HomeMy WebLinkAboutPROJ-25-0008 Memo 12-16-25Department of Development Services Paula M. Daneluk, AICP, Director Curtis Johnson, Assistant Director
7 County Center Drive T: 530.552.3700 Oroville, California 95965 F: 530.538.7785 buttecounty.net/dds
TO: Project File # PROJ-25-0008
FROM : Alyssa Mendoza, Assistant Planner
DATE: December 16, 2025
SUBJECT: Thiara-Moffitt Lot Line Adjustment (PROJ-25-0008) for Thiara Family Trust, Thiara Investment Trust, Blain & Jenna Moffit Trust, and Clinton & Gail Moffitt Trust;
APNs: 025-080-038, -054/-068, 067
PLANNING
MANAGER
SIGNATURE
Mark Michelena, Principal Planner 12/16/2025
Project Description and Site Characteristics
• Butte Pacific Orchards, LLC (Thomas Nevis, Manager) has submitted an application to Butte County
for a Lot Line Adjustment (Planning File # PROJ-25-0008) between (3) Lots with (4) APNs 025-080-
038, -054, -067, -068. Lot A APN: 025-080-067. Lot B APN 025-080-038. Lot C APN 025-080-054 &
-068.
• The Butte County Public Works Department verified that all three lots were properly created. Lot A
was created by Deed 1564 OR 49, Lot B created by Deed 95 Deeds 26, and Lot C created by Deed
1554 OR 448.
• Existing lot sizes are Lot A 296.51 acres, Lot B 9.20 acres, & Lot C 331.41 acres. Resultant sizes
would be Lot A 158.06 acres, Lot B 140.17 acres, & Lot C 311.88 acres.The parcels are located on
the west side of Larkin Road from the northwest corner of Watson Road and Larkin Road to
approximately 0.9 miles north of Ord Ranch Road, east of City of Biggs.
APN
Acres Before LLA Resultant Acres After LLA
025-080-067 +/- 269.51
Lot A +/- 158.06
025-080-038
+/- 9.2
Lot B
+/-140.17
025-080-054/
-068 +/- 331.41
Lot C +/- 311.88
MEMORANDUM
• The subject parcels are zoned AG-40 (Agriculture 40-acre minimum) and the General Plan land use
designation is Agriculture.
• Surrounding parcels are zoned Agriculture-40 and Agriculture-20. Surrounding areas largely consist
of agricultural uses.
• Currently, approximately 540 acres of the project site are used for orchards.
• APN 025-080-067 which will comprise part of Lot A, Lot B and Lot C, is currently developed with one
grandfathered home addressed as 2025 Larkin Road and two other residential dwellings. Accessory
structures include: an office, huller, pole barn, sheds, metal agricultural building, carport, (2) pump
houses, (2) wells and (3) septics & leach fields. APN 025-080-054 is developed with an agricultural
building, (2) sheds, a pump, and a well. All development described above will be located on proposed
Lot C.
• APN 025-080-038 which will comprise part of Lot A, Lot B and Lot C is currently undeveloped.
• APN 025-080-054/068 which will comprise part of Lot A, Lot B and Lot C is currently developed with
an agricultural building, (2) sheds, a pump, and a well.
Analysis
• The project would not result in the creation of any new parcels.
• The proposed lot line adjustment will reconfigure the three lots minimum acreages in compliance with
the applicable Agriculture zone 40-acre minimum.
• Only APNs 025-080-054/068 and 025-080-067 are subject to two separate Williamson Act Contracts,
each contract is under the name “Jack Mariani-1983, 1984.” Both contracts are for 10-acre minimums.
• Applicants propose a simultaneous Land Conservation Act application LCA-25-0004 to rescind the
two existing Williamson Act Contracts and enter into three new contracts, one for each resultant
parcel.
