The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to revoke a group of suspended cannabis cultivation permits whose holders had not paid outstanding fees, after a public hearing on April 22.

Staff's case and board action
Planning and Building staff presented that 24 permit-holders had not paid departmental invoices and had been suspended; the total outstanding balance identified in staff materials was $111,157.81. Staff recommended revocations per county code for permits that had been suspended since April 2024 and reported that several cases merited removal from the staff recommendation because either a payment had been received (PLN 12926, applicant Robert G. Thompson) or an active Measure S payment plan existed (PLN 11258).

At the hearing several permit holders or applicants addressed the board. One caller, Scott Raymond, said his payment had been split between two permits and asked the board to hold one permit off the revocation list while staff and he reconciled the allocation; staff recommended working with him to resolve that payment and to remove the permit from the revocation recommendation if reconciled. Staff confirmed a payment was received during the notice period for at least one project, prompting staff to remove that entry from the revocation list.

The board voted 5-0 to adopt the revocation resolutions for the permits remaining on the staff list after the removals (the board voted to adopt 21 resolutions); the board also instructed Planning and Building staff to work with the applicants who presented reconciliations or payment plans so permits could be reinstated if county payments and conditions were brought current.

Why the county moved
Staff explained the revocation action responds to permit holders who failed to pay required departmental processing fees and Measure S taxes, despite repeated notice and a March 7 certified mailing advising of the hearing. Planning staff said that many of the properties had been inspected and found not to be cultivating in 2024 but that permit conditions, fees and follow-up remained outstanding.

Next steps
Planning and Building will issue the formal revocation notices and update permit records. Staff will continue to work with applicants who presented documented payments or reconciliations at the hearing; the board asked staff to report on site remediation and status updates for revoked properties if and when enforcement or remediation work begins.

Board comment
Supervisors said they preferred that permit holders who can, reconcile their accounts and work with county staff to transfer or update permits where possible, and to use revocation as a last resort. Staff emphasized that revocation does not prevent a new permit process; a new applicant could pursue a new permit although outstanding balances remain a county priority.