June23 2025 Newsletter- DEIR June 19 hearing with Planning Commission

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June 23, 2025

June 24th, 2025

SUMMARY OF PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING ON THE CANNABIS DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT

The first Planning Commission hearing on the cannabis draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was held on June 19th. The purpose of the meeting was to allow the Planning Commissioners to hear the public’s concerns and objections to the proposed ordinance and DEIR, and to ask their own questions about them.

After a presentation by Staff and the DEIR Consultant, Chair Shaun McCaffery opened the meeting to public comment. Later the Commissioners took turns asking Staff and the Consultant many probing and insightful questions about the proposal.

HEARING SUMMARY

The questions included the following topics about which Staff is to provide further information and answers:

  1. Setbacks:
    1. Why aren’t residences treated as a “sensitive use” like schools and parks and have 1000-foot setbacks?
    2. How did Staff determine the setback distances?
    3. Why are there no Exclusion Zones, which Staff was directed to study?
  2. Odor Impacts:
    1. The DEIR considers odor from outdoor grows to be a “significant and unavoidable impact" that is not mitigated. One Commissioner noted that odor disperses with distance, and asked why odor could not be further mitigated with greater setbacks?
    2. The Commissioners requested a study showing odor levels at various distances factoring in wind effects and topography to provide a way to determine accurate setbacks. They asked for a list of parcels that would be eligible and ineligible for cultivation under various odor scenarios.
    3. The Commissioners asked about health impacts but seemed unclear about them. They wondered why the DEIR sought to “consider” public health and safety when it should “ensure” public health and safety. The Consultant said its odor expert would answer these questions, including about the carcinogen beta myrcene. Our experts will file reports with additional information to clarify these issues.
  3. Events:  The Commissioners asked for clarification about the two kinds of events and what is allowed. Staff responded:
    1. “Periodic Special Events” – allows 4 events per year in all zoning areas with a ministerial permit
    2. Cannabis Events – Up to 104 days per year, 25 people per event (but sometimes 50 if bussed), allowed on Ag/RRD zoned parcels, needs a conditional use permit.
    3. Staff minimized the impacts of events although the Commissioners were understandably concerned about them.
  4. Crop Swaps:
    1. One Commissioner suggested that crop swaps would lead to more cannabis events and this should be studied in the DEIR. Staff said no, that two separate permitting activities would be involved and that one would not lead to the other. We disagree and appreciate the Commissioner’s question.
    2. In response to a question whether the ordinance required monitoring of events, Staff responded that it did not and the public has to complain. For obvious reasons we have concerns about that response.

The official comment period ends Tuesday, July 15th, after which there will be additional hearings with the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors. Permit Sonoma will release a final Environmental Impact Report in late August which the Board of Supervisors will consider approving on October 28th.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

The next Planning Commission hearing is scheduled on August 7th, but the 60-day comment period ends on July 15th. Be sure to email your concerns at PlanningAgency@sonoma-county.org and cc Cannabis@sonoma-county.org by July 15 so the County must respond to them in the final EIR.

We are impressed with the Commissioners’ commitment to understanding and improving the proposal. They are working hard to educate themselves about these issues and seem open to truly listening to the concerns of the public. We urge you to voice your concerns and explain the reasons for them.

Send your emails and letters to:

‍cannabis@sonoma-county.org

‍‍PlanningAgency@sonoma-county.org

‍‍larry.reed@sonoma-county.org‍

‍Shaun.McCaffery@sonoma-county.org;

‍Tim.Freeman@sonoma-county.org;

‍Tom.Bahning@sonoma-county.org;

‍Webster.Marquez@sonoma-county.org

cc your Supervisor with your emails and letters

1st District:Rebecca HermosilloRebecca.Hermosillo@sonoma-county.org

‍2nd District:David RabbittDavid.Rabbitt@sonoma-county.org

‍3rd District:Chris Courseydistrict3@sonoma-county.org‍

4th District:James GoreDistrict4@sonoma-county.org

‍5th District:Lynda HopkinsLynda.Hopkins@sonoma-county.org‍‍

Please send a copy of your letter to sonomaneighborhoodcoalition@gmail.com

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