Marijuana cultivation, water adequacy, vineyard expansion among issues for Yavapai County Supervisors Wednesday

A plan for cultivation of cannabis on land west of Highway 260 between Cottonwood and Camp Verde, an expansion of a winery in Cornville and a policy for water adequacy outside of the Active Management Area are among the issues that the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors will discuss in Cottonwood this week.

The board will conduct its regular Verde Valley meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19, at the Yavapai County Administrative Services Verde Valley Complex, 10 S. Sixth St. Cottonwood.

The agenda includes several hearings on issues that relate to development projects, mostly in the Verde Valley.

Among the hearings is consideration of a major amendment to a final site plan to allow for development of exterior cultivation of cannabis in temporary agricultural hoop houses and the future development of greenhouses on about 30 acres of industrially-zoned land adjacent to the southernmost extension of Cottonwood and also adjacent to the Town of Camp Verde.

The parcel is about 465 feet west of the Highway 260/East Coury Drive intersection.

Applicant Hollister Bioscience is seeking an amendment to the site plan, which dates back to 2004.

“The current proposal is a change of use including a major change in use and lot coverage and therefore is considered a major amendment to the approved final site plan,” states a county memo.

It adds that the proposed use of a marijuana growing/production facility is allowed by right in the county’s industrial M1 zoning district.

The County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the amendment on Dec. 16, 2021.

Other items up for discussion by the Board of Supervisors include:

• A use permit amendment to allow an expansion of Oak Creek Vineyards, including expansion of the tasting room, winery, residences and other site development on about 10.6 acres of land on the east side of Page Springs Road in the community of Cornville.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the amendment on Dec. 16, 2021.

• Amendments to county subdivision regulations to address water adequacy for final plats located outside an Active Management Area (AMA). (The Prescott/Prescott Valley area is covered under the Prescott Active Management Area, which also takes in portions of Chino Valley and Dewey-Humboldt and unincorporated Yavapai County.)

Yavapai County Administrator Phil Bourdon said the Board of Supervisors conducted a brief discussion about the matter at a meeting in 2021, and the issue then went before the Planning and Zoning Commission for consideration.

The proposed amendments would require that the Board of Supervisors would not approve a final plant for a subdivision unless: the director of water resources has determined that there is an adequate water supply for the subdivision; or if the subdivider has obtained a written commitment of water service for the subdivision from a city, town or private water company designated as having an adequate water supply by the director of water resources.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial of the amendment in an 8-2 vote on Dec. 16, 2021.

• Discuss possible action on updates on the Arizona State Legislature. Bourdon said the discussion is the first of what would likely be regular updates in the coming months on the on-going 2022 Legislative session.

Follow Cindy Barks on Twitter @Cindy_Barks. Reach her at 928-445-3333, ext. 2034, or cbarks@prescottaz.com.