Planning commission approves Humsun 3 LLC commercial cannabis cultivation project in Blocksburg area

The Humboldt County Planning Commission on Thursday approved a conditional use permit and special permit for the Humsun 3 LLC commercial cannabis cultivation project near Alder Point Road in the Blocksburg area.

The commission adopted a mitigated negative declaration and the resolution approving the project, which staff described as a 3.1-acre mixed-light cultivation operation with two ancillary support buildings totaling 7,280 square feet, wastewater treatment, three permitted groundwater wells, and on-site water storage. Rodney Andel, senior planner with Humboldt County Planning, told commissioners the project anticipates a maximum of 18 employees at peak operations with usually 10 on site.

Andel said the project will affect about 0.87 acre of seasonal wetland and proposed wetland mitigation at a 3:1 ratio, “resulting in over 2 acres of new or enhanced wetlands,” and that mitigation will include 0.45 acres of riparian enhancement plus 1.1 acres of riparian wetland creation. He also said mitigation is proposed for California oak grass impacts, stating “0.21 of 5.53 acres of California oak grass will be impacted” and that mitigation there will occur at a 2:1 ratio. The staff report also describes reconnection of a class 3 ephemeral drainage currently routed through a culvert under the road so it will reconnect to Cooper Creek.

Applicant representatives said the project was originally scoped much larger and, after years of studies and revisions, was concentrated on the meadow adjacent to existing agricultural operations. Praj White of Northpointe Consulting Group said the applicant reduced the footprint and submitted extensive studies, and asked the commission to adopt the mitigated negative declaration.

Commissioners asked staff to clarify mitigation and rarity claims for a sedge meadow and other botanical resources; Andel said the “mitigation will be part of the wetland enhancement and creation” and that the rarity question was not definitively resolved in the materials presented.

The commission moved to adopt the mitigation finding and approve the permits. Commissioner O'Neil made the motion to adopt the resolution and Commissioner Mulder seconded. A roll-call vote recorded yes from Commissioners O'Neil, Curiazzi, Mohler, Scavdahl and Levy; the motion passed unanimously.

The county’s action includes standard conditions of approval and mitigation measures described in the staff report. Staff recommended the project be approved “as mitigated, conditioned, and proposed,” and the commission adopted that recommendation.