Mushroom farm has to solve problems

Napa News
Thursday, October 19, 2000

PETALUMA

With its permit in jeopardy, the Petaluma Mushroom Farm has been given
until January to figure out how to dispose of wastewater and solve other
problems to the satisfaction of state and county agencies.

In the meantime, a Sonoma County judge is expected to rule next month on
whether to grant the farm's bid for a one-year extension of the deadline to
relocate a foul-smelling compost operation.

County officials want the judge's decision and other matters related to the
permit to be resolved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment's Jan. 25 meet. If
they aren't, officials likely will recommend the permit be revoked, said Pete
Parkinson, assistant director of the Permit and Resource Management
Department.

The mushroom farm has been hit with a number of permit violations since
1994, and some zoning board members said they are running out of
patience.

"I don't see enough progress," said board member Jeff Civian.

Petaluma Mushroom Farm has been in operation since 1973 and is Sonoma
County's largest such operation. It supplies brown and white mushrooms to
about 250 customers in California and Hawaii./AP
 


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