Planning commission recommends renewal for A1 Organics’ mulch storage CUP at 9109 Monaco Street

The Commerce City Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council renew a conditional use permit for A1 Organics to continue storing wood chips and dyed mulch up to 25 feet at 9109 Monaco Street.

Ryan McBreen of Norris Design, representing the applicant, told the commission the facility has operated at the site since 2015 and that the company meets the city’s conditional-use criteria. “We believe we meet it again in 2026 with no changes proposed,” McBreen said, noting the operation diverts waste from landfills.

Travis Bonson, president of A1 Organics, described the company’s community programs and said the site has handled roughly 1.3 million cubic yards of material at that location. He said the facility does not compost on-site and that colored mulch processing is a contained operation.

Kent Pendley, identified as the facility’s chief operating officer, detailed mitigation and safety practices, including a 25-foot demarcation pole, an 8-foot mesh screen along the residential boundary, paved drive aisles of recycled asphalt, water trucks for dust control and weekly temperature probes of piles. “We probe our piles with temperature probes, and we have portable probes as well that can just measure hot spots,” Pendley said, adding that excess inventory would be transferred to the company’s composting facility if needed.

City planning staff reviewed the permit history and recommended approval. Staff said the site is zoned I-2 (medium-intensity industrial), that the conditional use permit allows higher pile heights than the base zoning (25 feet versus the default 8 feet), and that previous conditions and inspections have shown compliance.

Commissioners asked about the dust-control plan, water source and fire-safety monitoring. Pendley said dust-control training and water-truck operations are established and that municipal water is metered for the sprays. He said South Adams County Fire conducts annual inspections and the facility complies with national fire code requirements.

A letter in opposition was referenced by commissioners; staff and the applicant said a rebuttal had been submitted and that no formal complaints had previously been on file. Commissioners noted the rebuttal appeared to provide more substantiation than the opposing letter and weighed staff inspection records and county and state site visits in favor of approval.

Commissioner Van Heusen moved and Commissioner Sanchez seconded a finding that the requested conditional use permit meets the land development code criteria with the existing conditions; the motion passed 5-0.

The commission’s action is a recommendation to the City Council; the council will take a final decision at a later meeting.