The impact of a 34-acre cannabis cultivation project on an overdrafted groundwater basin, and whether an offset agreement would mitigate that impact, became the central issue in an appeal of the permit for the Cuyama Valley cannabis operation.
Marc Chytilo, representing farmer Jean Gaillard, asked the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission to either uphold the appeal and deny the project or at least continue the hearing until cannabis and water use guidelines could be developed by a local committee.
But commissioners said Orange Coast Farms’ cultivation operation couldn’t be used to solve the larger problem of falling groundwater levels, particularly with unregulated carrot and wine grape operations sucking up more water than cannabis would.
Commissioners unanimously voted Wednesday to deny the appeal and approve the operation, also known as the Suarez Project by Cuyama Farms LLC, at 2225 Foothill Road.
Read more at lompocrecord.com