposition or with concerns. Michael Stapleton, a resident, questioned the basis for the occupancy figure and said a higher number increases traffic and rental‑car trips on local roads. Stapleton asked whether the board could reduce the allowable number to 400 and requested a new traffic study and lower speed limits, saying, “So if you could just do that, make a compromise on the numbers, that's what really affects people to traffic and change the speed limits.”

Mike Thomas, a resident of French Creek Road, said the upper portion of French Creek Road is narrow and winding and raised concerns about evacuation routes during a fast, wind‑driven fire. Thomas also said noise from events at JH Ranch was persistent and that the length and frequency of events had affected his family’s ability to use their home.

Applicant response on noise and mitigation An unnamed JH Ranch representative told the board the camp plans to “improve the sound situation” near the Thomases’ residence by re‑engineering the barn area so speakers point away from the house, installing a bunker around subwoofers, upgrading the speaker system and migrating to electric drums to gain greater control over sound. The representative said JH Ranch would evaluate those changes with the Thomases.

Fire safety, inspections and MOUs Board members pressed county staff on fire planning and inspections. Rick Dean, identified in the record as Community Director, and an unnamed staff member who identified themself as the Director of Emergency Services addressed inspection processes. The emergency services speaker said the county is drafting a memorandum of understanding that incorporates an inspection process and coordinates with applicable fire standards. County staff referenced Public Resources Code sections commonly cited as 4290 and 4291 in the transcript when describing inspection and defensible‑space authorities and said they work with CAL FIRE, U.S. Forest Service units (transcript reference), and other fire agencies on evacuation planning.

Process and conditions Planning staff told the board the revised PD plan and staff report place the occupancy number and other conditions directly into the PD plan and zoning ordinance; previous references to a 250 number were not part of a use permit or zoning condition, staff said. Staff also noted that noise and amplified‑sound limits are commonly imposed as conditions on use permits, such as restrictions on amplified sound hours.

Board action and next steps After public comment and staff responses, the board took the recommended motion — to approve the ordinance amending the planned development and master plan for JH Ranch, approve Use Permit 24-16, and adopt the CEQA existing‑facilities exemption as described in the staff report. The recorded yes votes in the transcript were Supervisor Harris, Supervisor Cobset and Supervisor Ocren; the transcript does not record the votes of Supervisors Valenzuela and Hauch. The motion was described in the hearing as the staff‑recommended motion; the board also indicated it would consider an associated resolution.

The record shows county staff will continue to draft and refine an MOU and inspection plan with the applicant and coordinate fire‑safety requirements involving CAL FIRE and other agencies. The PD plan and conditions now explicitly reference the occupancy baseline that staff said justified the CEQA exemption.

Ending: The board’s approval codifies the PD plan update and permit conditions; staff and the applicant will continue work on sound mitigation, traffic considerations and the inspection MOU identified during the hearing.