Yolo County planning commission approves Kind Farms expansion to add indoor cannabis canopy and self-distribution license

The Yolo County Planning Commission on a 5-0 vote approved a use permit that lets Kind Farms LLC seek state and county licenses to cultivate up to 2 acres of cannabis canopy and to obtain a self-distribution license, staff said.

Staff planner Aaron Brown told the commission the project would eliminate the existing 4.7-acre outdoor footprint and add mixed‑light greenhouse space, expanding indoor canopy by about one acre in a new 98,784-square-foot greenhouse just south of the existing greenhouse. The site is a 20-acre parcel in agricultural‑intensive (AN) zoning about 3.5 miles south of the town of Madison and is accessed from County Road 89.

The commission heard that the site has been used for cannabis cultivation since 2018, that Kind Farms had cultivated roughly one acre annually except in 2023, and that the current aggregate flowering canopy is about 43,368 square feet (just under 1 acre). Under the approved permit the operator would be authorized to apply for up to two acres of aggregate canopy under county and state licensing programs, with cultivation confined to the new and existing greenhouses.

Why it matters: The change shifts the operation from mixed outdoor/indoor to primarily indoor greenhouse cultivation, a move staff and the applicant say reduces potential pesticide drift and odor and allows year‑round production. The county’s land use rules require buffers from sensitive uses; staff said the proposed indoor configuration increases setbacks from the nearest residence and that the project meets the county’s setback requirements for indoor operations.

Key details: The existing greenhouse measures about 49,392 square feet and currently contains about 19,008 square feet of flowering canopy; the outdoor area occupies roughly 4.7 acres and previously supported about 24,360 square feet of flowering canopy. Kind Farms currently employs three to five full‑time staff and about seven farm labor contractors during harvest; the applicant anticipates adding about four full‑time employees and three additional contractors to support the expansion. The applicant submitted an odor control plan describing recirculating carbon filtration and administrative controls; staff also recommended conditions requiring the operator to upgrade to the Valley Clean Energy Ultra‑Green energy standard within six months of approval and to use LED or equivalent, fully controlled lighting to prevent light escape.

Applicant remarks and public comment: Project representative Chelsea Haskins said Kind Farms is committed to operating as a responsible agricultural business in Yolo County and described mixed‑light greenhouses as a way to reduce environmental impacts and improve odor control. No members of the public spoke against the project during the public hearing.

Commission action: A motion to adopt the staff recommendation and approve the cannabis use permit carried 5-0 (Commissioners McCormick, Dubin, Mohler, Duquette and Sala voting "aye"). The motion authorized the applicant to apply for county and state cultivation licenses for up to two acres of canopy and for a self‑distribution license, subject to the conditions of approval recorded in the staff report.

Next steps: The county will finalize administrative conditions and the applicant may apply to the state for the relevant cultivation and distribution licenses. As with other use permits, the county’s conditions require ongoing compliance inspections and possible enforcement if conditions are not met.