Title
Consider request from staff to continue the public hearing on the following matter to July 7, 2015:
An appeal by Center for Biological Diversity, from the decision of the Planning Commission to approve a temporary Use Permit and adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program to allow production testing on an existing well for a period of one year.
(Appeal of PLN140395/Porter Estates (Trio Petroleum), 72327 Jolon Road, Bradley, South County Area Plan)
Report
PROJECT INFORMATION:
Planning File Number: PLN140300
Owner: Porter Estate Company Bradley Ranch LLC
Project Location: 72327 Jolon Road, Bradley
APN: 424-081-082-000
Agent: Steve Rowlee
Plan Area: South County Area Plan
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Board of Supervisors continue the public hearing to July 7, 2015, for:
An appeal by Center for Biological Diversity, from the decision of the Planning Commission to approve a temporary Use Permit and adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program to allow production testing on an existing well for a period of one year.
SUMMARY:
An application to test an existing oil well was approved by the Planning Commission. The well has been in place for many years, and the applicant proposes additional testing to determine if the well can produce commercial quantities of oil and gas. The Planning Commission approved the application by a vote of 5-4. The Center for Biological Diversity has appealed that decision.
Staff is requesting the Board of Supervisors to continue the hearing to July 7, 2015 to allow staff additional time to prepare the report. Staff has discussed issues with the appellant and the applicant and needs additional time to prepare a comprehensive response related to those discussions. Both the appellant and applicant have agreed to the continuance. The appeal of the Planning Commission's decision for the project was received on May 11, 2015. The County is required to bring appeals to hearing before the Board of Supervisors within 60 days of the received appeal. The requested continuance date (July 7, 2015) meets this requirement.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel concurs with the request for continuance.
FINANCING:
Funding for staff time associated with this project is included in the FY14-15 and FY 15-16 Adopted Budgets for RMA-Planning.
Prepared by: Grace Bogdan, Assistant Planner ext. 6414
Approved by: Mike Novo, Director, RMA-Planning, ext. 5192
<mailto:> Carl Holm, Acting Director-Resource Management Agency
This report was reviewed by John H. Ford, RMA-Services Manager.
cc: Board of Supervisors; Front Counter Copy; Cal Fire South County Fire Protection District; RMA-Public Works Department; RMA-Environmental Services; Environmental Health Bureau; Water Resources Agency; John Ford, RMA Services Manager; Grace Bogdan, Project Planner; Porter Estate Company Bradley Ranch LLC, Owner; Steve Rowlee, Agent; Steve Craig, Citizen Planning Alliance; Clare Lakewood, Center for Biological Diversity; Sierra Club; Sara Rubin, Monterey County Weekly; Tia Lebherz, Food and Water Watch; The Open Monterey Project (Molly Erickson); LandWatch (Amy White); John H. Farrow; Planning File PLN140395