Fremont planning commission approves 6,000‑sq‑ft George Ranch barn with condition to resolve unpermitted grading first

The Fremont Planning Commission voted to approve a conditional use permit for a 6,000‑square‑foot metal barn on the George Ranch, subject to a requirement that the applicant obtain and secure approval of grading permits for all existing and proposed grading activity that supports the project prior to submittal of a building permit.

Planner Kevin Lee told commissioners the project — a 19‑foot‑high agricultural storage structure proposed for a pad on a roughly 2‑acre portion of a 145‑acre parcel (APN 5077613) — was designed to serve on‑site farming operations and that a consultant found the project eligible for a CEQA class‑3 exemption for small new construction. Lee said staff’s recommendation was to find the project exempt under CEQA and approve the conditional use permit and discretionary design review subject to findings and conditions in Exhibit B.

Owner Chris George and the applicant’s civil engineer,…