Loomis Planning Commission approves recycler for Raley's parking lot

Despite concerns about attracting homeless people to Loomis, Town officials approved a CRV cash recycler for the Raley's parking lot. After an hour of discussion Dec. 16, the Loomis Planning Commission voted 4-1 to permit Ivan's Recycling to put up a shed with a pay kiosk in the shopping center parking lot at Horseshoe Bar Road and Interstate 80. The nearest "cash-for-cans" recyclers are in Lincoln and Roseville, officials said. "We've missed having a place here. It's been a while," said Commissioner Jean Wilson. Much of the lengthy discussion focused on what many recycle depots end up becoming in urban areas – basically a magnet for drug-addicted homeless, pushing shopping carts full of cans, bottles and everything else they own. "We don't want to attract people who use recycling as a means of employment to be hanging around Loomis loitering," said Chair Tim Onderko. "We're trying to keep that kind of element out of Loomis, as hard as it is in California. And Auburn has a lot of overflow." "That's the image, homeless people coming," said Wilson. "We don't have a homeless population that's likely to do that, and there's not an easy way to get around Loomis with a shopping cart because we don't have sidewalks." Like the Citrus Heights Ivan's location, shopping carts full of cans, etc., will not be accepted, according to the conditions. Ivan's also runs a 5,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in Fair Oaks. "I don't see that being an issue at all," said company spokesperson Jacie Leavitt at the meeting. "If it is, it's something that we will be sure to take care of." The location was first pitched for three parking spaces near the Tesla chargers at the Raley's entrance. "It's a bad location," said Commissioner Linda Kelly, who preferred the loading area behind the supermarket already used for cardboard recycling. After talk of postponing the matter a month to search for a better spot, the commission finally voted 4-1 to grant a permit and design review, with a move to the southwest corner of the lot, or wherever else shopping center management and Town staff prefer. Onderko, who earlier suggested a 24-month pilot program, voted against. Staff assured the commission the Town has the power to revoke the permit after three complaints of violations. Officials stressed that the shopping center also has "a lot of eyes" to report any unlawful activity. The plan calls for a 285 square-foot recycling shed in a 460 square-foot leased area. Glass, plastic and aluminum will be collected and sorted for CRV redemption onsite. The 18.9'x18.8'x9.6' rectangular building proposed will feature four roll-up doors on three sides. The interior space will include sorting bins, an electric scale and conveyor system with a "reverse vending machine." The shed would operate 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The station would be closed on Sundays and holidays. Incoming material would be hauled off once a day via box truck. The project would employ one or two people, performing daily site cleaning with a weekly power wash, said Leavitt, who also lives nearby. "Most of our employees are high school students," she added.