Agenda Item #14.1
For Council Meeting of: May 10, 2022
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: KRISTINAE TOOMIANS, SENIOR PLANNER
PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SUBJECT: UTILITY CERTIFICATE FOR ECO FARM HOLDINGS, INC.
AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Planning and Economic Development Department that the Council, by resolution, approve a Utility Certificate (File No. UC21-003) to extend City water service to provide fire suppression water to Eco Farm Holdings, Inc., located at 369 Todd Road (APN 134-101-023), which is outside the City boundary, but within the Ultimate Urban Boundary.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On May 28, 2002, the Santa Rosa City Council adopted Resolution No. 25260, which granted a Utility Certificate (File No. UC02-004) to the existing uses operating on nine unincorporated properties with contaminated wells along Todd Road, including the subject property located at 369 Todd Road which was operating as an auto body shop at the time the certificate was granted.
On January 28, 2020, the Sonoma County Permit & Resource Management Department granted a limited five-year term Use Permit for an indoor cannabis manufacturing, distribution, and transportation operation located within three existing industrial buildings, located at 369 Todd Road. One of the conditions of the approval requires that the applicant/operator obtain a City of Santa Rosa Utility Certificate prior to building permit issuance.
Per Council Policy No. 300-02, City water and/or sewer service may be extended to an existing use which is situated outside the City limits but within the City’s Ultimate Urban Boundary if the existing use is legal; the existing use is consistent with the City’s General Plan; and a public health hazard exists with respect to the use’s existing water and/or sewage disposal system and the requested connection to the City’s water and/or sewer system would remove the health hazard.
BACKGROUND
On May 28, 2002, the Santa Rosa City Council adopted Resolution No. 25260, which granted a Utility Certificate (File No. UC02-004) to the existing uses operating on nine unincorporated properties with contaminated wells along Todd Road, including the subject property located at 369 Todd Road which was operating as an auto body shop at the time the certificate was granted.
On January 28, 2020, the Sonoma County Permit & Resource Management Department granted a limited five-year term Use Permit for an indoor cannabis manufacturing, distribution, and transportation operation located within three existing industrial buildings, located at 369 Todd Road. One of the conditions of the approval requires that the applicant/operator obtain a City of Santa Rosa Utility Certificate prior to building permit issuance. Although a certificate was granted to the subject property in 2002 for operation of an auto body shop, pursuant to Council Policy a change of use requires the City’s approval of a new Utility Certificate.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
On May 28, 2002, the Santa Rosa City Council adopted Resolution No. 25260, which granted a Utility Certificate (File No. UC02-004) to the existing uses operating on nine unincorporated properties with contaminated wells along Todd Road, including the subject property located at 369 Todd Road.
ANALYSIS
Per Council Policy No. 300-02 – General Rule, City water and/or sewer service may be extended to an existing use which is situated outside the City limits but within the City’s Ultimate Urban Boundary if the existing use is legal; the existing use is consistent with the City’s General Plan; and, a public health hazard exists with respect to the use’s existing water and/or sewage disposal system and the requested connection to the City’s water and/or sewer system would remove the health hazard.
Staff Response:
The subject property is outside of the City limits, but within the City’s Ultimate Urban Boundary. A Utility Certificate was issued to the former use (auto body shop) that existed on the property due to the contaminated wells along Todd Road. The Sonoma County Permit & Resource Management Department granted a limited five-year term Use Permit for an indoor cannabis manufacturing, distribution, and transportation facility on the subject site. The site does not currently have a reliable emergency water supply for the purpose of fire suppression, which constitutes a public safety hazard. The request for a new Utility Certificate for the newly approved use is consistent with Council Policy No. 300-02 – General Rule.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, in that the project includes negligible or no expansion to an existing use.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Disclosure Form
Attachment 1 – Location Map
Attachment 2 – Context Map
Attachment 3 – General Plan & Urban Boundary Map
Attachment 4 – Neighborhood Context Map
Attachment 5 – Project Plans
Attachment 6 – County Conditions of Approval
Attachment 7 – UC02-004 Project File
Attachment 8 – City Council Resolution No. 25260
Attachment 9 – Council policy 300-02
CONTACT
Kristinae Toomians, Senior Planner
Planning and Economic Development Department
100 Santa Rosa Avenue, Room 3
(707) 543-4692
[email protected]
UTILITY CERTIFICATE FOR ECO FARM HOLDINGS, INC.
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