Sept 4th 2025 letter to Planning Commissioners: RETAIN THE 10 ACRE MINIMUM

Letter to Planning Commissioners to Retain the 10 acre Minimum

From: Neighborhood Coalition <sonomaneighborhoodcoalition@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, September4, 2025 11:15 AM
To:Tom.Bahning@sonomacounty.gov; Tim.Freeman@sonomacounty.gov; larry.reed@sonomacounty.gov; Webster.Marquez@sonomacounty.gov; Shaun.McCaffery@sonomacounty.gov; PlanningAgency@sonomacounty.gov
Subject: RETAIN THE 10 ACRE MINIMUM

Date: September 4, 2025

To: Planning Commissioners 

                                          RETAIN THE 10 ACRE MINIMUM – WHY IT MATTERS

FACT:  Current law in Sonoma County limits outdoor cannabis grows to 10-acre parcels. Permit Sonoma now is recommending that limit be reduced to 5-acre parcels.  Why is this reduction a big deal?

FACT: Sonoma County has the highest number of “small parcels” in California, reflecting the County planner’s directive to subdivide rural areas to accommodate growth. As a result, rural areas are an amalgam of wild lands, homes, and agriculture. That mixture worked until cannabis grows were approved bringing with them noxiouso odors, noise, unnatural light, increased traffic and increased criminal activity to these rural areas, thereby disrupting the peace and enjoyment of those living in these rural areas. The resulting conflicts between residents and cannabis cultivators are well-documented with “neighborhood compatibility” being one of the prime objectives for the EIR as specified by the Board of Supervisors.

FACT: Even with 10-acre minimums, conflicts have arisen. The proposed reduction of cannabis grows to 5-acre parcels would geometrically increase these conflicts putting the objectionable cannabis grows even closer to residences. The impact of that proposed reduction is magnified by Permit Sonoma’s tandem proposal that setbacks in these areas be reduced to 100 feet, a proposal that would impact 15,000 homes. In other words, a cannabis grow could be a mere 100 feet awayfrom the neighboring home.

FACT:  The General Plan for the County includes three agricultural land use zones with total acreage of 326,562 acres, or 34.1% of the entire County. That acreage includes 4302 parcels of 10 or more acres (see Staff Report File #ORD18-0003, June 7, 2018, page 10.) There is no scarcity of parcels to accommodate the current 10-acre requirement. With proper setbacks of 1000-2500 feet, the 10-acre minimum requirements would help minimize neighborhood conflicts.

CONCLUSION:  Permit Sonoma’s proposed reduction of cannabis cultivation parcel size limits from 10-acres to 5-acres is unnecessary and unsupportable. Particularly in combinations with the proposed reduction and virtual elimination of setbacks, it would put residents in even closer contact with cannabis cultivators. These joint proposals exacerbate the conflict between residents and cannabis cultivators thereby failing to resolve the neighborhood compatibility issue and violating the express directive of the Board of Supervisors. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Nancy and Brantly Richardson, Communication Directors

Neighborhood Coalition <sonomaneighborhoodcoalition@gmail.com> 

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