MIDDLETOWN — The Lake County Planning Commission has postponed making a decision on whether or not to approve an immense resort development at Guenoc Ranch near Middletown until next week, explaining they need more time to review the project’s lengthy environmental impact report.
The property, located about seven miles east of Highway 29 on Butts Canyon Road, was purchased in 2016 by Lotusland Investments, and the project, referred to in planning documents as the Guenoc Valley Mixed Use Project, is being led by noted resort developers Adrian Zecha and Jonathan Breene. The resort would be constructed in phases—each needing separate approval from the County of Lake—the first of which, estimated to take 10 years, is currently up for consideration by the commission.
The EIR and associated documents, published just last week, total roughly 1,400 pages. A draft of the EIR was released in February. The report addresses the likely environmental impacts of the proposed project—a 25 square-mile luxury resort surrounding the historic former estate of actress Lillie Langtry (the Langtry estate and winery are not part of the development site).
While the planning commission appeared to be in overall support of the development, several of its members raised concerns that they hadn’t been given enough time to assess its potential impacts.
“I recognize there’s a lot of beauty in the project, but I feel like I wouldn’t be doing this commission justice if I didn’t get the opportunity to review and comment, and ask questions,” said District 3 Commissioner Batsulwin Brown.
Brown noted that he is also concerned about the project’s potential impacts on biological resources including the oak trees which are prevalent on the property, and cultural resources.
Brown added that he worries the EIR’s analysis of cultural resource impacts may put too much weight on the “scientific value” and not enough on “tribal cultural resource value.”
“It is a big project and it has to be done correct the first time,” Brown said. “And anybody who feels it’s not, the only avenue for remedy is litigation after that.”
In a letter delivered to the county just before the meeting, Caltrans District 1 Planning Chief Rex Jackman also asked for more time to review the lengthy EIR, and cited concerns over a lack of public transportation to and from Middletown and the resort property.
Ross Middlemiss, a staff attorney for the national environmental nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, expressed that his organization also would like more time to review the project documents to assess potential impacts to biological resources, water quality, greenhouse gas emissions and wildfire risks.
Lake County residents who provided public comment during the meeting spoke largely in favor of the project’s primary Guenoc development, but more critical of its auxiliary properties, which include a 30-plus acre parcel intended to provide a backup water well, and a smaller parcel in Middletown slotted for workforce housing. Several nearby property owners worried that the housing could pose flood risks to their own land. Another Middletown resident called for less dense development in town.
Monica Rosenthal, who questioned the benefits of building workforce housing in Middletown, also added: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do this well.”
The commission voted to take up its consideration of approval for the Guenoc Valley Mixed Use Project to its 9 a.m. meeting on June 25. The item will be first in the order of the day, and another opportunity for public comment will be offered.
Due to coronavirus precautions, the commission’s meetings are being held virtually via Zoom. To join the Zoom meeting, send a request to the email address below for Zoom Meeting details.
Public comments may be sent regarding the upcoming meeting on any item on the Planning Commission Agenda at the following address: PlanningComment@LakeCountyCa.gov. Please note the agenda item number being addressed in your comments.
The meeting will also be streamed live on the County of Lake Facebook page.
Editor’s note: This article has been revised to reflect the fact that the project is located not four, but roughly seven miles from Highway 29.
