Planning Commission approves indoor recycling center at 14038 Ramona Boulevard

The Baldwin Park Planning Commission on May 28 voted to approve a conditional use permit (CP 25-03) to allow an indoor recycling facility at 14038 Ramona Boulevard, adopting Resolution PC 25-13 and finding the project exempt from further environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act, citing Section 15303 (class 3: conversion of small structures).

Planning staff described the proposal as a conversion of an existing commercial unit on a roughly 6,500-square-foot parcel. The site contains an existing 1,872-square-foot office building; the applicant proposes to operate the recycling operation entirely within the enclosed building with no outdoor collection or transfer of materials. Planning staff noted the city's zoning table (Table 153.050.02) conditionally permits recycling facilities in the C-2 General Commercial zone and that no other recycling facility exists within 3,000 linear feet of the site.

Applicant Joshua Loriano said the business would accept only California Redemption Value (CRV) materials — aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles — and would not accept copper, brass or other non-CRV materials. Loriano said the facility will be monitored by cameras "24/7" and that collected materials would be removed from the site by the end of each business day. "Mainly, it's, the, that, business will be inside of the building in order to avoid the, bad views for the public," Loriano told commissioners.

Staff described several conditions of approval: installation of a floor-drain system meeting health and safety codes; signage prohibiting illegal dumping; a condition requiring the business to remove illegally dumped items adjacent to the property by the end of each business day; and NPDES-related measures to prevent polluted runoff. The applicant said two full-time employees will staff the facility during operating hours, proposed as 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursdays through Tuesdays (closed Wednesdays), and that employees will monitor the parking area to assist traffic flow through the single site entrance from Ramona Boulevard.

Commissioners asked about traffic, noise and illegal dumping. Staff said the use does not meet thresholds requiring a traffic study because recycling facilities have lower parking and traffic rates than many retail uses; staff also noted that code enforcement and the conditions of approval provide enforcement tools if the operation deviates from the approved plan. Staff reported five existing on-site parking spaces. The applicant said he anticipates about "1 or 2" customers every 30 minutes and that an outside attendant will direct customers if the lot is full.

Public speakers offered both concerns and support. Jorge Del Real asked where collected materials would be taken and raised concerns about possible emissions or processing; applicant representatives said materials are taken to another facility for compaction and processing and that no on-site processing (compaction) would occur at the Ramona Boulevard location. Richard Williams, who said he works with the applicant, said the site will collect materials inside and trucks will remove them at the end of each day.

After deliberation, Chair Pena moved to approve and Commissioner Escobosa seconded. The commission voted 4-0 (Chair Pena, Vice Chair Gonzales, Commissioner Escobosa, Commissioner Miranda DeSip) to adopt Resolution PC 25-13 and approve CP 25-03.

Why it matters: The permit allows a small-scale, interior recycling collection point in a commercial corridor where staff concluded the proposal has lower traffic and noise potential than alternative retail uses. Conditions imposed by staff attempt to limit outdoor storage, prevent illegal dumping and assure cleanup and stormwater protections.

Next steps: Staff will file a notice of exemption with the Los Angeles County Clerk's Office. The applicant must secure any required building permits and demonstrate compliance with the conditions of approval and applicable public-works and fire-safety requirements before commencing operations.