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Planning commission approves Volcano Telephone Company CUP for private corporation yard in Wilseyville
Summary
The Calaveras County Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit allowing Volcano Telephone Company to operate a private corporation yard at 4233 Blizzard Mine Road in Wilseyville, subject to conditions including CEQA exemption, building and fire permits, a hazardous materials business plan to EMA, five parking spaces, and limits on cleared acreage and building size.
The Calaveras County Planning Commission on Dec. 11 approved a conditional use permit for Volcano Telephone Company to operate a private corporation yard at 4233 Blizzard Mine Road in Wilseyville.
Staff presentation: John, a planning staff member, told commissioners the 11.99-acre parcel (APN 010019041) would be used to store emergency-response materials, equipment and vehicles in an existing 1,500-square-foot metal building and a cleared staging area. He said the applicant intends to store Phos-Chek fire retardant and place a 1,000-gallon above-ground propane tank to fill smaller tanks for generators during power outages. "Staff recommends that planning commission take the following action. First, find the project exempt from CEQA. Second, approve planning commission resolution 2025-015 approving conditional use permit 2024-081 to operate a private corporation yard in the RA zone at APN 010019041," Speaker 5 said.
Safety and permits: Commissioners pressed staff on the safety implications of a 1,000-gallon propane tank and whether that weight of fuel should affect the CEQA exemption. Commissioner Speaker 3 said he had researched explosion risk and asked how staff concluded the project would not have a significant environmental effect. Planning staff and other speakers said building and fire codes, the building permit process, and oversight by the county Environmental Management Agency (EMA) would govern tank design and operations. Staff explained that tanks up to about 1,000 gallons are commonly treated similar to large residential tanks and that the building permit review and a required hazardous materials business plan to EMA would require design and containment measures. "So they will be required to get a hazardous materials, business plan from our county EMA, who will continually regulate and inspect those tanks," Speaker 5 said.
Conditions and site limits: Commissioners proposed and agreed on edits to the resolution to limit operations to the approved site plan and to clarify allowable area and building size. The commission discussed increasing the allowed cleared area from 0.5 acre to 1 acre of previously cleared land and permitting the existing 1,500-square-foot building plus up to 1,000 square feet of additional enclosed building (a total up to 2,500 square feet) so modest future additions would not require a new CUP. County code parking standards were cited as requiring one parking space per fleet vehicle; the applicant described five fleet vehicles, which generated a condition requiring five parking spaces. Staff noted alternatives to paving — durable, dust-free surfaces could be approved through Public Works where appropriate.
Final action and appeals: Speaker 3 moved to approve the amended resolution and Speaker 5 seconded. The motion passed with the recorded result "Motion passes 4 0 1 0." Staff advised the decision is final unless appealed to the Board of Supervisors within 15 calendar days.
What this means: The permit allows Volcano Telephone Company to operate a corporation yard for emergency-response staging, subject to building, fire and EMA hazardous-materials requirements and the site and operational limits specified in the approved resolution. Any expansion beyond the approved site plan or increases in storage/operations would require return to the planning commission for modification of the CUP.
