Conditional Use Permit No. 24-151 (Shafter Commercial Shopping Center)

Conditional Use Permit No. 24-151 involves the development of the Shafter Commercial Shopping Center located on a 10.04-acre site at the northwest corner of S. Central Valley Highway and E. Ash Avenue in Shafter, California. The project is designed to be constructed in three phases, beginning with site preparation, grading, and utility installation, with long-term operational emissions estimated to begin in 2028. The comprehensive commercial development includes a 27,000-square-foot anchor grocery store, four in-line retail storefronts totaling 32,880 square feet, an 8,030-square-foot convenience store with 3,690 square feet of auto-fueling gas pumps, two drive-thru restaurants totaling 7,500 square feet, and a 6,300-square-foot office building. Site infrastructure will also feature 346 parking spaces, internal roads, ingress/egress points, and landscaping. The project has undergone environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), resulting in a Mitigated Negative Declaration which certifies that the development will not have significant environmental effects when specific mitigation measures are implemented. Key compliance areas include air quality adherence to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's Indirect Source Rule, biological resource protections, and cultural resource management. Additionally, transportation impacts will be managed through traffic signal designs that must meet Caltrans standards and receive approval from both the City Engineer and Caltrans. The City of Shafter Planning Department, led by Planning Director Steve Esselman, serves as the lead agency for this permit and oversees the associated mitigation monitoring program.