Visalia City Council
December 3, 2024

Final Narrativefor Appeal of CUP2024-17/ 2024-48
Introduction:

WestlakeVillageMobileHomeParkhas beenafixtureinourcommunityforover50years,servingas aretirement oasis for morethan200seniors whocall ithome. Nestledonasitethat supports avarietyof migratorywildlife, includingCanadiangeese, ducks, andturtles,the park is not only a sanctuary for its residents but alsofor thenatural world. However,the peace and safety that Westlake Village residents have enjoyed for decades are nowunder threat due to the approval of Conditional Use Permit (CUP) 2024-17 for alarge-scale gas station and commercial development in close proximity to this seniorcommunity.

While I, April Lancaster, am spearheading this appeal, and Anna Maier is the ocialappellant, this eort is being filed on behalf of the entire Westlake Village community.Manyof theseniors residingintheparkhavelimitedresourcestoadvocateforthemselves,but they have come together in concern for their health, safety, and quality of life. Thisappeal represents not just their voices, but the voices of all who care about responsibledevelopmentandthepreservationofthenatural beautyandwell-beingofourcommunity.

DearMembersoftheCityCouncil,
OnbehalfoftheresidentsofWestlakeVillage,IamappealingtheapprovalofConditionalUsePermit(CUP)2024-17/RevisedResolution2024-48fortheproposed28-pumpgasstation,Sam’sClubstore,drive-throughcarwash,anddrive-throughrestaurant. Thisprojectislocatedjust160feetfromseniorhousing,farcloserthantherecommended300-footsetback. TheattachedappealnarrativeandsupportingexhibitswillclearlydemonstratenotonlyanerrorinthePlanningCommission'sdiscretionbutalsoanabuseofthatdiscretion. Furthermore,theevidencepresenteddoesnotsimplyfailtosupporttheCommission'sdecision—itdirectlycontradictsit.

ErrorandAbuseofDiscretionbythePlanningCommission
ThePlanningCommissionhadtheauthoritytodenythisapplicationbasedonthefailuretomeetthe300-footsetbackrecommendationbetweenthegasstationandseniorhousing,yettheychosenotto. Instead,theConsultingFirmandPlanningdepartmentdownplayedthisguidelineasamererecommendation,overlookingtheserioushealthrisksposedtotheneighboringseniorcommunity. Bydisregardingthiscrucialsafetystandard,theyignoredaclearlegalbasisfordenial.

Additionally,theemissionsassessmentconductedbyJKConsultingGroupLLCnarrowlyfocusedonfueldeliveriestothegasstation,excludingsignificantportions 1 Final Narrativefor Appeal of CUP2024-17/ 2024-48
oftheproject,suchastheSam’sClubtrucktrac,carwashoperations,andrestaurantdrive-throughemissions. TheCommission'srelianceonthisincompleteassessmentfurtherexemplifiestheirfailuretofullyevaluatetheproject’scumulativeenvironmentalimpact.

PrematureNoticeofDeterminationandInsucientReview
TheNoticeofDeterminationwasfiledprematurely,raisingconcernsabouttheproject'soverallreview. Thedevelopmentincludesnotonlya28-pumpgasstationbutalsoaSam’sClubstore,adrive-throughcarwash,andadrive-throughrestaurant,allofwhichsignificantlycontributetoenvironmentalimpacts. ThelackofafullEnvironmentalImpactReport(EIR)meansthecumulativeeectsoftheseelementshavenotbeenadequatelyassessed. Theinitialstudynarrowlyfocusedonfueldeliveries,ignoringemissionsfromSam’sClub’strucktrac,carwashoperations,andrestaurantactivities,allwithincloseproximitytoseniorhousing. Amorecomprehensivereviewwouldlikelyresultinamuchhigherimpactscorethanthecurrent8.6,warrantingadetailedreassessment.

HealthRisksfromBenzeneandDieselExhaustThestorageandcombustionofgasolineatalargefuelingstationcarriesseriousrisksfrombenzeneexposure,aknowncarcinogen. DieselexhaustfrombothfueldeliveriesandSam’sClubtrucktracwillexacerbatetheserisks. Dieselemissionscontainparticulatematterandothertoxicsubstancesknowntoworsenrespiratoryandcardiovasculardiseases,placingseniorsatgraverisk. Theseemissionswerenotfullyconsideredintheenvironmentalreview.

