Lake County planning commissioners continue decision on Lake Cocoa Farms cannabis permit amid water, road and wildlife concerns

The Lake County Planning Commission on April 23 continued action on a major use permit for Lake Cocoa Farms after weeks of written comments and more than two hours of oral testimony about water, roads and potential impacts to local streams and wildlife.

Trish Turner, an associate planner with Lake County Community Development, told the commission staff is recommending adoption of the draft mitigated negative declaration and approval of use permit PL25155 / UP2058 with amended conditions. Turner summarized the project as proposing up to 205,800 square feet (4.72 acres) of outdoor commercial cannabis canopy within roughly 12 acres of cultivation on two parcels totaling about 228.77 acres, and one Type 13 distribution self-transport license at 3417 and 3547 Hendricks Road. Turner said mitigation measures and conditions had been added to address neighbor concerns and that tribal cultural-resources mitigations were included after consultation with the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians closed on Sept. 10, 2025.

Commissioners, staff and the applicant’s consultant spent much of the hearing focused on water supply and hydrology. Turner summarized the hydrology report’s figures: an estimated peak daily use of about 19,117 gallons, an estimated average daily demand near 8,674 gallons, and a well-yield test showing the on-site groundwater well can produce about 102 gallons per minute — which the report concluded could meet the project’s maximum daily demand in less than three hours. Staff also reported proposed on-site irrigation storage of 20,000 gallons and a 25,000-gallon fire tank.

Several residents and environmental commenters told commissioners those numbers and the project’s cumulative effects merit…