Porterville staff outline upgrades and code triggers for Byrd School District facility at 1924 S. Newton St.

City of Porterville staff reviewed the Byrd (Burns) School District's proposed maintenance and transportation use for a property at 1924 South Newton Street during the Project Review Committee on March 5 and identified several code and utility upgrades that will be required if the district proceeds with the purchase and remodeling.

Planning staff said the work described by the applicant is limited to interior remodels (office spaces and restroom upgrades) but noted standards for outdoor storage: any outdoor storage areas must be screened from adjacent properties and surfaced with paving if required by the city engineer. Planning staff pointed to design standards in Porterville Development Code Section 300.13 for trash enclosures and suggested screening options such as privacy slats on existing chain-link fencing.

The nut graf: Because the district proposes an operational use (maintenance/transportation) on an industrial-park parcel, the project triggers multi-department review. That can require physical upgrades (screening, paving, trash enclosures), potential water-system backflow protection, and a fire-safety review to determine whether sprinklers or other fire-protection measures are necessary.

Building and fire staff said formal plan submittals will be required. James Wickersham, chief building official, said a plan submittal is required for permit review. Clayton Dignam, fire marshal, said he is still completing his review but listed the standard fire triggers: changes in occupancy classification, occupant load and travel distances can require sprinklers. He said he would document specifics in the written comments. The fire department noted the building's approximate size is 24,000 square feet and said it would determine whether the proposed uses increase fire-protection requirements.

Water and public-works staff raised cross-connection and service ownership issues. David Payne, water utilities superintendent, said the building currently appears to lack a double-detector-check (or equivalent) on the fire service line and that the city could require installation of backflow prevention at the service point. Public-works staff discussed the potential to install an 8-inch water meter and above-ground reduced-pressure (RP) backflow device in the public right-of-way to separate city and private systems; staff cautioned the work could add significant cost and would be evaluated as part of plan review. The city's role as water purveyor allows it to require backflow devices and to issue compliance letters, staff said.

Refuse/field services staff said a three-stream (triple bin) enclosure will be required because the project is being routed through PRC and will therefore need to meet state recycling and organics mandates. Brianna (field services) stated the triple-bin requirement is enforced at PRC and cited CalRecycle's SB 1383 as the underlying state mandate for recycling and organics service.

The committee discussed the existing site history. Applicant representatives identified portions of the property that had previously been used by Porterville Sheltered Workshop for recycling, office and storage activities; the district's representative said 1924 currently houses transportation functions and that other buildings on the parcel are used for warehouse storage and offices. Staff asked the applicant to identify prior occupancy classifications so fire and building staff can compare the old and proposed occupancies.

Staff said they will compile department comments into a comment letter for the applicant, expected in about two weeks. No formal action or vote was recorded.

Less critical details: staff discussed easement and maintenance concerns for an on-site water main that serves multiple buildings, and said the city has, in other cases, issued backflow compliance letters after cross-connection control surveys.