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Planning commission approves second warehouse for Seaside Packaging after traffic and landscaping review
Summary
The Planning Commission approved an amendment to Seaside Packaging’s conditional-use permit to allow a new 31,000-square-foot warehouse (A2024-0001) at 1300 West La Brea Avenue with an addendum to a 2022 mitigated negative declaration. The applicant said the new building will accommodate increased demand and eliminate temporary outdoor staging.
The Santa Maria Planning Commission voted to approve a permit amendment (A2024-0001) and an addendum to the project’s 2022 mitigated negative declaration, allowing a 31,000-square-foot second warehouse building for Seaside Packaging at 1300 West La Brea Avenue.
Cody Graybell, the city’s senior planner, said the 6.2-acre site already contains an existing 40,000-square-foot building (Building 1) approved in 2021 and currently operating. The amendment would permit Building 2 to be constructed on the western half of the site. Graybell said the proposal includes 30 parking spaces (30 required), bioretention basins, 26% landscape coverage (the code requires 15%), and a loading dock at the rear of the new building roughly 300 feet from the sidewalk.
Operations and traffic: Graybell said the warehouse would be staffed primarily by forklift operators transferring boxes to tractor-trailers; there is no office use proposed. Hours would be 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday; employees would increase from six to ten and deliveries were estimated at four to ten per day. A city-reviewed traffic study concluded that the existing street network can serve the cumulative development while keeping acceptable service levels, and city staff found no new significant environmental impacts requiring further CEQA review. Mitigation measures from the 2022 mitigated negative declaration will carry forward.
Applicant statement: The facility owner, who identified himself as Billy, said the existing operation currently uses a temporary loading dock and that the project’s permanent loading dock would provide redundancy so a second truck can be accommodated without obstructing site circulation.
Commission discussion noted the site’s surrounding uses — the Santa Maria Valley Railroad tracks, a nearby truck center, existing industrial uses and a County-maintained flood-control basin to the west. Commissioner comments referenced a prior study session and a changed traffic context after the departure of a nearby industrial operator (Titan Industries), which one commissioner said reduced peak congestion on La Brea.
Vote and next steps: The commission first voted to adopt a resolution approving an addendum to the 2022 mitigated negative declaration, then approved the permit amendment A2024-0001. Roll-call votes recorded ayes from Commissioner Seifert, Commissioner Mohajer, Commissioner Lopez and Vice Chair Blanco. Both motions passed. Staff said mitigation measures from the 2022 MND are required as a condition of approval and no further environmental review is required.
Speakers (article source list): Cody Graybell, Senior Planner (City of Santa Maria); Billy (owner, Seaside Packaging); Commissioners Seifert, Lopez, Mohajer, Vice Chair Blanco.
Actions: Adopt resolution approving an addendum to the 2022 mitigated negative declaration; motion seconded and approved. Motion to approve Permit Amendment A2024-0001 (Seaside Packaging) with conditions including mitigation monitoring; motion seconded and approved.
Authorities referenced in hearing: CEQA Guidelines §15164 (addenda to adopted negative declarations / EIRs); prior 2022 mitigated negative declaration for Seaside Packaging.
