Public raises Esparto explosion concerns; planning staff outlines next steps and Cache Creek agenda timing

A member of the public on Wednesday urged the Yolo County Planning Commission to respond to an explosion near Esparto and called for resignations and enforcement action, while staff and commissioners discussed the county’s limited permitting authority and plans to brief the commission further on Cache Creek mining concerns.

Leo Romero, during the public comment period, said seven people were dead in the incident and questioned how an apparently unpermitted use could persist for decades. “I think there should be resignations. There should be, you know, ramifications to what has happened,” Romero said, adding he found no county webpage resources on fireworks, explosives or similar uses.

Chair Dubin acknowledged the tragedy and county limitations. In the director’s report staff noted the Board of Supervisors proclaimed a local emergency related to the incident (referred to in staff remarks as the Oakdale Fire/Esparto explosion) and said that county departments have been mobilized in response. Planning staff described options for scheduling follow-up agenda items, including pushing the August meeting or addressing Cache Creek/CMEX and methylmercury matters at the September meeting to allow fuller staff attendance and a comprehensive presentation.

Commissioners raised questions about the county’s ability to detect and track unpermitted uses. A commissioner read a prepared statement noting that planning staff had not issued permits or licenses for storage or handling of fireworks, pyrotechnics or other explosive materials on the affected site, and that permitting such activities would have required a zoning amendment by the Board of Supervisors. The same commissioner asked for a future item describing how planning, building inspectors and code enforcement track and red‑tag potentially noncompliant properties and requested that the county consider how it identifies unpermitted uses beyond relying on public reports.

Staff said many departments are engaged in the response and that agenda scheduling for Cache Creek-related items (including a pending CMEX item and questions about methylmercury monitoring) requires coordination; staff identified a publicly available historical workshop video and other materials the commission could review in advance. Casey Liebler (Natural Resources) and Jeff Anderson (planning staff) were mentioned as staff contacts for the Cache Creek items; staff said a draft response to public correspondence on Cache Creek is prepared but not finalized.

The commission also discussed a potential reschedule of the August meeting because of staff availability and the desire to present substantive material on Cache Creek, mining permit amendments, and related environmental questions in a single session. Commissioners emphasized the need for balanced information and asked staff to compile relevant links and documents from agencies and community groups for commission review.

Romero’s public comment and the commissioners’ follow-up did not result in a formal action at this meeting. Commissioners requested additional briefings and documentation and expressed interest in learning more about county enforcement practices and the Board of Supervisors’ emergency declaration.