Planning Commission — Thursday, November 13, 2025

The Housing Element (HE) is a chapter of the Lake County General Plan. It is updated every seven years, as required by state law. The HE describes the County housing demographics, identifies obstacles to housing development, and lists policies and actions to take to lower these obstacles, and encourage housing development. The Lake County General Plan Housing Element (Sixth Cycle, 2019-2027), was approved by the Board on March 26, 2019, and found to be in substantial compliance with Housing Element Law by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on September 16, 2020. The HE can be accessed online at: https://www.lakecountyca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1669/Chapter-4---Housing-PDF. The Element contains numerous policies and programs to support housing development in the unincorporated areas of the county. Policy HE-58 reads as follows, "The Zoning Ordinance shall be amended to allow housing projects with at least 20% of units affordable to lower income households to be permitted by right if they have been previously identified in the Housing Element as potential affordable housing sites for at least two update cycles, or if they are located in a High Density zone." Multifamily residential development is allowed in the "R2" Two-family Residential and "R3" Multifamily Residential base zoning districts. The attached draft ordinance reflects the addition of the above policy in the corresponding zoning articles, within the Uses Permitted section. The Uses Permitted section of each zoning article indicates that the use is a use-by-right, exempt from discretionary permit requirements. Department Staff has been in ongoing contact with HCD regarding the implementation of a number of Housing Element policies and actions. Policy HE-58 is the first of six HE Implementation Actions to be accomplished within the next few months. HCD requested HE-58 be separated from the larger implementation project in order to lessen its timeline. The Draft Ordinance for consideration is included in Attachment 1. The remaining Implementation Actions are tentatively scheduled on the December 11, 2025, Planning Commission meeting for consideration and recommendation to the Board.

Staff requests that the Planning Commission recommend the Board adopt the draft Ordinance.

The applicant, Luis Martinez of Wellness Ranch, LLC is proposing an amendment to the existing cannabis cultivation operation located on a 106.47-acre parcel at 6751 Ridge Road, Lakeport (APN: 007-045-16). The County of Lake has previously issued two Minor Use Permits (MUP 19- 15 and MUP 22-11) for cannabis cultivation operations. This application, Wellness Ranch 3, represents an amendment to use permit for Wellness Ranch for an expansion of cannabis canopy with facilities, and combination of the two previously issued permits. There have been several revisions to this proposed application since the submission to the Community Development Department in 2023. To date, the site has been approved for the following (as of April of 2024): Cultivation site 1 - existing 10,000 square foot fenced/gated outdoor garden Cultivation site 2 - existing 10,000 square foot fenced/gated outdoor garden Cultivation site 3 - existing 2,400 square foot indoor garden within barn

Staff recommends the Planning Commission take the following actions: A. Adopt Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 23-19) for Major Use Permit PL-25-59 (UP 23-08) based on the findings in the staff report dated November 13, 2025. B. Approve Major Use Permit PL-25-59 (UP 23-08) with the following findings in the staff report date November 13, 2025.

The applicant, Rancho Lake, LLC, is proposing a Major Use Permit PL-25-13 (UP 21-15), and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 21-16), for cultivation of 19.6 acres outdoor commercial cannabis canopy within a 34-acre cultivation area and a Type 13 Distribution, Self Transport only license located at 19955, 19986, 20110, and 22222 Grange Road, Middletown (APNs 014-290- 08; 014-300-02, 014-300-03, & 014-300-04). The proposed cultivation would occur on APN 014- 290-08 while additional parcels will be used for clustering. This project was originally scheduled on May 9, 2024, for hearing however there was not a quorum of the Planning Commission and the meeting was adjourned. The site is situated approximately 4.5 miles east/northeast of Middletown, California. The terrain is predominantly mountainous, with flat valleys at the base of the slopes. Elevation varies from approximately 930 feet to 1,710 feet above sea level. Putah Creek, a perennial Class I watercourse, traverses the northernmost section of the property from west to east. Additionally, Crazy Creek, an intermittent Class II watercourse, flows from west to east through the northwest portion of the site and joins Putah Creek. Several unnamed intermittent Class III watercourses also run from south to north, ultimately feeding into Putah Creek. All setbacks from watercourses have been identified. No surface water diversion is proposed. The site has been historically used to farm oats and hay, and cattle grazing since the early 1900s. The total acreage of the combined parcels is 1,627 acres.

A. Adopt Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 21-16) for Major Use Permit PL-25-13 (UP 21-15) with the findings in the staff report dated November 13, 2025. B. Approve Major Use Permit (UP 21-15) with the findings in the staff report dated November 13, 2025.

Staff intended to bring forward a Draft Ordinance for consideration at the November 13, 2025 Planning Commission meeting and the November 18, 2025 Board meeting. However, based on direction received from the Board at the November 4, 2025 meeting, more time is needed to prepare the Draft Ordinance As such, Staff requests a continuance of this item to a future meeting.