SCH Number 2022070492

Project Info

Title

Cunningham Ranch

Description

This is a request to expand a legal nonconforming hulling operation, and to subdivide a 58.4-acre parcel into two parcels, 18.3± and 40.1± acres in size in the General Agriculture (A-2-40) zoning district. Proposed Parcel 1 will be 18.3± acres in size, which is below the 40-acre minimum parcel size of the A-2-40 zoning district; however, it will be created in accordance with Section 21.20.060 (D) of the A-2 zoning code. The hulling operation did not receive appropriate land use entitlements prior to expansion. As such, a use permit is required to permit the previous expansions of the hulling operation, which included expansion of the huller building, conversion of a dwelling to an office, and the use of a portion of the parcel (along the John Fox Road frontage) for a truck staging area. The existing parcel consists of a single-family dwelling, a huller with two shops, two offices, a truck scale, a truck staging area, a solar array to offset running costs of huller, and an orchard. The parcel is also served by a private well and a septic system. The site receives irrigation water from Turlock Irrigation District and stores it on-site via an existing pond and irrigation pump. Proposed Parcel 1 will consist of a single-family dwelling, and all improvements and structures related to the huller, and a private well and septic system. Proposed Parcel 2 will consist of an orchard, irrigation pond, and irrigation pump. Both proposed parcels will have access to County-maintained John Fox Road; and proposed Parcel 2 will also have access to County-maintained Swanson Road. The huller operates 24 hours a day from Monday to Saturday in three shifts with 6 employees on a maximum shift and two employees on the minimum shifts during harvest season (August through November). The huller operates Monday to Saturday 7:00AM to 5:00PM during the off season (December through July) with a total of 10 employees on a single shift. The operation currently generates 25 truck trips per day during harvest and 4 trucks per day during the off season. The operation currently fumigates on-site and will continue to do so after project approval. Although, no construction is proposed, per Zoning Ordinance Section 21.20.020, Proposed Parcel 1 can be developed with one accessory dwelling unit, and one junior accessory dwelling unit in addition to the existing single-family dwelling, and Proposed Parcel 2 with one single-family dwelling, one second dwelling unit which can be either another single-family dwelling or an accessory dwelling unit, and one junior accessory dwelling unit. The project site is enrolled in a Williamson Act Contract and both the parcels will remain enrolled, if approved.

3 documents in project