Camp Indian Meadows

An extraordinarily attractive piece of Lake County real estate that was a summer camp for many years with that full infrastructure intact, and now currently operating as a fully licensed outdoor cannabis grow of 130,000 sf or 3 acres producing very substantial income, is available for sale to a new owner.

Property Overview

The property consists of approximately 61.8 acres located at 13095 Bottle Rock Road, Cobb, Lake County, California, identified by Assessor's Parcel Numbers 011-039-37 and 011-039-38. Although the property consists of two assessor's parcels, Lake County recognizes the parcels as one legal lot. The property is situated southeast of Kelseyville and north of Cobb in a rural, relatively secluded setting.

Access is provided from Bottle Rock Road, a paved, County-maintained roadway connecting the property to the regional highway system. A gated private gravel driveway extends west from Bottle Rock Road into and across the property. The existing driveway includes a bridge documented with a load capacity of approximately 75,000 pounds, providing substantial access capability for vehicles serving the property.

The property has a distinctive combination of open meadow areas, wooded hillsides, water features, and varied terrain. Relatively level and open areas occupy portions of the central and eastern portions of the property, while wooded and elevated areas occur around the perimeter. Kelsey Creek traverses the southern portion of the property, contributing to the property's natural setting and existing water resources. The property ranges in elevation from approximately 2,275 to 2,490 feet above sea level.

The setting is characteristic of the Inner North Coast Ranges, with a Mediterranean climate of warm, dry summers and wet, moderately cool winters. Land uses surrounding the property include predominantly rural residential, agricultural, open-space, grazing, and recreational.

Throughout the property are excellent views of Cobb Mountain and the Mayacamas mountain range between Lake and Sonoma counties.

Camp Indian Meadows

The property was originally developed and operated as Camp Indian Meadows, a summer youth camp. The camp operated successfully for several years and established a substantial collection of site improvements and infrastructure that remain an important component of the property's character and utility, but now looking for new usage with the evolution of the camp's ownership.

The former camp development included a network of gravel access roads and parking areas, drainage facilities, a large pond, agricultural and domestic water infrastructure, and a variety of recreational and support buildings. Improvements associated with the camp include:

Residence

Residence – 3D Floor Plan Tour

Cafeteria / Restaurant Building

Cafeteria – 3D Floor Plan Tour

Swimming Pool

Sleeping Cabins

Bathroom / Shower Building

Recreation Hall

Metal Shop

Basketball Court

Grounds & Facilities

The pre-existing camp infrastructure provides the property with a level of prior development and supporting improvements that is unusual for a rural 61.8-acre property. Portions of the property are characterized by broad, relatively level meadow areas that were historically used for camp and recreational purposes and subsequently provided suitable areas for agricultural development.

Potential new uses could be as a community recreational facility, adult camp or retreat center, or multi-family compound.

Water Resources and Infrastructure

The property has an established water system that was developed to serve the former camp facilities and has been described as functional and in service for decades. The water system includes an approximately 360-foot-deep well with a reported capacity of approximately 5.5 gallons per minute, together with a pond having approximately 10 acre feet of storage capacity.

The property also has infrastructure associated with the use of water from Kelsey Creek for domestic and irrigation purposes. The documented system includes water treatment and storage facilities, including two approximately 5,500-gallon above-ground storage tanks serving the domestic water system. The irrigation system conveys water to the pond for storage and subsequent agricultural irrigation. A Small Irrigation User Permit, SIUR #H509195, is identified in the property documentation.

The property's established water, access, drainage, wastewater, and utility infrastructure was an important component of the subsequent agricultural and cannabis development.

Kelsey Creek

There is approximately 1,100 feet of Kelsey Creek frontage. This is a very full, year-round creek that runs down to Clear Lake at the State Park, providing a delightful, peaceful setting and marking the southern boundary of the property.

Kelsey Creek Video

Cannabis Cultivation Entitlement

Following termination of the property's use as a summer youth camp, an application was submitted to Lake County in 2020 for development of a commercial cannabis cultivation operation. The project was subsequently approved by the Lake County Planning Commission on May 13, 2021 through Major Use Permit UP 20-37 / Initial Study IS 20-46.

The County's Conditions of Approval authorize Type 3 "Outdoor" commercial cannabis cultivation licenses, together with a Type 13 distributor transport-only/self-distribution license. The approved entitlement allows up to 130,000 square feet of cannabis canopy within an approximately 230,000-square-foot cultivation area on the property.

