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the area from the commercial farm use to the east. The existing berm, row of large <br /> Redwoods, farm road, and drainage ditch make it impracticable to combine the proposed <br /> exception area with the existing grass seed operation. Any doubt regarding the potential <br /> to combine the proposed exception area with the grass seed operation to the east is <br /> removed by testimony received from Hubbard Seed which states: <br /> "[The applicant's representative] asked if we ever considered, or would consider, <br /> owning or leasing the five-acres for farming as part of our large commercial <br /> operation in the area. <br /> "Its location being sandwiched between nonfarm uses, along with the amount of <br /> weed control required makes cultivating this ground not profitable or realistic. <br /> That's one of the reasons our perimeter farm road and row of Redwoods, along <br /> with a storm drainage ditch separate our farm from this 5-acres. <br /> "We've even considered purchasing the ground just for the purpose of keeping the <br /> weeds from spreading to our adjacent fields. We considered this knowing that even <br /> good return on the harvested seed wouldn't help much to off-set the cost to control <br /> the weeds. Fortunately, Mr. Wing purchased the ground and are good stewards <br /> cleaning up the property and controlling the weeds." <br /> Farming the proposed exception area, even at a non-commercial level, is <br /> impracticable. Similar to commercial seed crops being grown on a variety of parcels and <br /> field sizes that make up this area, the nature of the existing adjacent uses can be relied <br /> upon equally to show that the growing of small-acreage high-value crops are also <br /> impracticable. Other crops listed in the MCCP for use in this geographic area, such as <br /> blueberries, tree fruits and nuts, nursery stock, and other farm uses all require irrigation. <br /> While the property has a water right, to pump ground water and irrigate the 5 acres would <br /> involve considerable cost and expense. In addition to the irrigation costs are the unknown <br /> costs associated with soil testing, preparation, and enhancement needed for such sensitive <br /> crops, especially if soil residues from the poultry operation are still present. The applicant <br /> requested an objective independent review of the property from the OSU Extension <br /> Service, which states: <br /> CP/ZC/PLA 21-001 -RECOMMENDATION- 14 <br /> WING PROPERTIES,LLC <br />