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Board upholds Planning Commission denial of Nina Star Farms cannabis permit, cites water concerns
Summary
The Lake County Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 on April 1 to deny an appeal from Nina Star Farms and leave in place the Planning Commission's denial of a major use permit for commercial cannabis cultivation at 23180 Shady Grove Road in Middletown, citing unresolved water-supply questions and community concerns.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 April 1 to deny an appeal by Nina Star Farms and leave in place the Planning Commission’s December 2024 denial of a major use permit for commercial cannabis cultivation at 23180 Shady Grove Road in Middletown.
The appeal, filed by the applicant Nina Star LLC after the Planning Commission denied Major Use Permit UP 20‑14 and related environmental review, asked the board to overturn that denial. Senior Planner Mary Clabaughn told the board staff recommended granting the appeal because its December staff report and subsequent memorandum concluded the project met the county’s codified siting requirements and state cannabis regulations.
The board’s decision centered on unresolved questions about water supply and community impacts. Multiple supervisors and members of the public said the hydrology analysis submitted with the application did not demonstrate reliable, long‑term water availability for the proposed mixed‑light cultivation and that nearby domestic wells and creeks could be affected during dry months.
Opponents described a history of…
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