Planning commission approves Plantel Nurseries east‑side expansion with mitigations and reduced oil‑well setback

The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission voted 5–0 on Feb. 11 to approve a revised development plan allowing Plantel Nurseries to expand greenhouse production onto the eastern half of a 137‑acre parcel on East Clark Avenue (case number 19RVP0000115), adopting a mitigated negative declaration and mitigation monitoring program under CEQA.

Planner Tina Mitchell told the commission the site includes an existing western greenhouse operation of about 60 acres and that the proposed eastward expansion would cover roughly 77 acres and add 13 greenhouses, a germination building and a water‑recycling facility. Staff said the project would add about 36.7 acres of new structural development, require grading that is to be balanced on‑site, and include an 80‑foot landscape strip along Clark Avenue to screen the development from public view.

Mitchell said staff reviewed the project for consistency with the county’s land use and development code and Chapter 25 of the county petroleum code. The site contains two plugged and abandoned oil wells in the northeast portion of the parcel; because one proposed water tank would be approximately 90 feet from a well, the county’s petroleum administrator authorized a reduction of the standard 200‑foot setback. CalGEM reviewed the project and the commission included a condition requiring the wells be exposed, surveyed and leak‑tested prior to grading permit issuance and re‑abandoned if CalGEM requires it.

The environmental analysis was processed with a mitigated negative declaration (MND). Staff identified potentially significant impacts for air quality, greenhouse gases, biological and cultural resources and public facilities, and included 10 mitigation measures in the conditions of approval. To reduce operational emissions, the project includes a natural‑gas fuel‑use limit for greenhouse heaters (modeled at 50% of rated daily capacity or less) and required metering and monthly reporting of natural‑gas use to the county’s permit compliance staff; the county will coordinate review with the Air Pollution Control District (APCD).

On traffic, staff said the traffic study accounted for deliveries and employees and concluded the project would not require new turn lanes because the discontinuance of prior row‑crop uses reduces overall trip generation. The expansion will add about 10 full‑time employees to the existing workforce (currently between about 120 and 140 employees), and staff described on‑site parking and truck staging to support shipping operations.

Chair Reid moved to adopt the CEQA findings, the MND and the mitigation monitoring program, to approve the revised development plan and to grant the applicant’s requested modification to waive landscaping requirements for uncovered parking areas over 3,600 square feet, all subject to conditions in the staff report. Commissioner Ford seconded. The roll call vote was Cooney Aye, Ford Aye, Park Aye, Martinez Aye and Chair Reid Aye; the motion passed 5–0.

The project’s conditions require the applicant to complete the mitigation measures during construction and operations and to satisfy any CalGEM requirements for the wells before grading permits are issued. Staff said permit compliance and APCD will monitor natural‑gas usage reporting as part of the mitigation monitoring program.

The commission’s action concludes its hearing on the Plantel item; staff and applicant teams were present and offered to provide follow‑up information to the commission after the hearing.