Ferris wheel, other rides at Hawes Farms won't be greenlighted until rezone takes effect

The Shasta County Planning Commission on Thursday forwarded a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for a zoning change at Historic Hawes Farms.

But in the interim, the county will not issue permits for of rides at the farm until the zoning change becomes official, which could be not until late October, if approved.

Asked after the meeting what rides are not allowed under the current planned development zoning ordinance, Assistant Director of Resource Management Adam Fieseler said, "there's a long list."

“The Ferris wheel and the amusement rides are not permissible at this time time. We will not issue an electric permit for them. Our intent is to place a stop work notice on them,” Fieseler told the Record Searchlight after Thursday’s planning commission meeting.

For years now, Hawes Farms in southern Shasta County has added, among other things, rollercoaster rides, go-karts, a 40-foot Ferris wheel and bumper cars to its October festival, which also features a pumpkin patch, corn maze and haunted house.

But the county has deemed many of the attractions not permissible under the farms’ current planned development designation.

So, Hawes Farms has requested rezoning the area to commercial recreation to allow for the rides and other attractions, including weddings and seasonal festivals. The farm also has hosted a mud run and Civil War reenactments in recent years.

The project would revise the zoning of 8.25 acres and change the zoning of four parcels totaling 137 acres from planned development to commercial recreation. All told, the project encompasses about 145 acres on the southeast corner of Deschutes and Dersch roads.

Fieseler said the temporary permits issued to Hawes Farms in the past were for uses approved in the 2006 rezone to planned development. Things like food trailers, ticket booths, and temporary electric for the tractor go-karts.

Resource Management stopped renewing the temporary permits in 2019, which at that time did not include any of the newly installed carnival rides, Fieseler said.

Hawes has applied for an electrical permit for the newly installed rides, but the county Building Official can't issue the permit unless the rezone to commercial recreation is approved, Fieseler said.

"Resource Management will only evaluate the need for temporary permits for items that are approved under the current zoning and place stop work orders on all items installed that require a building permit," he added.

The Board of Supervisors is expected to consider the commission’s recommendation next month.

Shasta County Resource Management Director Paul Hellman said if supervisors approve the zoning change, it probably won’t become official until late October.

On Thursday, many neighbors brought their concerns about the zoning change, which they feared would fuel more growth at the farm, bring more traffic, noise and extend the operating hours. They also worried about water and the potential for more crime in the area.

Many opponents said they had nothing against the Hawes family and appreciated their effort to reach out to neighbors when there have been complaints. They admired the school field trips Hawes Farms hosts.

Some opponents said the month-long fall festival in October didn’t bother them. But they feared Hawes Farms will start hosting events year-round if the property was rezoned to commercial recreation.

“Agricultural education is very important,” a neighbor said. “But driving a go kart or riding Ferris wheel is not agricultural education.”

Hawes and neighbors who came to the meeting to support the expansion said it can be financially difficult running a family farm today.

“Without adding some supplemental income it’s pretty tough to farm for a living,” Greg Hawes said.

Judy Maxwell, whose family owns property near Hawes Farms, said the expansion will be good for the community.

“There will be more jobs for our community and our kids in a totally family atmosphere,” she said.

The process to get the property rezoned was kicked into high gear by a 2017 letter the county sent to Hawes Farms that outlined the uses, buildings, facilities and other infrastructure on the property that “exceeded the intent and standard established” in 2006 when supervisors approved the planned development zone designation.

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Opponents wondered why it’s taken so long to get to this point.

“I think we need to follow the rules because what good are the rules if only certain people follow them,” one neighbor said.

Hellman said it’s been a complicated process, which is one reason why it’s taken six years. Hawes Farms officially applied for the rezone in 2021.

“It was the time working with him to determine what type of process they could apply to go through to be able to do the things that were being proposed. And it’s very complicated because you have an area that already had PD zoning district and the proposal to modify a portion of that and to address things that were occurring south of that area that now part” of the project, Hellman said.

The commercial recreation designation would allow overnight stays that don’t exceed 72 hours. Amusement rides would be allowed as long as they don’t exceed 75 feet in height. Rides higher than 45 feet would not be allowed within 100 feet of a county road right-of-way.

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-225-8219. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta County Planning Commission recommends Hawes Farms expansion