The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission approved a Buellton-area cannabis farm’s plans to process its crop on its property, despite resistance from its neighbors.

On Wednesday, the commission voted 4-0 to deny appeals against Sierra Botanicals. It followed the recommendation of county staff, who reviewed the project and appeals and either found no violations or determined that the issues raised did not fall under the authority of the commission.

Kapono Curry, an agent for Sierra Botanicals, said that his client, Justin El-Diwany, is satisfied with the decision and believes the commission made the correct choice.

“I feel that my client, Mr. El-Diwany, and Sierra Botanicals have been working very hard on this permit since 2020. I think they’ve worked with the county to show that this is in alignment with what the county wants,” Curry told Noozhawk.

During the discussion of the appeals, the commission narrowed in on the issue of smell and emissions from the farm. In recent months, the commissioners have shown signs that they may be stricter on the issue of emissions from cannabis farms, especially regarding carbon scrubbers.

In July, the commission sent back an application from a Carpinteria cannabis farm after complaints of odors from neighbors. The farm was asked to investigate installing carbon scrubbers to eliminate smells from the processing of cannabis.

During his presentation for Sierra Botanicals, Curry presented a layout of the barn that is being retrofitted and confirmed that the farm will be using carbon scrubbers to minimize any odors.

He also stated that the farm will be using filters exceeding the recommended level for the square footage of the barn where the work will be done.

The commission also heard from appellants who were opposed to the cannabis farm’s processing plans.

One of the appellants was Ed Seaman from Restoration Oaks Ranch. In his comments, Seaman described Sierra Botanicals as “death by a thousand cuts.”

Among his complaints, Seaman expressed concern about possible odors from Sierra Botanicals and potential drug use near his property and blueberry farm.

He also said it would not be a good environment for people who come up to ride on therapy horses.

During his questioning, Commissioner Roy Reed expressed skepticism over Seaman’s concerns and pressed him on the possibility of the processing facility causing drug use.

“I fail to see … how a very compliant processing operation using the best available technology might … contribute to some guy smoking a couple of hooters out in your parking lot,” Reed said.

Another neighbor, Patricia Paulsen, from cannabis grower Nojoqui Farms, issued her own appeal to Sierra Botanicals over access to a groundwater well and work being done near the property lines. According to Curry, his client is undergoing a civil case with Nojoqui Farms.

After hearing from both the appellants and Sierra Botanicals, Commissioner John Parke said some of the complaints expressed by the appellants do not fall under the commission’s authority when considering a permit.

Parke supported the project, saying the application fits all of the county ordinances and that the project is “very approvable” — especially, he said, compared with other cannabis operations that process on-site and emit odors.

“The Planning Commission really isn’t the place to talk about the availability of using a product that’s legally allowed to be produced in Santa Barbara County,” Parke said. “We’re addressing what our ordinances say about it.”