Mendocino County zoning administrator approves indoor cannabis permit for Albian Ridge property

The Mendocino County Zoning Administrator approved an administrative permit March 12 allowing Island Unlimited to cultivate indoor cannabis in an existing building at 31151 Albian Ridge Road in Albian.

Jamie Henry, the county staff planner, told the zoning administrator the applicant seeks approval to cultivate up to two 2,500-square-foot indoor cultivation areas within an existing concrete-and-steel building on a parcel of approximately 20 acres zoned Upland Residential and designated Remote Residential by the county general plan. Henry said the operation would use existing infrastructure, including an on-site well, septic system and electrical service, and would not involve new construction, grading, vegetation removal or expansion of the building footprint.

Henry said staff finds the project consistent with the Mendocino County general plan and the UR20 zoning district, which allows indoor cannabis cultivation with an administrative permit, and that the project "qualifies for a Class 1 categorical exemption for existing facilities" because it involves continued use of an existing structure with no land disturbance. He added that referral-agency comments were incorporated into the conditions of approval.

Henry identified referral items that the applicant must satisfy, including access improvements required by the Department of Transportation and verification of building occupancy by the county Building Division. He also said the California Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted a site visit and raised concerns that "were in regard to items outside the scope of the permit and will be resolved between CDFW and the property owner." "Staff recommends approval of this administrative permit," Henry said.

The zoning administrator, noting there were no members of the public present in the hearing room or on Zoom, opened and immediately closed the public hearing and approved the project "subject to the findings and conditions contained within the resolution." The hearing record does not include a roll-call vote; the administrator stated the approval on the record and directed that conditions and referral requirements be included in the resolution.

With no further matters from staff or the public, the zoning administrator adjourned the hearing at about 1:33 p.m.

What happens next: permit conditions require the applicant to complete the specified access and occupancy verifications before operations begin, and any outstanding issues identified to CDFW are to be resolved between CDFW and the property owner, according to the staff report and the administrator's approval.