ITEM 11.3 - PUBLIC HEARING- APPEAL OF A
PLANNING COMMISSION DENIAL OF A
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A
PROPOSED RECYCLING CENTER TO BE
LOCATED AT 1240 E PLAZA BOULEVARD.
Appeal
• On October 20th, 2025, the Planning Commission denied 2025-19 CUP • Finding for Denial
• Granting the permit would constitute a nuisance or be injurious or detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare, or materially injurious to persons, property, or improvements in the vicinity and zone in which the property is located, because it would contribute to increased traffic, crime, and litter.
• The applicant (Anthony St. John) has requested to appeal the Planning Commission decision
Overhead
Site Characteristics
• 1240 East Plaza Boulevard
• MXD-2 (Major Mixed-Use District)
• Located behind Smart & Final grocery store
• Within a larger shopping center
• Accessed off of ‘N’ Avenue
• Area is Commercial and Residential
• Smart & Final to the north and west
• Bay Plaza to the east
• Single-family homes to the south
• Separated by grade change
Site Photos
Site Photos
Proposal
• Mobile Recycling Center
• Accepts aluminum cans, glass, and plastic bottles
• Consisting of two 18x8 foot and one 8x5 foot prefabricated steel containers • Proposed operating hours 9am to 5pm Monday through Saturday • Operator on-site at all times
• CRV payments will be provided in cash by the operators of the facility Site Plan
Site Plan
Recycling
Containers
Analysis
• Convenience Zones
• Located within a unserved convenience zone
• The State (Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery - CalRecycle) requires that a “convenience zone” have access to a recycling facility
• A convenience zone is defined as an area within a one-mile radius of a supermarket with more than $2 million in annual sales.
• National City has 10 convenience zones
• Smart and Final is an unserved convenience zone.
• The other primary recycling location currently servicing National City is located at 1320 East 30th Street (Food 4 Less) is in Chula Vista.
Analysis
• Consistent with the Land Use Code
• Mobile recycling units shall comply with all standards in 18.30.170.E.3 • Less than 350 square feet
• More than 50 feet from residential zone
• Shall not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular circulation • Accept only glass, aluminum, nonaluminum, and plastic containers Analysis
• Police Department Comments (Crime and Litter)
• Concerns over increased traffic, increased crime, and propensity for trash accumulation • Conditions of approval for the CUP are intended to alleviate these concerns • Business is operating during daytime hours
• Site shall be swept and cleared of litter at the end of each day • Containers shall be locked when not in use and emptied on a regular basis (once to twice a week). • No recyclable material be accepted from persons transporting the material in an unconventional fashion • Shopping Carts and similar non-motorized carrying devices, which are often discarded afterwards Analysis
• Traffic
• Traffic is not expected to increase
• Customers will be at shopping center already
• Applicant to use temporary traffic control devices for circulation • Cones with chains
• No parking spaces to be removed, so no decrease to available parking • Employee on site to ensure customers do not block any required access to shopping center or abutting right of way.
Analysis
• Noise
• Noise issues related to recycling center are regulated by the Land Use Code • Shall not exceed sixty dBA as measured at the property line of residentially zoned property • Closet residences are over 50 feet away and separated by substantial grade change • Shall not to exceed sixty-five dBA in any instance.
• Operating hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday • No power-driven equipment
California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA)
• Determined To Be Categorically Exempt From Environmental Review Pursuant To Class 1, Section 15301 (Existing Facilities)
• Notice of exemption will be filed subsequent to an approval Conditions/Summary
• Conditions of Approval
• Building, Engineering, and Fire comments
• Police Department comments
• Compliance with LUC
• Proposed use consistent with Land Use Code
• Located in unserved convenience zone
• Consistent with all applicable LUC requirements for recycling facilities Options
1. Affirm the appeal, reversing the Planning Commission decision, thereby approving 2025-19 CUP, subject to the conditions listed within the resolution to approve or modified conditions, and based on the findings listed in the resolution to approve, or findings to be determined by the City Council; or
2. Deny the appeal and uphold the Planning Commission decision, thereby denying 2025-19 CUP, based on the findings as listed in the resolution to deny, or findings to be determined by the City Council; or
3. Continue the item to a specific date in order to obtain additional information.
Staff is recommending approval