Commission approves Capital Hills project and new storage facility

The proposed development involves an investment of more than $8 million according to Michael Pauls, who represented property owner Nidal Azzi of Simi Valley at the meeting. Azzi recently acquired the project from the previous owners Yang Bing Tang and Yanglan Tan, also of Simi Valley.

Pauls said discussions are underway with potential tenants. In addition to a gas station serving non-commercial vehicles and a drive-through restaurant, the center would provide general retail, on-site and off-site alcohol sales and accessory gasoline sales, he said.

Development Services Director Jay Schlosser said the project represented the type of development the city expected to see in Capital Hills with a location near other traveler-serving businesses and Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley hospital.

Because of the property’s location in relationship to Tehachapi Municipal Airport, Schlosser said the applicant agreed to a reduction of seats in the restaurant from what was originally proposed. As proposed the project required a variance related to location of driveways, which was approved.

During review, the city determined that the project was subject to the California Environmental Quality Act, Schlosser said in a staff report and a mitigated negative declaration of environmental impact was prepared, along with conditions of approval. Potential air quality issues, potential cultural and tribal cultural resources impacts and potential biological resources impacts were identified, but found to be less than significant with mitigation incorporated.

In a letter to the city on Nov. 9, the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District stated it opposed approval of the project.

“Until the source of the water supply and the project’s impact on the water supply can be identified and evaluated, TCCWD opposed approval of the project,” General Manager Tom Neisler wrote. “This is not a land use objection. Our opposition is based solely on the water supply issue.”

In response, on Feb. 7, Schlosser said the city had demonstrated that the project’s potential impact to the groundwater supply, both on a project and cumulative basis, is less than significant.

He noted the project will include drought-tolerant landscaping and low-flow fixtures and is expected to consume two to three acre-feet of potable water annually, representing less than .2 percent of the city’s annual groundwater allocation.

Planning Commission Charles White asked Schlosser during the meeting if the water district’s objection could block the project at a later date.

Schlosser said that he believed he had addressed the district’s concerns in his response letter and that the fact that no representative of the water district was at the Planning Commission meeting to object led him to believe the district was satisfied with his response.

The commission voted 5-0 to adopt a resolution approving the architectural design and site plan, subject to conditions of approval.

New mini-storage

The commission also approved a new self-storage facility, known as Nabers Self Storage, on a four-acre lot located at 101 Industrial Parkway (just east of Tractor Supply).

As described by Senior Planner Kim Burnell in the staff report, the project is comprised of 102,815 square feet of self-storage and a manager’s office. About 900 storage units and open landscape areas would be included. The project includes both climate-controlled units and non-climate units with direct access to the driveways.

The owner of the project was identified in the staff report as 1900 E. Adams LLC of Valencia.

The facility will be located near the future Caltrans Maintenance Substation approved in December.

Requiring no environmental review, the project’s architectural design and site plan were approved by the commission on a 5-0 vote.

Claudia Elliott is a freelance journalist and former editor of the Tehachapi News. She lives in Tehachapi and can be reached by email: claudia@claudiaelliott.net.