GOLETA — The City of Goleta announced Tuesday that it plans to file an appeal of the county’s approval of a cannabis cultivation project located outside of the city’s limits on Winchester Canyon Road.
According to a news release, Santa Barbara County approved the White Light Cannabis Cultivation project earlier this month, which proposes the use of 17 acres for outdoor and nursery cannabis cultivation. Processing of the cannabis would take place about half a mile outside of Goleta city limits.
City officials plan to file an appeal of this project due to concerns about hydrogen sulfide hazards, the lack of a hydrogen sulfide safety plan, an “inadequate” odor abatement plan and an “insufficient environmental review” of the project, according to a news release.
“The County has not addressed our concerns surrounding the project prior to the project being approved,” Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said in a statement. “A cannabis cultivation project has no place near a residential neighborhood without adequate safeguards and environmental review.”
County residents have 10 days to file a project appeal from the date of permit approval. According to a news release, residents have until Monday at 5 p.m. to file an appeal of this particular cannabis project.
For additional information about the project and the appeal process, contact the County’s project planner Christopher Schmuckal at cschmuckal@countyofsb.org or (805) 568-3510.
For more information about the city’s concerns about the project, visit cityofgoleta.org/city-hall/planning-and-environmental-review/county-cannabis-permitting.
— Madison Hirneisen
