After a 2.5 hour meeting on Monday night, the Planning Commission approved a resolution by a vote of 4-1 that moves the application for an electric vehicle charging station at 29 Wildwood Avenue one step closer to full approval by the City Council. The Commission said that the Shell Recharge application, submitted in November 2023, could move forward with some modifications, most notably to limit the hours of operation from 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. — a concession to neighbors who objected to the original 24/7 operation plan. (Commissioner Wayne Rowland, the one “no” vote said he believed that limiting the hours of operation was a missed opportunity that would discourage local EV adoption. )
Shell Recharge submitted applications for a conditional use permit, non-residential sign design review permit, and design review permit to the city on Nov. 9, 2023, and an application for a variance from setback requirements on Jan. 25, 2024. The project would replace what had long been a gas and auto repair station.
In written correspondence over the past year to the city and at Monday’s meeting, residents who live near the site largely supported the EV charging destination but objected to, among other things, the 24/7 operation plan, expressing concerns about noise, traffic, and crime in the overnight hours at what would be an unattended site.
Shell representatives at Monday’s meeting sought to allay concerns about a 24/7 operation, saying that providing round the clock service would assure equitable access to all and assuage “range anxiety” concerns that were often cited as an obstacle to EV adoption. They also said that the site’s security cameras would be monitored 24/7 — either via an in-house team or a third party vendor. However, under questioning by Commissioners, the representatives acknowledged that while Shell had 12-13 EV Recharge sites in the U.S. pipeline, none were operational and therefore there was as yet no current data available regarding how these sites actually operated.
The Commission adopted the resolution with the following conditions:
*The facility’s operational hours be limited to 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.;
*The site’s power equipment area be enclosed with planting or fencing to buffer noise;
*Site maintenance conditions include an adequate response time and procedures, safety response times, subject to staff review and approval
*The site’s signage be adjusted to conform to city design guidelines; i.e., limiting the number of signs to one sign per facade, and that they be in proportion in relation to canopy.
*Include a tree preservation plan
The Commission also recommended that prior to the City Council meeting, Shell representatives provide a written statement from PG&E confirming that it was not possible to underground electrical equipment, a measure that residents had hoped could help mitigate noise, vibration, and EMF emissions in the area.