Humboldt Planning Commission Approves Four Cannabis Farms on Larabee Valley Parcel

Humboldt County’s Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve a package of four cannabis cultivation permits covering more than 5 acres on an 812-acre parcel in Larabee Valley east of Bridgeville. The approvals, decided at the commission’s Jan. 15 meeting, bundle the projects as a single overall proposal accessed from State Route 36.

The permits cover outdoor cultivation, including four acres of new plantings, and ancillary nurseries. Applicants in the package are Natura Blue Inc., 4 Wheel Properties LLC, Jennifer Dunn and Cali’s Finest LLC. Each cultivation area received conditional use permits, and the package includes an additional permit for restoration work in one cultivation zone. Existing operations on the parcel would continue onsite processing while the new operations will rely on offsite processing facilities. Power plans mix solar and grid electricity, with generators proposed only for emergency backup.

County staff estimated annual combined water demand for the sites at 4.6 million gallons. That supply would come from three existing ponds, a proposed rainwater catchment pond and five permitted groundwater wells. Senior Planner Steven Santos said all of the wells were "evaluated by a geologist who determined that they're all hydrologically disconnected." Commissioners and staff nevertheless discussed concerns about well use and the potential for over-pumping, noting the difficulty of mapping fragmented groundwater in Humboldt’s hill country.

The federal Bureau of Land Management submitted a letter the day before the hearing noting concerns about cultivation proximity to BLM land, potential impacts to northern spotted owl habitat and the legal status of cannabis on federal land, including questions about use of BLM access easements. County planners responded that the proposed cultivation areas are distant from the BLM boundary and owl habitat, and said BLM easements would not be used for access.

Public engagement at the hearing was minimal; there was no verbal public comment and the county received one written comment. Operator Eric Sordal acknowledged his wells were not activated before producing a hydrology report, a matter commissioners discussed in the context of verifying water sources and timing of monitoring.

For local residents, the decision underscores competing priorities in Humboldt’s rural landscape: economic activity tied to cannabis, the county’s responsibility to steward scarce water resources, and the need to safeguard adjacent federal lands and sensitive wildlife habitat. The conditional nature of the permits means the county will attach operational requirements and restoration obligations that staff will monitor.

What comes next for residents is oversight and compliance. The permits authorize cultivation but also set the stage for county inspections, enforcement of water use conditions and interagency coordination with BLM over access and habitat concerns. Those living along Route 36 and in Larabee Valley should expect to see implementation details and monitoring reports as the operations move from approval to production.