Basset-Avocado Advanced Energy Community
2 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2020060344
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
Basset-Avocado Advanced Energy Community
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/26/2023
Document Description
Under grant Agreement EPC-19-006, the California Energy Commission will provide a grant of $9,093,833 to The Energy Coalition to build-out and demonstrate the Basset-Avocado Advanced Energy Community (BAAEC). In the overview, the BAAEC is a new model for providing affordable, locally-produced renewable energy and energy services at scale within a disadvantaged community. The BAAEC will include: 1) a Smart Community Solar to offset the annual electricity load of low-income enrolled participants; 2) a Microgrid Resiliency Hub to provide clean back-up power to the community in emergencies, severe heat days or blackouts; 3) a Prosumer Network consisting of 50 single family homes equipped with solar photovoltaic and battery storage that will be integrated with a Blockchain Community Network Pilot; and 4) a Mobile Grid of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and shared electric mobility options to reduce greenhouse gases and improve air quality.
The grant project's components affecting the physical environment will include: a) Smart Community Solar projects: 0.67 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. b) Microgrid Resiliency Hub, consisting of 250 kilowatt (kW) of solar photovoltaic panels, and a 464 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery storage system.
c) Trenching to connect various project facilities to the distribution-level electrical grid and to meters. d) Mobile Grid of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations built and shared transportation options at locations not yet identified, in the Bassett and Avocado Heights communities. e) Prosumer Network consisting of new, solar PV and battery storage systems at fifty (50) single family homes not yet identified in the Bassett and Avocado Heights communities. Twenty (20) of these homes will also have their water heating systems converted from natural gas to electric heat pumps.
For (a), (b), and part of (c), the solar photovoltaic panels will be on: the rooftops of two storage facilities (9612 Beverly Blvd, and 4344 San Gabriel River Pkwy), new parking canopies over part of the BassettPark parking lot (510 Vineland Ave
The parking canopy solar PV will include drilled piers about 14 feet into the ground, and would stand about 14 feet high.
Beneficiaries of demonstrating the BAAEC project should include the Bassett and Avocado Heights communities, 50 residential customers users of electric vehicles, California's investor-owned electric utilities and their customers (i.e., ratepayers), along with the public at large and the environment.
Contact Information
Name
Michael Ferreira
Agency Name
California Energy Commission
Job Title
EGSS I
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Address
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Cities
La Puente, Pico Rivera
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
Tobias Ave and Beverly Blvd
Zip
90660
Other Location Info
4344 San Gabriel River Pkwy Pico Rivera 90660 (34.052189112715034, -117.9867027407683)
510 Vineland Ave La Puente 91746 (34.00773513078298, -118.06992476265351)
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15301
Reasons for Exemption
The solar photovoltaic panels on the rooftop of the storage facilities and on new parking canopies over part of the park’s parking lot are exempt under California Public Resources Code section 21080.35. This statute exempts from CEQA “the installation of a solar energy system on the roof of an existing building or at an existing parking lot” fitting certain characteristics.
Regarding all the other physical components of the project, CEQA exemptions under California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15301 and 15303 apply. Section 15301, “Existing Buildings” covers the operation, maintenance, permitting, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15303
Reasons for Exemption
Section 15303, “New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures” covers construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; and installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures. The additions of solar PV panels, storage batteries, ancillary equipment, electrical connections, and electric vehicle charging stations under the grant project fall within these parameters.
Regarding local government review, staff of the Department of Regional Planning (Land Development Coordinating Center) of Los Angeles County indicated that only a ministerial review from Los Angeles County would be required (communication dated 4/23/2020), not a discretionary review.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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