The City Council decided not to take a vote Monday regarding a proposal to build an RV storage facility near First Street, citing concerns that nearby residents may not be aware of the impact the project could have on their neighborhoods.

"My gut tells me that if I knew (RVs) were going to come down Callahan or Alviso or Graham, I would have an issue with that," Councilmember Steve Sojka said, referring to the streets surrounding the project site. "I know that these residents aren't going to be happy with RVs coming down their street."

Mayor Paul Miller agreed, adding that residents may think the project is just an extension of a separate RV storage facility located west of the project site.

According to staff, standard protocol was followed for notifying residents. However, the notices sent to residents did not specify that the recreational vehicles would be using residential streets to access the facility.

Because of this, the public hearing on the project has been continued until Mon., May 11 in hopes that more residents will speak out—favorably or unfavorably—on the project.

The council was hearing the proposal because Sojka and fellow council member Michelle Foster had appealed a previous decision by the planning commission to approve the project.

On Feb. 18, the planning commission voted 3-2 to approve the application for a conditional-use permit to build an 84space recreational vehicle storage facility at the southwest corner of Callahan Avenue and Alviso Street.

Of concern to the council is access. As proposed, recreational vehicles including motor homes, travel trailers and boats towed by trucks would access the site through the singlefamily residential neighborhoods east of First Street and south of Cochran Street. The driveway for the facility would be on the curve that joins Alviso Street and Callahan Avenue.

In January, Neighborhood Council No. 2 reviewed the project and recommended approval contingent upon providing alternatives for entering and exiting the facility.

According to city staff, when the RV facility to the west was approved, there was a provision that efforts be made to form an access agreement should the property to the east be developed. However, the current applicant, the Carlisi Family Trust, and the owner of the existing facility, Thomas J. Treinen of Simi Valley Partners LLC, have not been able to reach an agreement.

Such an agreement would allow access through the existing RV facility.

"We tried to get together with Mr. Treinen. The bottom line is, we're competition," said Frank Carlisi, adding that they have tried everything, including offering to sell their property.

Though the city required the two parties to work in good faith, City Attorney Tracy Noonan said those types of conditions are difficult to enforce because they require a property owner to be burdened for the benefit of another property owner.

Some council members expressed a desire to deny the project due to the access issue, but Noonan said the council must allow some type of use of the property based on its current zoning, which is light industrial.

Of all the uses allowed in that zone, the proposed RV facility would generate the least amount of traffic, staff said.

While Foster agreed with her colleagues that it was not good planning on the city's part, she believes the council has no choice but to approve the project.

"There is a fine line between property owner rights, which we are required to uphold by law, and residential quality of life, which is a concern and a responsibility we have as well," she said. "So the way I see it, we have no choice but to approve it . . . because this has the lowest impact on the community." • An applicant has requested a conditional-use permit from the city to build an 84-space recreational vehicle storage facility at the southwest corner of Callahan Avenue and Alviso Street. • According to the proposal, RVs accessing the facility would have to use residential streets. • The City Council has delayed its final vote on the issue until a second public hearing can be held May 11.