• The lot line adjustment was reviewed by the Land Conservation Act (LCA) Committee at their
Novemeber 3rd, 2025 meeting for consistency with the Butte County Uniform Rules and Procedures
for Implementing the California Land Conservation (Williamson) Act. The LCA Committee determined
the lot line adjustment resultant parcels sizes are consistent with the 40-acre minimum for orchard
production, 80-acre minimum for irrigated rice production and required the rescission of the existing
contract and simultaneously entered into a new contract for each parcel.
• Further the Butte County Board of Supervisors determined the lot line adjustment is consistent with
the Williamson Act, rescinded the existing agreements, and approved the three new agreements
authorizing the Chair to sign at their December 16, 2025 meeting.
CEQA Issues
• Applicable Rule: Categorical Exemption. This project is exempt from the requirements of the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15305(a) of the CEQA Guidelines
(Class 5). This exemption includes minor alterations in land use limitations with an average slope
of 20 percent where the project would not result in any changes in land use or density, including
minor lot line adjustments that do not result in the creation of any new parcels.
o Factual Reasoning & Analysis.
(a) Minor Alteration: The proposed lot line adjustment is a minute reconfiguration of
the property lines for the three lots all of which have a 0.008% average slope.
(b) No change in use, density, or parcel creation: The resultant parcels would
remain under the same agricultural zoning designation, continue and further
agriculture uses on the lots, no change in density nor any creation of new parcels
would occur. Through the simultaneously submitted Land Conservation Act
application LCA-25-0004 applicants propose to continue 540 acres of orchard use
and propose an additional 60 acres for rice irrigation use.
ACTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION:
Staff recommends that the Director of Development Services take the following action:
I. Find that the project is exempt from environmental review under Section 15305(a) of the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A Class 5 exception consists of minor alterations
in land use limitations in areas with an average slope of less than 20%, which do not result in
any changes in land use or density, including but not limited to minor lot line adjustments, side
yard, and setback variances not resulting in the creation of any new parcel.
II. The Lot Line Adjustment was found consistent with the Butte County Uniform Rules and
Procedures for Implementing the California Land Conservation (Williamson) Act by the Land
Conservation Act Committee and approved by the Board of Supervisors.
III. Approve the Lot Line Adjustment for Thiara-Moffitt PROJ-25-0008 APNs: 025-080-038, 025-080
054/025-080-068, and 025-080-067, subject to the Conditions of Approval in Exhibit A
EXHIBIT A
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL Thiara - Moffitt, Lot Line Adjustment PROJ-25-0008 APN: 025-080-038,025-080-054/025-080-068 and 025-080-067
Public Works 1. Deeds and plats (if required) with the appropriate checking fee shall be submitted to the Department
of Public Works, Land Development Division for checking and approval prior to recordation and shall contain the notes specified below.
2. Provide documentation from a title company of the applicant's choice verifying that any deed of trust affected has been partially re-conveyed or modified to reflect the lot line adjustment and to prevent the creation of any additional lot or parcel. 3. Prior to recordation of deeds, provide documentation verifying payment of taxes as required by Subsection (d)(4)a. of Section 20-95.1 of the Butte County Code and as specified in Article 8 of Chapter 4 of Division 2 of Title 7 of the Government Code, commencing with Section 66492.
Deed Note (To be placed on any deed to effect lot line adjustment)
The purpose of this deed is to effect a lot line adjustment as approved by the Butte County Director of Development Services on ______________________. The above described lands are to be combined with and become a part of those lands as described in the deed to
________________________________ as filed for record in Butte County Official Records at Serial Number _____________ Book _____________ Page ___________. No additional lots or parcels are created hereby. The scope of review of said lot line adjustment was limited as specified in Government Code Section 66412(d), and approval of it does not constitute assurance that future applications for building permits or other land use entitlements on the modified lots or parcels will be approved by the County of Butte. Plat Note (To be placed on any required Plat) This plat does not constitute a legal description of the lots or parcels depicted and does not show all
easements of record on or affecting said lots or parcels.
PROJ-25-0008 Plat