The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on March 18 adopted amendments to the county Cannabis Land Use Ordinance (CCLUO) and approved a Q (qualified) combining zone that permits indoor cannabis cultivation on seven parcels within the Redway (Meadows) Business Park, after planning staff, the applicant and community members discussed water, power and community impacts.

The amendment adjusts the CCLUO to allow indoor cultivation in MB (inland business park) zones where a Q combining zone is applied. Staff told the board that MB zoning appears in only two locations in the county and that the proposal was developed through coordination among the applicant, county planning staff and the Redway Community Services District (RCSD).

Why it matters: In Southern Humboldt, water availability and electrical capacity have been central concerns for any proposed indoor cultivation use. Planning staff and the applicant said the Q-zone overlay and a package of performance standards — covering maximum metered water use, on-site rainwater storage, and verification that sufficient electrical service exists on parcel — are designed to prevent net new demand on the community water system and to address odor and other local impacts.

Planning director John Ford and project planner Steven Santos explained the proposal, and applicant Jesse Jeffries and consultants said they had coordinated with property owners and RCSD on water capacity and other measures. Jeffries told the board that the project will include additional on-site water storage and that “there will be an additional 40,000 gallons of water storage on-site,” and added that several parcels on the MB side of the business park lack current water service and were not included in the Q-zone petition.

Public comments were limited: no members of the public registered formal opposition at the hearing, and planning staff reported no written public comments were received prior to the public hearing on the zoning amendment.

Board action: The board adopted the staff recommendation to (a) amend the Cannabis Land Use Ordinance to permit indoor cultivation in MB zones where a Q combining zone is applied and (b) reclassify seven parcels within the Redway Business Park with the Q-qualified combining zone. Supervisor Wilson moved the ordinances and the board approved both items 5–0.

Key details and limits:
- Q-zone performance standards: the ordinance requires metered water use limits (staff noted an illustrative figure of up to 91,250 gallons as a metering cap for certain uses), required on-site rain-catchment and storage for any additional water needs, and verification that necessary electrical service already exists on the parcel before indoor cultivation is approved.
- Parcel selection: property owners within the business park were consulted; some owners did not request inclusion and a majority-ownership property owner indicated lack of interest. The board and staff said expanding the Q-zone to additional parcels would require additional outreach and an amended public process.

What’s next: The ordinances take effect following the standard posting period. Individual projects seeking to cultivate indoors under the Q-zone will still require plan review and must demonstrate compliance with the ordinance’s water, energy and odor-control performance standards. Planning staff said enforcement will rely on the county’s permit conditions and coordination with the RCSD and utility providers.

The board thanked staff, the applicant and RCSD for coordination and voted to adopt the CCLUO amendment and the Q-zone placement.