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Planning Commission approves new utility plant, generators for Adventist Health Simi Valley
Summary
The Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit modification allowing Adventist Health Simi Valley to build a new central utility plant and generator yard to move existing generators into a seismically compliant location and add redundancy.
The Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit modification on Jan. 22 for Adventist Health Simi Valley to build a new central utility plant and generator yard on the hospital campus at 2975 Sycamore Drive.
Associate Planner Veil Morissette summarized the request: a new roughly 1,880‑square‑foot utility building, a 5,287‑square‑foot open generator yard to house three emergency backup generators (two to be installed initially, the third reserved for future redundancy), and a fuel tank sized to supply 72 hours of runtime. The project would remove 36 parking spaces and one solar carport but leave the campus meeting its parking requirement with 451 spaces after the change. New screening walls, landscaping and acoustical treatments are shown on project plans; staff said modeled noise would not exceed general plan standards at adjacent residences.
Hospital representatives said the project is funded primarily through a FEMA hazard mitigation grant together with hospital funds and is intended to relocate existing generators from a seismically non‑compliant location into a code‑compliant utility building and yard. Mark (Adventist Health representative) said the hospital sought the work to ensure continuity of services in earthquakes and other disasters. He said the hospital will continue to test generators once monthly, with two units operated simultaneously for 40 minutes at about 5 a.m. "We currently do our generator testing at 5 a.m. and there's been no issues with our neighboring surroundings and houses as well," the hospital representative said.
Residents raised concerns about exhaust and noise. Otis Loboda, a neighbor on Nicholas Street, said exhaust from earlier temporary generators during the COVID period made it "impossible to walk our dogs on our street and breathe without feeling like we're compromising our health," and noted several neighbors had died of cancer in recent years and urged caution regarding emissions.
Applicant representatives and staff said the new permanent generators will adhere to Ventura County air quality requirements, that manufacturers' emissions data were reviewed by the air quality district, and that newer units have lower emissions. Staff and applicant noted the generators are sited and screened so that modeled noise at nearby residences complies with the general plan standard (45 dBA interior / 63 dBA exterior) and that the generator enclosures and yards will be acoustically treated. The hospital and applicant said the relocation also addresses seismic code requirements for essential services.
Commissioners discussed hours of testing and acoustics but ultimately approved the CUP modification; the motion passed unanimously. The permit is subject to a 14‑day appeal period.
