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Planning panel approves Greenfield Farms outdoor cannabis permit after staff mitigation plan
Summary
The Lake County Planning Commission on March 26 approved a major use permit and adopted a mitigated negative declaration for Greenfield Farms (PL-25-306), allowing outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation on a roughly 40.6-acre parcel with conditions addressing water, fire suppression and habitat mitigation. Commissioners asked for additional metered water-use data before full buildout.
The Lake County Planning Commission voted to approve a major use permit and adopt a mitigated negative declaration for Greenfield Farms (PL-25-306) at its March 26 meeting.
Senior Planner Mary Claybon told commissioners the proposal covers outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation within an approximately 40.56-acre parcel at 20150 Black Bass Pass Road in Lower Lake and described the project as occurring within the previously used early-activation cultivation footprint. The staff report recommends approval of roughly 86,38 square feet of outdoor canopy (staff report figures) subject to the draft conditions in the packet, including requirements for a dedicated fire-suppression water tank, setbacks, preconstruction biological measures and installation of ADA restroom facilities in proposed processing buildings.
The commission’s technical discussion focused on water use. Commissioners and the project’s civil engineer, Kyle Gener of North Bay Civil Consulting, debated per-plant water assumptions and spacing. One commissioner’s on-the-record calculation — using the applicant’s stated spacing — produced a higher water-demand estimate (about 43,200 gallons per day) than the hydrology report’s 6,000 gallons-per-day figure. Gener said the project’s plan set uses different spacing and canopy assumptions, and the applicant’s representative (an on-site resident and project manager) said a water meter was installed in 2021 and that the team would provide usage records.
Mary Claybon also summarized environmental review: the project was evaluated under the Lake County General Plan, the Lower Lake area plan and state regulations; biological and botanical studies were provided by the applicant (including a wetland delineation and updated biological study); and Middletown Rancheria was notified and asked to review cultural materials. Staff concluded impacts could be mitigated to less than significant through measures in the draft mitigated negative declaration and conditions of approval.
After questions and public comment, a commissioner moved to adopt the initial study and mitigated negative declaration and to approve the major use permit with the staff’s findings and conditions. The motion carried; staff reminded interested parties of a seven-calendar-day appeal period to the Board of Supervisors.
What happens next: the applicant must comply with the permit conditions, secure required building permits and any state cannabis licensing, and implement monitoring and mitigation measures required by the county conditions.
Sources: Staff presentation by Mary Claybon; project civil engineer Kyle Gener; public comment and applicant statements during Planning Commission meeting, March 26, 2026.
