Hold a public hearing to consider a request for authorization to further study a General Plan Amendment, Rezone, and Tentative Map proposed by Clark Pacific Structural LLC for future expansion of Clark Pacific's industrial operations onto the adjacent property. (No general fund impact) (Lindbo/Cormier) (Est. Time: 5 min. Staff/10 min. Applicant)

Because the General Plan can only be amended four times per year [Government Code Section 65358(b)], the Yolo County Code requires that all private parties seeking a General Plan Amendment (GP Amendment) must first receive Board of Supervisors authorization prior to submitting a formal request [Section 8-2.223(d)]. This authorization would not approve the amendment, but would allow a formal proposal to be environmentally evaluated and processed by the Department of Community Services. 

A pre-application review for a General Plan Amendment authorization request has been submitted by Donald G. Clark on behalf of Clark Pacific Structural LLC (Attachment A). The request involves 76.67 acres of agriculturally-zoned land, immediately adjacent to Clark Pacific's Woodland industrial operations (APN: 027-250-019). The proposed GP Amendment would amend the General Plan land use map to redesignate this land from Agriculture (AG) to Industrial (IN).

Initial Project Proposal

The proposal would require a series of discretionary entitlements to allow the expansion of Clark Pacific's industrial operations onto the neighboring parcel, which historically has been cultivated in row crops. The proposed Clark Pacific expansion would require the following approvals:

The 2030 Countywide General Plan, adopted November 2009, anticipated industrial growth at the former 'Spreckles' site, which resulted in Clark Pacific's expansion in 2012. The requested GP Amendment would further expand Clark Pacific's operation to the adjacent agriculturally-zoned parcel, which is bounded by agricultural uses to the north, agricultural industrial and industrial operations to the south, Clark Pacific industrial operations to the east, and the California Northern railroad and agricultural uses to the west (Attachment B). The agriculturally-zoned parcel to the northwest, which is primarily planted in almonds and separated from the project parcel by the railroad line, contains a small residential care home for developmentally disabled children.

The GP Amendment authorization request has been circulated to County, local, and state agencies for initial review and comment. Comments were received from Yolo Habitat Conservancy, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, Public Works Division, Caltrans, Building Division, Agricultural Commissioner, Environmental Health Division, and the City of Woodland, which are included as Attachment C for reference. No significant concerns were expressed during this preliminary agency review, including comments from the Agricultural Commissioner who expressed initial support for the proposal to proceed to a full review. However, staff notes that the County has also received comments from two interested parties, expressing concern about the potential expansion and its effects on the residential care home mentioned above. These individuals have been included on the interested parties project notification list and were notified about this public hearing.  All parties will be able to comment during the ensuing review of the project, should the Board authorize the applicant to submit the full application.

The GP Amendment authorization request is statutorily exempt from further review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and CEQA Guidelines under Government Code Section 15262, which exempts "feasibility or planning studies for possible future actions which the agency, board, or commission has not approved, adopted or funded." Further, because a GP Amendment authorization does not commit the Board of Supervisors to approve the project, it is not an action that has an effect on the environment. Rather, the Board's approval of the GP Amendment authorization would allow the filing of a formal application and a full CEQA review of the project. The Board retains the power to reject the project when it comes to the Board at a future date.

Staff recommends that the Board of Supervisors authorize the submission of a full application and proceed to environmental study of the proposed GP Amendment request to expand the Clark Pacific industrial operations. Following an environmental assessment of the proposal, the project would be subject to public hearings at the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.

Office of the County Counsel
County Administrator
Agricultural Commissioner