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Zoning code revisions advance; staff to release public draft April 17 amid contested cannabis land‑use debate
Summary
Trinity County staff will release a public review draft of the updated zoning code on April 17 and hold joint study sessions May 19–20. Commissioners and dozens of public commenters debated cannabis land‑use tables, opt‑out zones, microbusiness rules, sawmill and apiary allowances, and buffer exceptions.
County staff said a public review draft of the revised Trinity County Zoning Code will be released April 17; the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission are scheduled for special study sessions on May 19 (2–9 p.m.) and May 20 (9 a.m.–5 p.m.) to review the draft.
The March 26 Planning Commission study session focused heavily on cannabis land‑use tables and related zoning rules. Staff presented revised cannabis tables intended to correct inconsistencies raised at earlier meetings and said many outstanding non‑cannabis table edits would be folded into the full public review draft. Staff emphasized that some uses (for example, medium‑scale cultivation) have parcel minimums (50 acres) that make them incompatible with small rural residential parcels.
Public commenters addressed a wide range of issues. Matthew Jefferson (Trinity Alps Cannacraft) supplied a tourism report and told the commission cannabis tourism has benefited rural communities, saying, “it demonstrates very clearly that it is nothing but a positive impact on all of the rural communities that have interacted and engaged with cannabis tourism.” Several residents urged the commission to honor the grandfathering spirit of earlier opt‑outs and asked that seasonal visitor populations (campgrounds, resorts) be counted when evaluating impacts.
Other public comments and commissioner questions covered:
- Microbusiness and RR zones: Staff said the code aims to allow microbusiness activities in RR and RR10 when associated with an on‑site cultivation license, but not as standalone uses; commenters from Post Mountain pressed for clearer allowances so existing cultivators can obtain microbusiness approvals.
- Buffers and exceptions: The draft continues to rely on a 350‑foot administrative buffer with limited exceptions for previously developed sites and cultivator‑to‑cultivator adjacency where adjacent dwellings already hold active cultivation licenses.
- Sawmills, apiaries and ag uses: Residents and commissioners asked staff to split sawmill definitions (portable/home enterprise vs. industrial) and to reconsider whether apiaries and nursery uses should be allowed in certain resource zones such as Ag Forest or Open Space depending on parcel characteristics.
- Enforcement and inspections: Commissioners requested clearer code language requiring 24‑hour advance notice for routine compliance inspections, while preserving the ability to perform unannounced inspections in cases of immediate threats to public health and safety; staff agreed to revise the language to reflect that distinction.
Staff introduced Daniel Marvel as acting cannabis division director and confirmed Trinity County Environmental Health will administer the CUPA program (transitioning from DTSC administration). The commission directed staff to incorporate prior commissioner comments into the public review draft and noted the zoning code will return for additional study sessions after the April public release.
What’s next: The public review draft will be posted April 17. The county will hold two special study sessions May 19–20 for detailed review; the commission expects further opportunities for public comment and revisions thereafter.
