Letter to Planning Commissioners explaining the consequences of the ill-advised proposal to reduce the minimum parcel size to 5 acres

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From: Neighborhood Coalition<sonomaneighborhoodcoalition@gmail.com>Date: Tue, Aug 12, 2025 at 9:45 AMSubject: CANNABIS Draft EIR - FIVE ACRE PARCEL PROPOSALTo: <Shaun.McCaffery@sonomacounty.gov>,<larry.reed@sonomacounty.gov>,<Tom.Bahning@sonomacounty.gov>,<PlanningAgency@sonomacounty.gov>,<Tim.Freeman@sonomacounty.gov>,<cannabis@sonomacounty.gov>,<Webster.Marquez@sonomacounty.gov>,<bos@sonomacounty.gov>

‍Cannabis Parcel Size Proposals

August 12,2025

In follow-up to the discussion at the August 7 hearing, the Neighborhood Coalition wishes to address the proposal for a 5-acre minimum parcel size and Commissioner McCaffery's example proffered during the hearing: If the cannabis is on the 5 acre parcel it does not matter how big the parcels are surrounding it. Given it’s likely that only 1 road services all parcels in a remote area - it will likely result in the homes being clustered near the road. Either way- the property owner has full use of their property... but if cannabis is next door- they've lost 1000-2000 feet of buildable space. 

Maximum setback on a 5-acre parcel

·        5 acres is 217,800 sf,or 467 ft x 467 ft if a perfect square.  10% of parcel size would allow a half-acre grow, 21,800 sf or 148 ft x 148 ft if a perfect square. This would give a maximum setback of (467-148)/2 =109 ft max on each side.

·        Staff is proposing a minimum 100 ft setback from a cannabis site to all Ag and RRD zoned land.

·        It makes no difference if a 5-acre parcel is surrounded by large separately-owned parcels, as the setback distance must be completely on the parcel growing cannabis.

Issues with 5-acre parcel and 100 ft setbacks

Outdoor cultivation

·        Many people, including farm workers and their families who are often people of color (65% Latino in Sonoma County), live on Ag parcels.  Housing for farm workers on Ag land is a prime example.  There are 18,534 Ag and RRD parcels vs 20,542 Rural Residential and 10,635 Agriculture and Residential parcels.  Sonoma County has very patchwork zoning and legal residences are scattered throughout Ag and RRD lands. 

·        The only way to protect our residents living on Ag and RRD land, especially Ag workers and their families, is to require long setbacks to all parcel lines, not just those in RR or AR zoning.  This requires large parcels.

·        However, by allowing multi-tenant grows on one large parcel, small growers could enter the cannabis market with a lower financial bar.  This could also provide economies of scale with some shared resources that would help improve economics and potentially environmental impact. CUPs would be required and need to evaluate the total sf of grows to be allowed on one parcel. 

·        Since the county wants to encourage and help small growers, would it consider purchasing a couple ofvery large parcels that provide the needed long setbacks and conduct the needed CEQA environmental review prior to leasing parcels to small growers? 

Indoor Cultivation

·        Smaller parcels could house indoor cultivation

 Projected growth in cultivation does not warrant or require expansion onto smaller parcel sizes

• DEIR projects 188  acres of outdoor cultivation. Staff indicated 40 acres are more realistic.    
   
  • Total acreage  required to support this is 400 acres to 1,880 acres (@ 10% canopy rate)

 Nancy and Brantly Richardson, Communication Directors

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