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Analysis Background Cortopassi Partners is proposing to expand their existing olive processing plant. The existing olive processing plant was approved by the Planning Commission on December 15, 2005 under Use Permit Application No. PA-0500686. Under the current approval the project site has (6) six employees working in the facility during harvesting season, and the applicant has indicated that the number of employees will not increase if the proposed project is approved. The facility currently produces 50,000 gallons of oil during harvesting season and if the proposed project is approved that amount will increase to 600,000 gallons. Parkin Development Title Table 9-1015.3(x) states that for the use type Agricultural Processing - Food Manufacturing, 2.5 parking spaces shall be provided for each 1,000 square feet of building. The applicant has proposed to expand the current operation of building square footage by 36,000 square feet. This will require that 90 additional parking spaces be provided for the project, including four accessible spaces, one of which shall be van accessible. However, Development Title Section 9-1015.9 permits the modification of these requirements by the Director in cases, which due to the unusual nature of the establishment proposed or the development proposal submitted for it, the requirements may be considered insufficient, or excessive. The applicant submitted a letter dated, February 20, 2008, requesting a reduction in the number of parking spaces to 20 and the phasing of the parking requirements because the proposed project will operate only 40 days per year(October 20 through December 15) and will have a maximum of only six employees per shift. The Community Development Department has reviewed the request and has determined that a reduction in the number of parking spaces to 20 is sufficient for the proposed use. The parking area shall be surfaced and permanently maintained with asphalt concrete or Portland cement concrete to provide a durable dust free surface. (Development Title Section 9-1015.5[ej). Prollect Proponents and Opponents The Community Development Department has received one letter in support of the project from the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation and one letter opposing the project_ The opposition letter stated, "the project would create excessive traffic and pollution". The Department of Public Works has determined that the proposed project would not have a significant impact on the level of service for traffic and states that at the time of the building permit application, Traffic Impact and Regional Transportation fees will be due. Public Works determined that the project would generate less than 50 trips per any one hour, which is the threshold for requiring a traffic study. The applicant estimates that the project would produce 13 truck trips per day when the facility is operating at maximum capacity. Employees are expected to produce less than 30 trips per day. The Community Development Department has contacted the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District(SJVAPCD) regarding the comment of excessive pollution from the proposed project and a referral was sent on February 15, 2008. The SJVAPCD has not indicated that the project might have a significant impact on air quality and has not recommended any conditions of approval. The Initial Study found no potentially significant impacts regarding air quality from the proposed project. San Joaquin County PA-08000481Cortopassi Community Development Page 3