Is Amazon coming to Santa Maria? See plans for package delivery warehouse
A package delivery warehouse could break ground this year after an environmental group withdrew its challenge to the Santa Maria Planning Commission‘s approval of the project.
Golden State Environmental Justice Alliance, which has offices in Corona and Fresno, had appealed the Planning Commission’s May approval of the package delivery warehouse project on the western edge of Santa Maria.
However, weeks later, the organization withdrew the appeal.
“GSEJA is withdrawing its appeal, comment letter and opposition to the project. The project’s developer has addressed GSEJA’s concerns about environmental mitigation,” according to the organization’s June 22 notice to the city.
On May 6, commissioners voted 2-1 in favor of the project planned for 1680 W. Stowell Road, with Tim Seifert and Yasameen Mohajer in favor and chairman Esau Blanco opposed as a standing-room-only audience watched.
Two others, Robert Dickerson and Tom Lopez, did not attend the meeting since they have conflicts of interest.
Days after the Planning Commission’s approval, the GSEJA filed the appeal questioning several aspects related to diesel particulate matter emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, vehicle miles traveled and the lack of an environmental justice analysis.
An appeal would have pushed the project to the City Council and delayed it by months.
With the appeal withdrawn, however, the project can move forward, according to Community Development Director Chenin Dow.
A map shows the proposed location for a package delivery warehouse on the western edge of Santa Maria. Contributed map
The applicant is working to finalize the grading and building permits, and may break ground within weeks, Dow added.
Is package warehouse for Amazon? Officials have been mum
The facility — reportedly for Amazon — would operate 24/7, supporting last-mile delivery operations with up to 345 delivery vans and 34 line-haul trucks daily along with employee vehicles. Delivery locations would span roughly 125 square miles, from Paso Robles to Santa Barbara.
The site, located 4.5 miles west of Highway 101, means the vans, trucks and employee vehicles will travel along Stowell Road, prompting concerns.
The city street passes two school campuses with several others a few blocks away. A number of residences also sit adjacent to Stowell along several blocks.
The 32-acre site would have a 169,000-square-foot package delivery warehouse and 75,314 square feet of ancillary support structures such as an automotive repair shop for the company’s delivery vehicles.
Vans filled with packages for delivery will depart from the warehouse at a rate of 72 vans every 20 minutes, until up to 345 vans have left.
Additionally, the project applicant said it expects up to 97 additional “private carrier” deliveries from the center.
Officials have remained mum about the planned user of the warehouse, but the word “Amazon” inadvertently popped up in an environmental document, and artist concepts depict the structures with the company’s distinctive blue color.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com.