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Board grants appeal in part, limits tree removal to dead or dying trees and requires recorded easement
Summary
The Lake County Board of Supervisors granted Appeal PL-26-357 in part, adopting staff-recommended permit modifications that limit tree removal to dead, dying or diseased trees (verified by an arborist or registered professional forester), require an updated site plan and a recorded easement as a condition of operation.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to grant Appeal PL-26-357 in part and replace an existing tree-removal condition with a narrower restriction limiting removal to "dead, dying, disease trees only," while allowing understory clearing and limbing necessary for CAL FIRE clearance.
An applicant representative told the board: "On behalf of the applicant, we would like to request, a additional condition of approval be added" that would limit removal to dead or dying trees and require arborist/registered-professional-forester verification. Community Development staff said updated site plans identifying trees slated for removal must be submitted to the Community Development Department prior to the permit becoming valid.
Opponents and nearby residents urged caution over water impacts. Alex Powell said the well location shown in submitted plans "is not accurate" and warned that a well near Seigler Canyon Creek could affect downstream flows into Cache Creek and the lake. Multiple public commenters cited water-supply and cumulative environmental concerns and urged more study before approval.
County staff and County Counsel assured the board that a recorded easement would be required for operation and that contesting the easement would remain a civil matter between private parties. Trish Turner, Associate Planner, read the revised permit conditions onto the record, noting coordination with CAL FIRE if timber-conversion or harvest documents are required.
County Counsel presented motion language to grant the appeal in part subject to the added conditions. The chair called for a vote and announced the motion carried 3-2. The board directed staff to prepare findings of fact and return final permit documents reflecting the changes. No additional CEQA recirculation was required, staff said, because the modifications reduced environmental impacts.
Next steps: staff will record the updated site plan and confirm CAL FIRE requirements before the permit becomes operational; the board directed staff to memorialize findings and conditions in the project record.
