UP 23-09 Poverty Flats Farms, major use permit for commercial cannabis

The Poverty Flats Ranch project, identified as document number 2026-002, is a major use permit approved by the Lake County Board of Supervisors on January 13, 2026. Located at 10535 High Valley Road in Clearlake Oaks, California, the project authorizes the acquisition of several commercial cannabis licenses. These include five A-Type 3 outdoor cultivation licenses covering five acres across three separate areas, three A-Type 2 small outdoor cultivation licenses for three 10,000 square foot areas, and one A-Type 13 self-transportation only self-distribution license. The project was processed through the County of Lake Planning Division and complied with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) via a Mitigated Negative Declaration, confirming that the project would not have a significant environmental effect. Administrative oversight is managed by Associate Planner Max Stockton, and the project applicants are Kurt and Robert Barthel. A filing fee of 3,043.75 dollars for the Mitigated Negative Declaration was previously paid to the Lake County Auditor-Controller.