Mendocino County coastal permit administrator approves modified permit to allow limited septic, wells and directional boring in ESHA with conditions

The Mendocino County Coastal Permit Administrator approved a modification to coastal development permit CDP 202319 that allows replacement septic work, controlled drilling of new wells and directional boring beneath an environmentally sensitive habitat area on a coastal property, and adopted a mitigated negative declaration with modified conditions of approval.

Staff said the changes address issues the Coastal Commission raised when it appealed earlier decisions and aim to minimize impacts to coastal terrace prairie, which the staff report classified as ESHA. "It's likely that such denial would result in an unconstitutional regulatory taking because it would significantly devalue the property by preventing maintenance of the existing residence," Planning and Building staff member Liam said, explaining why limited development was recommended.

The modification removes a proposal to expand a gravel parking area, retains the existing water tank rather than removing it, replaces a sliding door, and would allow a deck over replacement septic infrastructure. Directional (subsurface) boring is required for water lines under the ESHA root zone, and the number of new wells is restricted to the minimum necessary to establish an adequate water supply. An initial study under CEQA…