Visalia’sDutytoProtectHealthandSafetyBeyondMinimumStandards Asanon-attainmentcitywithsomeoftheworstairqualityinthenation,Visaliacarriesaheightenedresponsibilitytoprotectresidents'healthandsafety. Meetingminimumregulatorystandardsisinsucient. Wemustgobeyondbasicrequirementstosafeguardourmostvulnerablepopulations,especiallyseniorslivingadjacenttothisdevelopment. TheCommission’sdecisionfailedtotakeintoaccountthecumulativehealthrisksthatgobeyondminimumairqualityregulations.

PM2.5PollutioninanAlreadyVulnerableCommunity
Visalia’sPM2.5levelsarealreadyhigherthanthosein96%ofthenation,andthecombinedemissionsfromthegasstation,Sam’sClub,carwash,andrestaurantwillonlyincreasetheselevels. Fineparticulatematter(PM2.5)canpenetratedeepintothe 2 Final Narrativefor Appeal of CUP2024-17/ 2024-48
lungs,worseningconditionslikeasthma,bronchitis,andheartdisease—conditionsthatdisproportionatelyaectseniors. TheemissionsfrommultipleprojectcomponentswerenotaccountedforinthePlanningCommission’sreview,amajoroversight.

FailuretoFollowCARBRecommendationsandLegalRisks
ThisprojectalsoblatantlydisregardstheCaliforniaAirResourcesBoard(CARB)AirQualityandLandUseHandbook,whichrecommendsavoidingnewsensitivelanduseswithin500feetoffreeways. Thegasstation,expectedtosellmorethan7.6milliongallonsofgasolineand1.2milliongallonsofdieselannually,willexposeresidentstoharmfullevelsoftrac-relatedpollution,compoundedbyitsproximitytoHighway63.

ThePlanningCommission'sdecisiontoignoreCARB’sguidelinesnotonlyendangerspublichealthbutalsoexposestheCityandthedevelopertopotentiallegalliability.FailingtoconductafullEIRfurtherincreasestheCity’slegalvulnerabilityundertheCaliforniaEnvironmentalQualityAct(CEQA),particularlyifresidentssuerhealthconditionsasaresultofpollutionexposure.

InsurabilityofNearbyHomesUnderFHAGuidelines
Theproximityoftheproposedfuelingstationtoresidentialproperties,especiallyseniorhousing,posesasignificantrisktotheinsurabilityofnearbyhomesunderFederalHousingAdministration(FHA)guidelines. AccordingtoFHA4000.1II.D.3.b.iii(C)(6)-(7),homeslocatednearhazardssuchasgasstationsmayfaceadditionalscrutinyintheinsurabilityassessmentprocess.

TheFHAguidelinesclearlystatethatpropertiesshouldnotbelocatednear"flammableorexplosivematerials"thatposeathreattosafety,health,orproperty. Afuelingstationofthismagnitude,projectedtodispenseover7.6milliongallonsofgasolineand1.2milliongallonsofdieselannually,qualifiesassuchahazard. Withoutproperdocumentationensuringthesafetyofthearea,homesinthevicinitymayfacedicultyobtainingFHAinsurance,makingthemlessattractivetobuyersandnegativelyimpactingpropertyvalues.

Conclusion:ACallforFullEnvironmentalReviewandResponsibleDevelopment 3 Final Narrativefor Appeal of CUP2024-17/ 2024-48
Giventhesefactors,IurgetheCityCounciltodenythepermitapprovaluntilafullEIRisconducted. Acomprehensiveenvironmentalreview,includingathoroughassessmentofallemissionsfromthegasstation,Sam’sClub,andassociatedtrac,isessentialtoprotectpublichealth. TheCitymustreconsiderthesitingofthisproject,eitherrelocatingthegasstationtoamoresuitablelocationorimplementingrobusthealth-protectivemeasures.

Byadheringtoresponsibleurbanplanningpracticesandconductingthenecessaryreviews,wecanavoidlegalrisks,protectourcommunity,andensureahealthyfutureforVisalia’sresidents.

Thankyouforyourattentiontothiscriticalissue.
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