Leland fishes for modified use permits

Fly fishing operation would like to add up to 90 special events|

The county’s Permit and Resource Management Department, PRMD, is the next stop for Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters in its attempt to modify its use permit.

Josh Frazier, owner of Leland Fly Fishing, took his case to the Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission on April 22, and while the panel OK’d the project, it wasn’t unanimous, nor was it without some contention.

Frazier wants the modified use permit to allow for outdoor fly-fishing demonstrations for customers; small-group instruction; unscheduled drop-in fly fishing for the general public; restocking the ponds with fish; up to 90 special events a year with a maximum of 50 guests; expand the hours to 10 p.m. for special events; and convert the caretakers cottage to storage at its location at 24120 Arnold Drive.

But Leland’s neighbor, the Sonoma Valley Airport, submitted a nine-page letter to the commission at the meeting objecting to having the use permit modified.

Dick Fogg, an ex-officio member of the SCVAC and a member of the county’s Planning Commission, told the panel that the airport and Leland “have a long history.”

The airport objected to the modification because it has concerns with “Leland’s long history of unabashed violations of both Sonoma County and California laws, the unexamined environmental impacts of the new proposed uses, and the safety hazard posed by Leland’

The letter continued, “… Leland has a record of carrying out its business any which way it pleases until forced to stop, and now seeks ‘permission’ to conduct activities that Leland has been conducting illegally for years.”

Frazier admitted that he pushed the envelope while trying to build the business.

Karin Theriault, a Planner at PRMD, put it more bluntly. “The entire project was built without permits.”

But Frazier told the panel he has fulfilled all but two conditions of his previous use permits and would like them modified.

One of the sticking points the panel looked at was the special events. Frazier said the proposed 90 low-density special events would have four large events with less than 100 people, 16 events of between 31 and 50 people and the remainder, or 70, would have fewer than 30 people.

“We would shut the business to the general public during events,” he said. “We’ve only got five employees.” And he said at large events, he would bus anglers in from remote locations to further mitigate any traffic problems.

“Our model is not to be an event center,” he said. “We’re looking to get people hooked on fly fishing.”

Eventually, the SCVAC voted 7-1 to approve the request. The next stop is the PRMD which will also look at comments from those for and against the modified use permits.

“Once we receive all comments (from the SVCAC), we’ll write a report, post notices with neighbors within 300 feet of the property line and the Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct hearings,” Theriault said.

“We’re just starting through the pipeline,” she added.

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