Development Permit and Environmental Assessment No. P23-01154, the NKRS Trucking Facility Project (project) was filed by the applicant, Brandon Rodriguez, Style-Line Construction, Inc., on behalf of Amolak Singh, NKRS Trucking. The applicant proposes to develop two parcels (APNs 326 160 19 and 326-160-20) that are each 2.38 acres, totaling approximately 4.76 acres at the south side of West Nielsen Avenue between West Marks Avenue and North Valentine Avenue (Figure 1). The proposed project includes the development of a trucking facility that would provide general automotive work, including minor repairs and major engine and transmission rebuilding or replacement.
The 4.76-acre project site (5.08 acres including improved right-of-way) is flat, vacant, and undeveloped, except for hurricane fencing with barbed wire and a gate. The project site is not currently served by utilities; however, there are existing overhead power lines on the south side of West Nielsen Avenue. An unpaved access road exists on the eastern parcel of the project site, and primary and secondary access to the project site would be provided by West Nielsen Avenue (a two-lane paved road with no sidewalks), which is defined by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) as a Major Collector. California State Route (SR) 180, which runs eastwest and provides regional access, is located approximately 900 feet south of the project site and is separated from the project site by two parcels (APNs 326-16-007 and 326-15-030). Surrounding land uses include autobody facilities, trucking facilities, construction equipment facilities, and storage facilities and vacant land.
Construction of the project would take place in two phases. Phase 1 would consist of site preparation and construction of Buildings #100 and #200 and is expected to take approximately 10 to 12 months, beginning in late 2024. Building #300 would be constructed as part of Phase 2 construction, which is anticipated to occur within 2 to 3 years of the completion of Phase 1 and is anticipated to last for 6 to 9 months. The facility is expected to be operational in the Spring of 2026. A maximum of 12 construction workers would be required during peak construction.
The proposed site improvements include the following:
Site preparation, including clearing and grubbing.
Grading and undergrounding of utilities. Approximately 162,625 square feet would be paved with asphalt per Fresno County Department of Public Works Standards P-21, P-22, and P-23.
Construction of Buildings #100 and #200 and the retention basin.
Paving and architectural coating.
Paving of West Nielsen Avenue.
Construction of Building # 300 (Phase 2).
As part of project development, three buildings are proposed on-site (Figure 2):
Building #100 is a proposed 3,000-square-foot dispatch office building with an office area and restrooms and is part of Phase 1 of the project. The office building would be constructed in the northeastern corner of the project site along the West Nielsen Avenue frontage. The proposed office building would be approximately 15 feet 8 inches in height.
Building #200 is a proposed 9,000-square-foot metal building that would serve as the truck repair/maintenance shop and is also part of Phase 1 of the project. The shop building would include two enclosed drive-through truck service bays and one truck parking bay used for truck inspections and pre-service staging. Once constructed, all repairs would be performed inside the proposed shop building to limit noise generated from truck repairs to the interior and enclosed spaces within the building. Noise generated from the operation of the shop would primarily come from a proposed five-horsepower compressor located inside the building. The shop would include an area for the storage of parts, offices, restrooms, a lunchroom, and a tool room. The shop building would be located on the eastern frontage of the project site approximately 158 feet south of the proposed office building (Building #100). The shop building would be approximately 19 feet 3 inches high and would contain a fire sprinkler system.
Building #300 would be constructed as part of Phase 2 of the project and would serve as office space. This building would be located in the northwestern corner of the project site. Building #300 would be approximately 16 feet in height.
An approximately 5,000-square-foot retention basin would be installed along the West Nielsen Avenue frontage between Buildings #100 and #300 (Figure 2). This retention basin would provide on-site water filtration.
The project includes the construction of a truck parking lot area that would include approximately 56 truck parking stalls, as well as 27 car and van parking stalls, including two accessible parking stalls, one accessible van parking stall, and two Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations with six EV-capable parking stalls. All trucks and cars would be parked within the paved area of the project site.
The proposed vehicular access to the project site includes a one-way truck entry on the eastern parcel and a one-way truck exit on the western parcel. Vehicle ingress and egress would be allowed on the eastern parcel. All vehicle traffic would enter and exit the facility via West Nielsen Avenue and the project would not permanently alter pedestrian or vehicle access to the project site.
Proposed off-site improvements along West Nielsen Avenue include 51-foot-wide permanent paving along approximately 328 linear feet of project site frontage for improved access, a 12-foot-wide concrete sidewalk, and 6-inch curb and gutters along the south side of West Nielsen Avenue.
The existing overhead utility lines would be undergrounded per City of Fresno Municipal Code Section 15-2017 (Underground Utilities) prior to the proposed street paving. The proposed water utilities improvements include the construction of approximately 840 linear feet of a 14-inch water main (including City fire hydrants) from the existing 14-inch water main located on West Nielsen Avenue, west across the project frontage.
Landscaping activities include the removal of two eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.) trees and the planting of approximately nine Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis) and seven Natchez crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica x fauriei 'Natchez') trees (Figure 3). Approximately 124 shrubs would be planted to provide visual screening and shading along the northwestern property boundary. An approximate 278.6-linear-foot irrigation lateral would be installed, in addition to an approximate 176.6-linear-foot irrigation mainline throughout the site for landscaping irrigation.
The hours of operation would be from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The facility would be private and not open to the public. Approximately six employees would be on-site during operation. Per the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) rates for General Light Industrial (Land Use 110), the proposed project is estimated to generate approximately 123 daily driveway trips, 18 AM peak hour driveway trips, and 17 PM peak hour driveway trips.
Security measures include the addition of 6-foot-tall wrought-iron fencing and gates along the West Nielsen Avenue frontage and 6-foot-high chain-link fencing along the remaining property perimeter. Site lighting would be provided by two 34-foot-tall light posts, and security cameras would be installed. Two streetlights would also be installed on the south side of West Nielsen Avenue, and all lighting would be shielded and directed downward to limit off-site light spillover to highway traffic and the environment.
The project will also require dedications, vacations, and/or acquisitions for public street rights-of-way and utility easements as well as the construction of public facilities and infrastructure in accordance with the standards, specifications and policies of the City of Fresno in order to facilitate the future proposed development of the subject property.
