Baldwin Park planning commission approves indoor recycling facility at 14038 Ramona Boulevard

The Baldwin Park Planning Commission voted unanimously on May 28, 2025, to approve a conditional use permit allowing an enclosed recycling facility at 14038 Ramona Boulevard and to find the project exempt from further review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The commission adopted Resolution PC25-13 approving CP25-03, which permits the operator to convert the existing approximately 1,872-square-foot office unit on a roughly 6,500-square-foot parcel into an indoor recycling center that will accept California redemption value (CRV) materials — aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles — and will not perform outdoor collection, compaction or overnight storage of recyclable materials.

Why it matters: Staff said the use is conditionally permitted in the C-2 General Commercial zone but requires a conditional use permit and an additional restriction that no more than one recycling facility be permitted within a 3,000-foot radius. Staff reported no other recycling facility within 3,000 feet; the nearest active facility is at about 4242 Park Avenue, roughly 5,000 feet away. The commission’s approval allows the operator to open in a commercially zoned area that sits adjacent to multifamily housing.

Project details and conditions: Planning staff described the proposal and recommended approval. Key conditions noted in the staff report include: - Operations limited to indoor collection and sorting; no outdoor transfer or long-term storage of recyclables. Materials must be removed from the site by the end of each operating day. - Operating hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Tuesday; closed Wednesdays. - Two full-time employees on site to inspect materials and monitor parking and customer flow. Staff recorded five existing on-site parking spaces. - Installation of a compliant floor drain and adherence to NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) standards to prevent runoff to the storm-drain system. - Visible signage prohibiting illegal dumping and a requirement that any illegally dumped items on the property or adjacent sidewalk be collected and disposed of by the business by the end of each day. - Additional perimeter cameras; the operator said monitoring will be activated 24/7 and is an applicant-initiated measure.

What staff said: Planning staff told the commission the project is categorically exempt from CEQA under Guideline section 15303 (conversion of small structures). Staff also noted that the parking requirement for recycling facilities in the municipal code typically infers lower traffic generation relative to retail or restaurants; staff therefore did not require a separate traffic study for this application. Staff said they had received one written public comment opposing the application and no other written or verbal comments prior to the public hearing.

Public comment and applicant response: Several members of the public asked questions or raised concerns during the hearing. Jorge Del Real asked where collected materials would go and whether the center would duplicate existing city recycling services; he also asked about potential environmental impacts. Richard Williams, who identified himself as working with the applicant, said material would be taken to another facility at the end of each day for compaction and processing and that “everything is inside.”

Applicant statements: The applicant, Joshua Loriano, told the commission he has decades of experience operating recycling facilities and that his lease requires no overnight materials on the property. Loriano said cameras would monitor the site and that he would remove recyclables by 4 p.m. daily. He told commissioners the facility will accept only CRV materials and will have an exterior attendant to manage traffic in the rear parking area.

Commission questions and staff clarifications: Commissioners asked about parking supply (staff reported five on-site spaces), potential congestion on Ramona Boulevard, NPDES stormwater controls and odor/noise concerns. Staff said there will be no compactor at the site — a typical source of higher noise levels — and that building and safety review and code enforcement would enforce operational standards after permit approval. Staff described NPDES as the regulatory framework used to ensure any site drainage prevents polluted runoff to the storm system; compliance is verified during plan review and building inspections, then enforced by code if needed.

Vote and outcome: The commission moved to approve the conditional use permit and the CEQA exemption. Roll call votes were recorded as: Chair Pena — yes; Vice Chair Gonzales — yes; Commissioner Escobosa — yes; Commissioner Miranda DeSib — yes. Commissioner Rodriguez was absent and had been excused earlier. The motion carried 4-0; the planning commission adopted Resolution PC25-13 approving CP25-03.

Next steps: Staff said a Notice of Exemption will be filed with the Los Angeles County Clerk’s Office. The applicant must obtain any required tenant-improvement and building permits and satisfy the conditions of approval, including building and public-works reviews, before operations may begin.