The Lake County Planning Commission voted Jan. 26 to adopt the mitigated negative declaration (IS 21-49) and approve the Major Use Permit (UP21-46) and development review (DR22-10) for the J Lodge project at 12395 Highway 175 in Loch Lomond.

Associate planner Eric Porter presented the project, noting the parcel’s survey-corrected size (1.39 acres), the proposed 2,100-square-foot community meeting room, one caretaker dwelling and one commercial accessory dwelling with garages, and the need to remove an existing single-wall underground fuel tank. Porter highlighted required conditions including Caltrans encroachment permits for a consolidated driveway, tree-nesting (bird and bat) preconstruction surveys and the removal of the underground tank prior to occupancy per Environmental Health coordination.

Applicant Dan Zamberlin described the project as a rebuild of a historic lodge, said he had coordinated with Caltrans, Fish and Game and the fire department, and offered to assist with tank remediation if Caltrans allowed mitigation measures on their right-of-way. Commissioners questioned whether the tank was on the applicant’s parcel or on Caltrans property and whether the condition should be worded to reflect the county’s jurisdiction.

County staff and counsel advised that the Planning Commission cannot impose conditions that require action on property not controlled by the applicant; staff recommended amending the condition to require the applicant to coordinate with Environmental Health to mitigate the underground tank rather than unilaterally requiring removal if the tank sits on Caltrans property. The commission took a 10-minute break to allow staff to confirm jurisdictional language and returned with amended conditions.

A motion to adopt IS 21-49 (findings that potential impacts can be mitigated to less than significant), approve UP21-46 and grant DR22-10 with the amended tank coordination language carried on voice votes. The commission closed the record and reminded the applicant and interested parties of the seven-calendar-day appeal period to the Board of Supervisors.

The approvals include conditions requiring a preconstruction biological survey, Caltrans encroachment permit for the driveway, removal or mitigation of the underground fuel tank coordinated through Environmental Health, and compliance with article-specific performance standards in the Lake County Zoning Ordinance.