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Growers tell supervisors gravel trucks on Valparaiso Avenue endanger farm workers; county pledges to investigate
Summary
Farm operators and the Kern County Farm Bureau urged action over heavy quarry truck traffic on Valparaiso Avenue, saying the route differs from the conditional-use permit and has grown to hundreds of truck trips per week. Supervisors said they will review the matter with CHP and planning staff and may take it to closed session.
Growers and farm managers told the Kern County Board of Supervisors on March 11 that quarry trucks traveling on Valparaiso Avenue are creating an ongoing safety hazard for farm workers, school buses and slow-moving agricultural equipment.
Paul Loeffel, chief financial officer for Anthony Vineyards, told the board that Granite Construction’s truck route now includes Valparaiso Avenue even though the company’s conditional use permit (CUP) originally proposed a different, wider route. “Through viewing our security camera footage, there are now over a hundred gravel‑hauling trucks most weeks transiting Valparaiso and sometimes over 200 a week,” Loeffel said, and he described near misses with workers and tractors.
Eric Richardson, who farms in the area, said drivers travel at unsafe speeds and that the road’s narrow shoulders make passing hazardous. “It’s terrifying to know there’s three to four or five people in each of these cars pulling in and out every day,” Richardson said, describing farmworker commute patterns.
Jenny Holterman, president of the Kern County Farm Bureau, asked the board to reassess truck routing and impose safety measures. She said Valparaiso lacks paved shoulders and is not designed for heavy truck traffic.
Supervisor Jeff Flores and Supervisor Rudy Parlier told the speakers the board would look into the matter, including forwarding concerns to the California Highway Patrol for enforcement and reviewing planning and CUP compliance. Parlier said the issue could be discussed in closed session because of potential litigation and the involvement of multiple parties.
Why it matters: Valparaiso Avenue is used daily by farmworkers and agricultural equipment; speakers said the increase in heavy truck traffic raises the risk of serious accidents and urged enforcement or restoration of the originally approved haul route.
Next steps: Supervisors said staff will review the CUP, investigate whether the mine’s routing matches approved permits, and coordinate with CHP on enforcement. No formal board action was taken at the March 11 session; supervisors said they would continue the matter outside the public hearing if necessary.
