Council OKS permit for commercial crop cultivation
Project consists of development and cultivation of citrus groves
The Porterville City Council Tuesday adopted a draft resolution approving a minor conditional use permit (MCUP) for commercial crop cultivation subject to conditions of approval.
The Porterville City Council Tuesday adopted a draft resolution approving a minor conditional use permit (MCUP) for commercial crop cultivation subject to conditions of approval.
Jenni Byers, the city’s community development director, said the project consists of the development and cultivation of citrus groves on approximately 9.34 acres located generally north of Putnam Avenue where the prolongation of Morton Avenue and Holcomb Street would intersect. She added that the citrus groves are on one parcel of land.
The council also approved staff recommendation of a minor change in the draft resolution stating that Gary Laux, the applicant of the project, shall maintain a 20-foot wide drive aisle along the perimeter of the total planting area.
“The reason why we are requesting this change is that some of this land is in the county and so if he [Laux] was to grow an additional area around this, it wouldn’t hinder by dividing the land,” Byers said.
Byers said the area of the project is almost entirely surrounded by citrus groves.
Jeff Cowart, the agent for the project, said he and Laux plan to develop the grove consistent with the others in the area.
Byers said the term of the MCUP is 15 years. If Laux, who is a fourthgeneration citrus farmer, chooses to request a fiveyear extension from city council, Byers said the request must be submitted to the community development department not less than 60 days in advance of the expiration of the permit.
Byers said the water supply for the commercial crop will be supplied from the Pioneer Water Company. She said city water for irrigation purposes will not be allowed. She said the irrigation system will use Supernet emitters with a flow rate of 10 gallons per hour.
In addition to the control of the irrigation system, Byers said soil moisture monitors will indicate saturation in the root zone which she said will allow operation of the irrigation system without overwatering and creating surface runoff. In the event there are areas where ponding does occur, Byers said that area will be re-graded to eliminate any ponding. She added that a vector/rodent control plan shall be implemented for the term of the agricultural use.
Laux, who owns the land, said he is well aware of new laws instituted by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.
“We can start spraying at 6 p.m., until 6 a.m., or all weekends and holidays,” Laux said, adding that the land will be farmed organically. “So there will be no manmade pesticides. It will only be naturally-occurring fertilizers and other products.”
Laux added that his crops will be certified by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), which is a United States Department of Agriculture (Usda)-accredited organic certifying agency and trade association, located in Santa Cruz.
Porterville resident Brock Neeley said since there was a mentioning that the land will be farmed organically, he would like to see that mention as a condition on the MCUP that it shall be done organically.
“The other thing is that I would like to see that there be a stipulation in there that they coordinate with the school district as to when school events are happening so they don’t conflict with their spraying or anything with schools,” Neeley said.
Porterville resident Ellen Nichols said she believes a further definition for organic is called for because, “the term can mean different things to different people,” she said.
In spite of the fact that an environmental coordinator made a preliminary determination that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Section 15304 (minor alterations to land) of the California Code of Regulation (CEQA Guidelines), under the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment, several county residents requested that the council does a full environmental impact review before approving the MCUP.
One of such residents was Daniel Penaloza.
Penaloza, who is a community resident, said he is not opposed to farming or crop cultivation, but is a little concerned since there is a school campus, namely Granite Hills High School, in close proximity.
“There’s also school activities that go on around the area,” said Penaloza, who is an alumni of Granite Hills High School. “I think we should move forward, but by first doing a full environmental impact review.”
Exeter resident Angel Garcia said he understands that agriculture is the “livelihood of many folks in the region,” but, like Penaloza, wants a full environmental impact review just to ensure everyone in the area is safe.
“We are in support of agriculture, but we do have concerns,” Garcia said.
Even though Laux stated that he would be farming organically, Woodville resident Leticia Lopez also said she still wants a full environmental impact review.
Porterville resident Raul Garcia said he understands spraying is restricted to hours when school is not in session, but, like Penaloza, is worried about students who participate in sports and other extracurricular activities that take place, especially outside.
“There’s football games, track meets, soccer games, band practices that happen at the Jacob Rankin Stadium at Granite Hills,” Garcia said. “There are students and people that play soccer and other sports there over the weekend too so I think we need to take that into consideration.”
Porterville resident Donna Serna, who is also an alumna of Granite Hills High School, said 15 years seems a bit long to be considered a minor conditional use permit, and noted that she, as well as others, would appreciate if council conducted a full environmental impact review “in order to reassure us that our community and our school in this area will be safe,” she said.
Laux reiterated that he is aware of the times he can and can’t spray and noted that he understands that he has to give each school district that is within one-half mile of where he intends to spray a complete list of every material used whether it is organic or conventional.
“We will check with the school on when they are going to have an afterhours event, say graduation or a ball game or something like that because the last thing in the world we want to do is harm anybody,” Laux said, adding that his family has been in the Porterville area since 1955 and has an “extremely good record.”
Councilmember Cameron Hamilton said he has never seen an industry more regulated than farming and feels it has become much safer.
“In my opinion, it [farming] is the most regulated industry in California,” Hamilton said, adding that he doesn’t see the need for conducing a full environmental impact report. “I get your concern, but I don’t quite get that request at all.”
Mayor Milt Stowe agreed.
“I did have concerns about the pesticides and I called the ag department to ask about that and they have strict, strict, strict regulations now that have passed with spraying near a school district or any type of school,” said Stowe, via Facetime. “They satisfied my concerns.”