Planning Commission Approves Farming Humboldt Dreams Microbusiness Permit with Road and Water Conditions

The Humboldt County Planning Commission on April 1 approved a special‑use permit for Farming Humboldt Dreams, a microbusiness proposing solventless cannabis extraction and a nursery in the Garberville area, subject to conditions intended to address road safety and water use. Commissioners voted 5‑1 to adopt staff recommendations and an added condition that the applicant must install a 20‑by‑50‑foot paved apron where the Upper Sawmill (PG&E) access meets Alder Point Road and obtain final occupancy clearance before starting microbusiness operations.

Planner Derek Wiles told the commission the roughly 39‑acre parcel is zoned agricultural‑exclusive with a one‑acre special building site and that the application centers on a 2,000‑square‑foot building for nonvolatile manufacturing, distribution and a nursery. Staff said the operation would rely on rainwater catchment, drawing an additional 168,000 gallons per year if the microbusiness ran year‑round; the operation currently has roughly 305,000 gallons of water storage on site, staff said.

Owner David Morris described extensive rainwater infrastructure at the site, saying multiple 5,000‑gallon tanks and other storage tanks capture run‑off from greenhouses and adjacent structures; he also described fire‑safety measures (he said 13,000 gallons are dedicated for fire protection) and on‑site security cameras. Civil engineer David Nicoletti testified that an access route constructed off Upper Sawmill/PG&E easement had been back‑permitted and that sight‑distance on the paved Alder Point Road approach may not meet current visibility criteria, which informed staff and applicant efforts to designate the PG&E access as primary.

Neighbors raised a range of concerns during public comment. A caller and a nearby resident said parts of the access and grading were completed without prior notice and that security gates and access controls had sometimes been open. Registered civil engineer Dan Thomas urged further review of sight distances and urged the county to prioritize paving or relocating an approach that would reduce dust and improve safety. Supporters praised the applicant’s rainwater storage and stewardship.

Staff told the commission the original cultivation operation was approved as a zoning clearance certificate (an administrative permit that does not require public notice), but that the microbusiness is a discretionary use brought to the commission. Because some building and road work had proceeded before final clearances, staff recommended conditions that include requiring the final building‑permit clearance and the paved apron before any microbusiness activity. Staff also noted annual inspections and said the commission can require additional or unannounced inspections if compliance concerns persist.

Commissioners discussed dust mitigation (more gravel, treatments such as lignin oil, or paving), potential unannounced inspections and the visibility issues Nicoletti described. After discussion, a motion to approve staff recommendations with the added paving condition carried 5‑1. The chair recessed the meeting following the vote.