Public Safety Not Addressed in Rolling Meadows Mega Grow Permit, Says Letter to the Editor and the BOS From Fruitland Ridge VFD

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Letter to the editor cannabis marijuana featureDear Board of Supervisors,

We represent the Fruitland Ridge Volunteer Fire Protection District (FRVFPD).

We are writing this letter in response to the article published in the Redheaded Blackbelt news blog about the Rolling Meadow Ranch, LLC Humboldt County Commercial Cannabis Land Use Application that was published on 12/28/2020. That was the first time our fire district had heard about this project. We are disappointed with the lack of communication to our fire district concerning this project which has been in the planning stages for four years.

We are concerned about a lack of safety element in this plan. The Planning Commission approved this project without regard to public safety.

Rolling Meadow Ranch, LLC Humboldt County Commercial Cannabis is within our fire district’s sphere of influence. It is not within our formal district boundaries. If there is any form of an emergency, we are the initial responders. There is nothing in this plan that addresses any emergency response except for wildfire.

Time out to a McCann incident is historically 22 minutes to the McCann bridge. There is additional time added for any location on the east side of the Eel River. The project states the farthest location to be over 5 miles from the bridge. Depending on road conditions, that can take a fire engine or a water tender anywhere from 20 minutes to one hour to navigate to the incident. We are now dealing with a total arrival time for a medical emergency or fire from 42 minutes to 1 hr. 22 minutes. Mind you, this is one way. Patient transport out of the scene is equally time consuming. CalFire or any other incoming emergency resources’ response times will be additional time added on the back of ours.

The report states there will be an estimated 22 to 30 people at the scene seven days a week year around. There is a likelihood that some sort of medical emergency will occur. Myers Flat has a similar population in the winter. They have a fire department and a water department.

The roads from Fruitland Ridge to McCann are Class 2 roads, gravel/dirt, with steep slopes and hairpin turns. The private roads across the river are dead end, marginal, narrow, and dangerous for large emergency vehicles. We are greatly concerned about the report’s estimated 488,000 miles driven annually on the County’s under-maintained, steep and narrow roads. We respond to about 4 incidents per year, averaging 3 medical and 1 fire, in McCann. We are the responding agency for traffic collisions. The private roads within the property are a whole another matter. Egress and ingress for private vehicles versus emergency vehicles promises to be dangerous. This is not meeting CalFire standards for roads.

This project is in SRA (state responsibility area) with CALFire being the responsible commanding entity for Wildfires. But should a wildfire break out, FRVFPD will be the first called and first arriving at said incident. Wildfires (those in the wildland) are not the only fires that may happen. There are vehicle fires and structure fires that will occur, too.

Water storage is also a concern regarding any fire. The 300,000+ gallons of rain catchment water is not adequate. The plan states that this water will be used for irrigation as well as dust management. It indicates that the water will be used up by September or October. That is typically the height of fire season in this part of Humboldt County. Due to the road conditions, the turnaround time for a water tender is 45 minutes minimum. The use time for the 2500 gallons carried in a water tender is about 20 minutes. One million stored gallons would be an approximate need at scene for a major wildland fire.

Winter access from the Alderpoint Roadside presents an even more difficult access issue that would need to be communicated to Bridgeville Fire Protection District and Alderpoint Volunteer Fire. They would be the initial responders at that time.

The project’s road conditions and water supply to not satisfy Public Safety’s needs.

Fruitland Ridge Volunteer Fire Protection District requests a delay in approving this project pending mitigation of emergency issues addressed in this letter.

Sincerely,

Debra Lake

Board Chair

Tina Hensley

Board Treasurer

Katherine Coleman

Board Secretary

Jimi Hensley

Chief 6200

Fruitland Ridge Volunteer Fire Protection District

707-943-3402 personal phone Debra Lake

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37 Comments
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Lady Blue
Guest
Lady Blue
3 years ago

Amen! It’s about time some noise was made about this incredibly greedy, environmentally destructive project. The footprint of this project could be much more community minded being used to grow food for the local population.

Thank you for speaking up FRVFPD!!

Cetan Bluesky
Guest
Cetan Bluesky
3 years ago

This is a very well detailed stated case by the FRVFPD. These concerns must be remediated before the county finds itself in one hell of a law suit! I’m glad some folks have common sense to bring these issues up and I hope the county will show equal common sense by holding up the permit until the aforementioned issues are dealt with.

