Coastal Permit Administrator approves Caspar residence after on-site well test shows adequate water

The Mendocino County Coastal Permit Administrator approved a coastal development permit on Jan. 23 for Thomas and Deborah Johnson to build a single-family residence, detached garage and related site improvements on a 3.4-acre parcel near Caspar Town Center at about 15405 Caspar Road.

Planner Jesse Waldman of Mendocino County Planning and Building Services told the administrator that the application (CDP2022-0034) was continued from Oct. 24, 2024 while the applicants and staff addressed questions from the California Coastal Commission about proof of adequate water. Waldman said the owners performed a pump test on an existing on-site well that produced 3.89 gallons per minute, which staff found sufficient to meet the county's proof-of-water requirement. "The test of the well that's on-site proved to have 3.89 gallons per minute per minute, which is sufficient for proof of adequate water," Waldman said.

Waldman said county environmental-health staff approved the septic system design and granted a requested setback reduction; that approval was received by the planning office on Jan. 7, 2025. He also said the applicants designed the driveway and building location to avoid environmentally sensitive habitat areas (ESHA), including aligning the driveway along a 50-foot buffer described in a biological scoping survey, wetland delineation and botanical report prepared by Wind Coastal Planning and reviewed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Department of Transportation recommendations for work in the right-of-way and residential driveway standards were also incorporated into the conditions of approval.

Waldman summarized edits to the staff report and conditions tied to the new water and septic findings, noting that one condition related to demonstrating water (condition 15 in the original report) was proposed for removal because proof of water had been provided. He recommended approval with the revised findings and conditions.

No members of the public spoke on the item. Coastal Permit Administrator Krog said staff had provided a detailed memorandum and that the project had been a "roller coaster" but appeared resolved as of Jan. 7. Krog approved the permit "subject to the findings and conditions as modified by the staff memorandum, dated January 23, 2025." Krog noted appeal periods: 10 calendar days to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors, followed by 10 business days to the California Coastal Commission (about 30 days total before the permit is effective). Waldman offered applicants the option to file a notice of exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act for a $50 fee; filing would shorten the CEQA challenge period from 180 days to 35 days.

The project is appealable to the California Coastal Commission, and the staff report lists the parcel's coastal zoning as rural residential under the Mendocino County Coastal Element and the county's Title 20 zoning regulations.