Use Permit Application No. PLN2024-0067- Cal Almond

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 (APNs: 057-016-002 and 057-016-025), 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. The almond huller and sheller is currently permitted to operate from August to November with three employees and approximately six round truck trips per-day. Under the current request the facility's peak operating season would run from August to December, with typical hours of operation Monday to Saturday, 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; however, during September and October the facility operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The applicant proposes 23 additional employees for a total of 26 employees consisting of six full-time and 20 part-time employees. A total of 100 round-trip truck trips are anticipated per-day by eight contracted truck drivers who are not employees of the huller operation. This totals an increase of 94 round truck trips and 46 round vehicle trips per-day during peak season from the previously approved use permit. The existing approved throughput is 80,000 almond meat pounds per-day, which is proposed to increase up to 18,000,000 almond meat pounds for a total increase of 17,920,000 meat pounds. During the facility’s non-operating season January through July, typical hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with six employees on a maximum shift, amounting to 12 round vehicle trips per-day. During the non-operating season there is a maximum of 50 round truck trips to perform on-site maintenance and pick up stockpiled product for further processing. The currently permitted hulling and shelling facility is 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. The current operation was originally approved under Use Permit No. 77-28. There have been various expansions over the years, permitted at a staff level. APN: 057-016-002 is currently improved with 22,430± square feet of building space including agricultural storage buildings, one detached garage, one single-family dwelling, a septic system, and a domestic well; no new structures are proposed to be constructed as part of this application. No structures currently exist, and none are proposed for on APN: 057-016-025; only the storage of shells and hulls are proposed on this parcel. 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 ten parking spaces, exterior lighting affixed to the buildings, and an eight-foot chain-link fence with privacy slats along South Commons Road. There are three existing driveways on APN: 057-016-028 and one private driveway for the residence located on APN: 057-016-029. The expansion area has two 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.

Turlock

Stanislaus

Citywide, Countywide

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4 (CDFW), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, North Central Region 2 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Transportation, District 10 (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Fish and Game Commission (CDFGC), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Sacramento Region 5 (RWQCB), Central Valley Flood Protection Board, Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 10, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights, State Water Resources Control Board, Divison of Financial Assistance

Other (Agricultural nut huller and sheller)

Use Permit

N/A