Property Site Map

The cannabis cultivation use is subject to the County's conditions of approval, approved site plans, Project Description, and Property Management Plan. The property is designated Rural Lands under the Lake County General Plan and is zoned RL – Rural Lands District. County planning documents describe the Rural Lands designation as appropriate for rural development in areas that are primarily in their natural state and are often remote. Outdoor cannabis cultivation is identified as a permitted use within the RL zoning district subject to Major Use Permit approval.

Cannabis Cultivation Facilities

The approved cannabis operation utilizes portions of the property's existing open and level meadow areas. The project was designed around areas previously used as camp and recreational fields, thereby taking advantage of existing site conditions and infrastructure.

The cultivation areas are secured by fencing consistent with the County's requirements. The approved operation provides for outdoor cultivation within the designated cultivation area, with the cannabis canopy and overall cultivation footprint subject to the limits established by the Major Use Permit. The County's conditions require cultivation areas to be secured and fenced, with fencing generally ranging from six to eight feet in height subject to applicable requirements.

The project documentation describes the cultivation areas as level and suitable for outdoor agricultural production without the need for extensive grading or terracing. Existing gravel access roads provide internal circulation between the property's developed areas and the cultivation areas. The original project design was specifically intended to utilize previously developed meadow areas and minimize disturbance to the property's natural areas.

The property management and project documents identify existing buildings and infrastructure that can support cultivation-related activities, including employee facilities, processing-related functions, storage, parking, water supply, and internal access. The property includes a recently erected 60 x 30 ft metal shop with high ceilings sufficient for a mezzanine catwalk. The County approval, however, specifically states that the Major Use Permit does not authorize cannabis manufacturing or cannabis extraction. The owners have invested around $1.8 million in the development of the cannabis infrastructure.

Security, Access and Operational Infrastructure

The cannabis operation was designed with controlled access and security measures appropriate to a commercial agricultural cultivation facility. The County approval requires adequate security, secured cultivation areas, and compliance with an approved security plan.

The existing gated entrance and private gravel driveway provide controlled access from Bottle Rock Road. Internal gravel roads extend through the property and provide access to the cultivation areas and existing improvements. The documented bridge at the property entrance has a substantial load capacity, providing an additional benefit for agricultural, service, and emergency access.

The property's existing camp infrastructure also provides established parking, restroom, wastewater-septic system, water, and utility improvements that have been incorporated into or support the property's agricultural use.

Regulatory Status and Permit Term

The Lake County Major Use Permit was approved on May 13, 2021. The Conditions of Approval state that the permit is valid until May 13, 2031, subject to its terms and conditions. Once activated, the permit remains valid for the stated term unless the use is discontinued for two years or is revoked for noncompliance. The County approval requires the permit holder to maintain all applicable federal, state, and local permits and authorizations associated with the operation. The County also requires annual compliance monitoring and performance reporting and provides for renewal of the authorized use prior to expiration.

Of particular importance in connection with a sale of the property, the Conditions of Approval specifically address a change in ownership. Where there is a change of property ownership, the County requires written approval from the property owner authorizing a tenant or lessee to cultivate cannabis at the project site, with such written approval to be notarized and renewed annually.

The property has been leased in the past for $450,000 in rental income, and has been used to grow as many as 24,000 plants. Current usage is a more modestly manageable scale.

Hoop house framing is available to cover the entire 130,000 sf grow area.

A Unique Combination of Natural Setting, Existing Improvements, and County Land Use Entitlement

The Bottle Rock Road property represents a unique combination of size, privacy, established infrastructure, historical recreational development, water resources, and an existing County-approved commercial agricultural entitlement.

The property's approximately 61.8 acres provide substantial separation from surrounding properties while retaining direct access from a paved County-maintained road. Existing meadows and open areas are complemented by wooded hillsides, varied topography, Kelsey Creek, an established pond, and mature vegetation. The property's prior development as Camp Indian Meadows resulted in an extensive collection of buildings, roads, utilities, water systems, recreational facilities, and other improvements that distinguish it from a typical undeveloped rural parcel.

The subsequent conversion of portions of the property to commercial cannabis cultivation has added an agricultural use supported by a substantial land-use entitlement. The County-approved Major Use Permit authorizes outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation licenses, up to 130,000 square feet of cannabis canopy within a 230,000-square-foot cultivation area, and a distributor transport-only/self-distribution license.

The property therefore offers a distinctive combination of rural privacy, substantial acreage, existing improvements and infrastructure, established water resources, agricultural capability, and an existing commercial cannabis land-use entitlement. Its history as a youth camp and subsequent development for commercial agricultural cultivation provide a foundation of existing infrastructure and site improvements that can support continued agricultural use or other uses consistent with applicable County approvals and regulations.