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Planning commission denies proposed mobile recycling center behind Smart & Final
Summary
The National City Planning Commission denied a conditional use permit for a mobile recycling center proposed for 1240 East Plaza Boulevard on Oct. 20, 2025, citing concerns about traffic, litter and public safety raised by residents and commissioners.
The National City Planning Commission on Oct. 20, 2025, voted to deny a conditional use permit for a mobile recycling center proposed for 1240 East Plaza Boulevard behind the Smart & Final shopping center. The final vote on a motion to deny carried 4-2-1.
Staff presented the project as a mobile recycling operation consisting of two 18-by-8-foot and one 8-by-5-foot prefabricated steel containers, to operate Monday–Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with an on-site operator, cash payments for California Redemption Value (CRV) items, and routine emptying of containers. Assistant planner Sophia Depew told the commission the site is in an “unserved convenience zone” under state law and that the proposal met local land-use criteria for recycling facilities, subject to conditions intended to reduce trash, noise and nuisance behavior.
The project drew opposition from residents who live on the hill above the proposed site. Amada Rojas, a longtime resident at 1221 K Avenue, told the commission the alley and parking area behind Smart & Final already…
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