North west
Guest
North west
3 years ago

Please please move pot farming down south or to Oklahoma. Leave the finest quality where it’s always been. It’s the small ma and pa gardens that made our area famous. These big grows have no sole, it’s just the money

Lisa Barreto
Guest
Lisa Barreto
3 years ago

They are doubling the road traffic and water usage in McCann area. The road barely makes it passable now, the ground water just supplies people there now. Who thought this was a good idea, not current residents, many who have lived there for generations.

Xebeche
Guest
Xebeche
3 years ago

The only place in Humboldt for this project is the old mill site north of Rio Dell. The project as planned is a looming disaster of epic proportions. Shame on the supervisors for approving this

Meow!
Guest
Meow!
3 years ago

Remember all of this. With exception to Bushnell, all of your BOS sold you out to “legal” growers. Every legal grower sells black market, the only thing legalization did was provide a legal route to bribe the government to leave you alone. ALL of them sold you out

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
3 years ago
Reply to  Meow!

Why do you list Bushnell as an exception? Because she was just seated? If so, fair enough, but she is also a permitted pot farmer. Time will tell whether or not she votes in the best interests of her constituents.

Anonymous for fear of community reprisal
Guest
Anonymous for fear of community reprisal
3 years ago

I mean who could have saw this coming? LMFAO…

Farce
Guest
Farce
3 years ago

I tried to tell them all…but they just called me ” negative” and ” bitter”. It was a scam of epic proportions

Seth Kinman
Guest
Seth Kinman
3 years ago

Wow…. Sounds like a letter writer has reached out to their friends at the FRVFPD.

Really…”The report states there will be an estimated 22 to 30 people at the scene seven days a week year around. There is a likelihood that some sort of medical emergency will occur. Myers Flat has a similar population in the winter. They have a fire department and a water department.” Only 22-30 people live in Myers Flat during the year? Come-on!

Maybe we shouldn’t allow logging activities more than 22 minutes from any local fire station? How would that go over?

Isn’t CDF the responsible agency? Don’t the roads have to meet SRA standards? SRA standards include minimum road widths, grades/slopes, surface treatment, intervisible turnouts, vertical clearance, signage, emergency water storage, etc.

“One million stored gallons would be an approximate need at scene for a major wildland fire.” Should all rural land owners provide a million gallon pond for fire protection? Isn’t this ranch on the river? If so, why not draft from the river?

They jumped through all the hoops, met all the requirements. As the band the Eagles sang…..Get over it!

Fireradio
Guest
Fireradio
3 years ago
Reply to  Seth Kinman

The problem is that the hoops aren’t good enough. Writing up the ‘hoops’ should have been done by actually researching road conditions, water availability, services that aren’t there, actually busting large black market grows…and the list goes on.

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
3 years ago

Yea but when employees get to the property entrance they will get shuttled by an “electric bus or similar type vehicle” to the cultivation and processing sites. How cool is that being all environmentally friendly and shit who cares if the employee gets injured or the place burns down. They got “Grow Carts” like golf carts but at grows. Fuck Legal!!

North west
Guest
North west
3 years ago

That was a dandy Guest
I’ve seen the same thing out Paterson Rd. In willow creek. Asshole out of towners have now idea or care of how fragile the Coon creek drainage is
Absolutely no respect for anything

Yeah,sure
Guest
Yeah,sure
3 years ago

Sorry to hear that and you are far from alone. How many neighborhoods are dealing with the “legal” neighbor who gives zero fucks? The “legal” neighbor with a steady stream of traffic, workers, dogs, the “legal” neighbor that actually lives somewhere else and gives zero fucks about the impact on the neighborhood. The county that gives zero fucks while approving permits in residential neighborhoods . They don’t care, they don’t have to put up with it. WTF is the Board of Supervisors, the Planning Dept and the state thinking? Thanks for nothing and thanks for also ruining my once peaceful neighborhood.

