Use Permit Application No. PLN2024-0067- Cal Almond

This is a request to permit the expansion of an existing almond hulling, shelling, and storage facility, currently permitted to operate on two parcels totaling 19.55± acres (Assessor Parcel Numbers [APN]: 057-016-028 and 057-016-029) in the General Agriculture (A-2-40) zoning district. This request is to permit the expansion of the facility on two adjacent parcels, allowing the storage of stockpiles of almond hulls and shells, and empty trailers, totaling 38.8± acres. The unhulled and unshelled nuts and shell and hull biproducts are stored year-round on-site and are kept in 16-foot-high mounds and covered with tarps. Operations at the facility would remain unchanged under this request. The facility's operating season runs from August to December, with typical hours of operation Monday to Saturday, 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and two eight-hour shifts for employees. During peak harvest season, typically September and October, the facility operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with three eight-hour shifts. Six full-time employees, including one manager, and up to 20 part-time employees may be on-site at any given time. Up to 100 daily truck trips (for trucks bringing in unprocessed almonds and trucks leaving with shell and hull biproducts or empty trailers to fill off-site) and 52 passenger vehicle trips (inbound and outbound trips for up to 26 employees) are expected per-day during the peak harvest season, and 12 passenger vehicle trips (inbound and outbound trips for six employees are scheduled during the other months of the operating season (August, November, and December). A maximum of 20 truck trips per- day is expected during the facility's nonoperating season (January through July) to perform on-site maintenance and pick up stockpiled product for further processing. The proposed expansion is not expected to result in any additional employees, truck trips, or hours of operation. The balance of the parcel has been previously developed with three agricultural storage buildings, one almond huller, an overhead auger system, an office, solar panels, fire water pond, a domestic well, septic system, and a single-family dwelling, for a total of 48,950± square feet of building space, originally approved under Use Permit No. 77-28 on APN 057-016-028 and 057-016-029 and with various expansions over the years, permitted at a staff level. The expansion area comprises two agricultural storage buildings, one detached garage, one single-family dwelling, a septic system, and a domestic well on APN 057-016-002, totaling 22,430± square feet of building space. No structures currently exist, and none are proposed for on APN: 057-016-025. Stormwater runoff is contained within drainage basins at the northern end of the project parcels and will accommodate any additional runoff resulting from this project. No extra or modified utilities would be required. Access to the site is via County-maintained Christofferson Road. The existing facility has a paved parking lot with 10 parking spaces, exterior lighting affixed to the buildings, and an eight-foot chain-link fence with privacy slats along South Commons Road. There are 3 existing driveways on APN: 057-016-028 and 1 private driveway for the residence located on 057-016-029. The expansion area has 2 existing driveways, both taking access via County-maintained Christofferson Road. No additional driveways are planned for this request. The current use permit application was submitted in response to an active Code Enforcement case for the unpermitted expansion onto APNs 057-016-002 and 057-016-025, which occurred without securing the necessary land use entitlements (CE 24-0146). APN: 057-016-025 is enrolled under Williamson Act Contract Number 1978-3131 and, if approved, will remain under contract.