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Piedmont council approves Shell Recharge hub with restricted hours, security and testing conditions
Summary
The council conditionally approved four permits for Shell’s 14‑stall EV hub at 29 Wildwood Ave but adopted planning‑commission hour limits (6 a.m.–10 p.m.), required a security plan approved by police, an air‑compressor amenity and pre‑opening noise testing.
Piedmont’s City Council voted unanimously to approve four permit applications from Shell Recharge to convert the former Wildwood Avenue gas station into a 14‑stall electric vehicle charging hub, subject to conditions intended to limit neighborhood impacts.
The permits include a conditional‑use permit, a design‑review permit, a nonresidential sign permit and a variance to allow canopy placement near the street setback. Council members accepted planning‑commission recommendations that reduced operating hours from the applicant’s proposed 24/7 to 6 a.m.–10 p.m., and added conditions that require a security plan reviewed by the police chief and planning director, require an air‑compressor amenity for drivers and mandate that all conditions be met before final inspection or issuance of a certificate of occupancy. Staff said the project will also be subject to the city’s 50‑decibel limit measured at the nearest property line and that building permits will require noise calculations and post‑installation testing.
Supporters and the applicant framed 24/7 access as an equity issue for renters and residents without home charging. Shell representative Lydell Laurel said the company aims to provide a “fast, reliable, convenient” charging experience and highlighted letters from residents who said off‑street charging is essential. Opponents focused on site context, equipment noise and maintenance concerns. Resident Don Daire said Shell’s record raised doubts: “The Shell representatives are not our new neighbors. They’re salesmen,” and urged binding operational commitments.
Staff and the applicant addressed technical concerns in the public hearing: LSA Associates, which prepared the initial study/mitigated negative declaration, told council that benzene detected in soil gas samples was evaluated with a tier‑2 assessment and found below commercial thresholds and that vibration and noise monitoring plans will be required. Applicants said PG&E has broad constraints on undergrounding certain equipment for safety and serviceability and described the proposed chargers and power cabinets as passively cooled in normal Bay Area conditions, with fans operating only in extreme events.
The approval directs staff to prepare and enforce the project’s mitigation monitoring and reporting program and schedules the conditional‑use permit for an initial review per code (two‑year check‑in).