Change.org
Guest
Change.org
3 years ago

But hey lets re elect all the same politicians again and again !!!!!!
At least southern humboldt barely grew a brain !!!!! What a nightmare our representatives have become !!! Hint, hint

So hum native
Guest
So hum native
3 years ago

Don’t forget the trash. Just look out your window while driving ANYWHERE!!! There has always been trash but now it’s pickup loads. Most likely pot workers who don’t live here. Don’t wanna live here. And don’t fuckin care

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
3 years ago
Reply to  So hum native

Plenty of that road litter is from locals too.

Yeah,sure
Guest
Yeah,sure
3 years ago
Reply to  So hum native

In my neck of the woods it’s heartbreaking. Trash dumped off the side of pullouts, litter all the way to town and back. Trailers and cars dragged to the county road , eventually burned and the county has to have them hauled off. Old soil, soil bags, stalks and stems. If they( whoever it is) have something in their yard or house they don’t want any more just drive it to the nearest county road turnout and dump it there. Boats. The complete contents of a defunct indoor grow, Appliances. You name it, they dump it for someone else to take care of.
Plenty of locals do this shit.

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
3 years ago

Humboldt county BOS looking like a bunch of monkeys with their hand out. Abate a small grow because of what?? And allow this shit? Does the county not realize people actually live in these neighborhoods. As in live there, not drive in and out every day or just spend the growing months there. These are our homes. I love weed but hate the way the county is handling this. John Ford can kick rocks as well!

Yeah,sure
Guest
Yeah,sure
3 years ago
Reply to  Perspective

They don’t give a shit. Period.
What gets me is how many “permitted” growers are also operating illegal grows with the property in someone else’s name. They’re playing both sides, laughing all the way to the bank. BOS/State and Code Enforcement are like Duhhhhhh. Permitted grow in Humboldt, illegal grow in Trinity. BOS/State/Code Enforcement think they’ve got a handle on its pot, nothing could be further from the truth.
Meanwhile mom and pop get left in the dust.

hillbilly
Guest
hillbilly
3 years ago

20-30 people is 40-60 cars pass over the Dirt road per day , The roads out here are not meant or designed for that amount of traffic , and this is not including any deliveries that will be made . The cannabis permit system has absolutely no concerns for the public safety of the communities that these cannabis farms are in .

Guesst
Guest
Guesst
3 years ago

From what I understand when the summer bridge is out the traffic will be diverted to Alderpoint Road. That sounds like an accident waiting to happen….

Yeah,sure
Guest
Yeah,sure
3 years ago
Reply to  Guesst

Lol, the drive from Garberville up Alderpoint road then onto Deyerville Loop Road to McCann is no friggin picnic whatsoever. Can’t remember how many miles it would entail but it’s all dirt once your on Deyerville road. I have to laugh at this alternate route “plan”. Clearly planned by someone not from this area because it’s a joke. Have fun in the winter when it snows and rains. Dust out in the summer. Pot holes and fast local drivers.
Laughing my ass off.

Dinky
Guest
Dinky
3 years ago

The first question that comes up is why did they pick this site? A project of this magnitude should be right along a highway. How is the road going to handle that traffic, let alone the trucks delivering infrastructure. Take a look at any county road after all the pge trucks have been working after the storms. That’s nothing compared to what this project will cause.

Willow Creeker
Guest
Willow Creeker
3 years ago
Reply to  Dinky

I agree. This is an industrial project, it has no place in our back road, peaceful neighborhoods. That’s why zoning, BOS! What’s wrong with this county.
Also, if you take away bloated income from black market sales, (which will likely happen soon) the business owners will find themselves at a serious disadvantage due to their location. The key to successful business is to do something better and cheaper than your competitors, right?

Scraps
Guest
3 years ago

I can’t believe all the struggles to try and get my .2 acre patch permitted I don’t think it will be worth it ,right? These 20 acre farms are what the planners want— not 200 of me

Farce
Guest
Farce
3 years ago
Reply to  Scraps

This was apparent way back before the vote for “legalization” even happened. That California Cannabis Voice group (CCV-Humboldt) was a scam front for mega-grow and aspiring mega-growers. That’s why they never negotiated shit for any mom n pops. And that’s why nobody showed up for their “community” meetings once we saw the direction they were headed. The county planners want a small number of big corporate grows to pay them taxes and such, not hundreds of little scenes. You who have been suckered into believing otherwise are being run over by your county supervisors and planning department. You don’t matter, not at all. They want you gone. When will you resist? When will you fight back?

