Planning commission unanimously backs recommendation to rezone Blackberry Inn parcel to resort commercial

On Aug. 22, 2025, the Mariposa County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve a general plan amendment and rezoning for the 35.93-acre parcel that contains the Blackberry Inn at 7567 Hamilton Station Loop (Assessor’s Parcel Number 004-010-012). Planning Director Steve Inge said the action would change the parcel’s general-plan land use to rural economic (Buck Meadows Special Planning Study Area) and rezone the property from General Forest and Mountain Home to Resort Commercial. "That's not going away. That, that permit runs with the land," Inge said, referring to the site’s existing conditional-use permit for the guest-ranch operation. The commission’s vote authorized only a recommendation to the Board; no new physical development or expansion is authorized by the rezoning decision. Nut graf: The commission’s recommendation would align the parcel’s zoning with resort-commercial parcels across Highway 120 and allow future resort-type redevelopment under the resort-commercial rules, but staff and the commission emphasized that the rezone, if adopted by the Board, does not itself approve any construction. Staff reported that the parcel currently contains the Blackberry Inn and associated outbuildings, wells, a seasonal pond and other structures; the inn operates under an existing conditional-use permit that allows ten guest rooms and equestrian activity. The staff report and Planning Director Steve Inge said the application does not include any proposal for additional development at this time and that, if the Board and later project proposals seek physical expansion, those future projects would require site-plan review, discretionary permits and applicable environmental review. Inge said the county used the “common-sense” CEQA exemption (CEQA Guideline section 15061(b)(3)) for the rezone recommendation because the change before the commission does not authorize new construction and therefore does not have a reasonable possibility of causing a significant environmental effect. Staff also noted routine referrals to other agencies: Environmental Health, Caltrans and the county fire agency reviewed the application only for the current submittal and indicated they would reserve comment for any future development proposals. Tim Miller, the applicant’s planning consultant, told the commission the application followed a pre-application review and referral process, and that reviewing agencies raised no objections to the rezone itself; he asked the commission to support staff’s recommendation. The commission moved to adopt the resolution recommending approval; commissioners voted “aye” and the motion carried unanimously. The commission will transmit its recommendation and the administrative record to the Board of Supervisors, which has a scheduled hearing date of Sept. 16, 2025, at which the Board will consider the general plan amendment and zone change. Ending note: Planning staff and the applicant emphasized that any future physical development on the site will require separate permit applications, site-plan review and applicable environmental review before construction could be permitted.