MIT Farms

MIT Farms, LLC is seeking a Major Use Permit (UP 24-01) from the Lake County Community Development Department for a commercial cannabis cultivation operation located at 22368 and 22430 Jerusalem Grade in Middletown, California. The project consists of a Type 3 Medium Outdoor License featuring 0.97 acres of cannabis canopy distributed across three cultivation areas. Site infrastructure includes two wooden storage sheds, four employee parking spaces with one ADA-compliant permeable paver space, and four 5,000-gallon water storage tanks, one of which is dedicated to fire suppression. The operation will utilize two existing on-site groundwater wells and drip irrigation to conserve water, with cultivation occurring in imported organic soil within above-ground beds. The project is subject to strict environmental and regulatory compliance, including enrollment as a Tier 2 Low Risk site with the State Water Board and adherence to the California Environmental Quality Act. Key requirements include monthly monitoring inspections, annual reporting for the Cannabis General Order, and the implementation of a Property Management Plan for erosion control and hazardous material management. Security mandates include the installation of physical barriers, alarm systems, and personnel sign-in procedures. Additionally, the project involves streambed alteration for two culvert installations in tributaries to Soda Creek, which has been determined by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to have no significant environmental effect provided specific mitigation measures are followed.