Thirdeye
Guest
Thirdeye
3 years ago

These high impact growing situations became inevitable once the County decided to legalize growing on TPZ lands. The only land uses suited to the hills are ranching and timber. Intensive agriculture does not belong there, least of all with a processing workforce domiciled on the property.

Farce
Guest
Farce
3 years ago
Reply to  Thirdeye

Mendocino County does not allow permitted grows on TPZ for these reasons.

Fed up
Guest
Fed up
3 years ago
Reply to  Farce

Mendo doesn’t even have a cannabis director. You can grow anywhere. You can put a tiny house anywhere and some hoops and start your own new “neighborhood”. Its all hogwash.

Farce
Guest
Farce
3 years ago
Reply to  Fed up

Possibly so. I was referring to zoning restrictions for a permitted “legal” grow. Many of us live on TPZ land and were therefore completely denied access to even trying to get “legal”. So different from county to county. And often there is not much logic just arbitrary decisions. Almost like special interest groups are writing the regulations…

Smallfry
Guest
Smallfry
3 years ago
Reply to  Thirdeye

Large intensive AG.. is definitely better suited elsewhere. On a limited micro scale, with measures in place, there isn’t any reason micro Cannabis hill farming can’t be compatible with the forest lands.

However The county is off their rocker approving this project. It’s way to large for the environment it’s in. It’s not that it’s necessarily a large mega grow, more that it’s size is not compatible for the environment it’s in..The concerns of the neighbor’s and those expressed by the Fruitland Ridge Volunteer Fire District are valid. Why would this company even want to set up shop in such a back woods environment? Don’t they have the resources to choose a more compatible location? Are they just trying to take advantage of “Humboldt’s” brand? Which has come to not mean anything at all.. Seriously any project not on a paved road and closer to services..should not be approved past a certain sq. Ft…not acres..and acres.

What is the threshold? IDK.. and the county doesn’t either. More studies should be done before arbitrarily approving large out of the area grows. So much for CEQA having the impact it was meant for..

Not going to deny that lots of little grows and straws also do have an impact.. but I think there are measures that can be taken to subvert that by encouraging people to consolidate their grows, especially if your a single family unit type operation.. instead of allowing folks to have lots of micro grows essentially run by the same entity..

It’s absolute corruption to Abate all the smaller farmers in the area.. only to approve a monster project like this..

Mendocino differs in its landscape then Humboldt’s.. which is more forested and Coastal. It has less farm land that is suitable.. It’s crazy that Sun Valley wants to set up in such a humid cold damp location.. they are going to be raising their costs and fighting Mother Nature along with stronger market forces the whole way..

Same with this Earth forsaken grow..
The impacts of this are much different then say a cute little wine vineyard.. on 5 acres or so..

Many Thanks to FRVFPD for voicing their concerns and bring these issues to attention of the community…

Farce
Guest
Farce
3 years ago

The Lost Coast Outhouse actually ran a very informative story about this Rolling Meadows plan….https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2021/mar/3/rolling-meadow-ranch-appeal/

Blah blah
Guest
Blah blah
3 years ago
Reply to  Farce

This is a joke

Our 10,000 sft spot is up for a full ceqa
There are about 20 farms in my area that are being put into a “subdivision” and a full ceqa is needed. we’re all 10k maybe 15 max …that’s three total acres – not 8. There’s another project in maple creek- 3 acres subgrown – mnd for ceqa also. If you google ceqa and cliff Johnson you can see how the county has been sliding 2.0 large farms through in the last year or so … mnd no ceqa review needed.

Third World County
Guest
Third World County
3 years ago

The planning department has been directed to find a way to approve all pot farms. The county needs tax money after the failed abatement program. It’s really strange when you talk to the planners they really believe they are doing us good and Clueless as to what they are doing to our community, economy and environment.

So hum native
Guest
So hum native
3 years ago

County approves huge grows. Collect tax money and not one dime goes to county roads. It all goes to sherrif , code enforcement and public health(also known as welfare and assistance for drug addicts) meanwhile roads are getting beat up. Call your supervisor and bitch… Daily

izzy
Guest
izzy
3 years ago

Governments everywhere are desperate for revenue; the payrolls, purchases, and fiscal promises are huge.
Where is Grover Norquist’s bathtub?