Planning Commission approves Pactrack 'green operation' CUP with conditions, flags traffic and school dismissal concerns

The South Gate Planning Commission voted on May 5 to approve Conditional Use Permit No. 26-01 and PL No. 26-0007 to convert an existing truck dealership at 10000 Atlantic Avenue into a truck parking and charging facility proposed by Pactrack (owner: Nabil Hazo).

Staff described the project as a “green operation” consisting of 20 electric box-truck parking stalls, three guest spaces, a two-story office/storage addition to an existing ~800 sq ft office, a roughly 13,000-square-foot solar-panel parking canopy with on-site battery energy storage, perimeter landscaping and a wrought-iron screening fence. The site is zoned M2 and lies within the Tweedy Boulevard Specific Plan. Staff recommended the Planning Commission adopt a CEQA Class 32 categorical exemption (§15332) for infill development and adopted a set of conditions covering design, operations and monitoring.

Applicant Nabil Hazo said the plan replaces diesel operations with electric trucks, argued the surrounding census tract has high pollution burdens (he cited the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 tool and said the local score is at the high tier) and said he has applied for grants (California Energy Commission, SCAQMD, HVIP) to fund charging infrastructure and truck procurement. “We’re going to repurpose that and create a sustainable operation where we’re going to install…our own energy,” Hazo said, adding he had released about $200,000 toward the property purchase and aims to complete the project by the end of 2027.

Commission discussion and public comments emphasized traffic and school-safety concerns. Staff’s traffic memo reported low projected trip generation but Public Works and several commissioners expressed reservations that the applicant’s trip estimates might understate peak impacts, especially because the proposed dispatch time initially coincided with afternoon dismissal at nearby Legacy High and a middle school. Public Works (Dolly Seda) reminded the commission an encroachment into the public right-of-way had been identified previously and said staff would require the owner to resolve any encroachment issues as a condition of approval.

Key conditions adopted with the approval include: restricting the facility to the applicant’s box trucks (EV only); prohibiting subleasing and third-party truck parking; banning washing, repair and overnight storage of trailers/containers; landscaping and a 10-foot planting setback with tree and shrub requirements; screening and covered trash enclosure; and monitoring by the city engineer with authority to require operational changes if traffic impacts materialize (condition noted in agenda materials as Condition 74). The resolution also requires the applicant to sign all conditions within 30 days before building permit issuance.

After the roll call vote (Commissioner Castaneda yes; Commissioner Osaeta/Olseata no; Vice Chairperson Prieto yes) the motion passed. Commissioners and staff recorded on the record that the applicant agreed to work with staff to shift dispatch/departure times away from school dismissal; the minutes show the Planning Manager will coordinate a later commencement time (target between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. or later) to reduce overlap with school pick-up.

The applicant said construction timing depends on grant awards but that limited preliminary work (sidewalk improvements) could start sooner. The applicant also cited partnerships (Los Angeles Clean Energy Incubator) and said some construction is planned to ready the site for EV operations and participation in LA28 preparations.

Next steps: the applicant must agree in writing to the conditions within 30 days; staff and Public Works will finalize permit details (signage, detailed truck-circulation mitigation) and the city engineer will monitor operations and may impose additional restrictions if impacts are documented.