A 44-space parking lot for I.C. Refrigeration received the blessings of the Ceres Planning Commission last week.

The company had to win approval of a site plan to build the lot on vacant industrial park ground owned by the company at 2305 Rockefeller Drive. The lot will be located 60 feet west of its company building.

I.C. is also looking to add onto its existing operations building.

Last year, Richard Imfeld came to the city to discuss the possibility of adding 1,500 square foot to I.C. Refrigeration's existing building at 2216 Rockefeller Drive and a parking lot at the applicant's vacant lot of 2305 Rockefeller Drive to accommodate the company's truck parking. The city informed Imfeld that if the proposed addition resulted in a loss of parking spaces, then he would need to demonstrate that the site could accommodate additional parking spaces on the property. The applicant commented that he would have to take about five of the 15 existing parking spaces, but that additional parking spaces could be provided in other areas of the property. The applicant also desired to construct a parking lot at the company's vacant lot to accommodate more company related vehicles.

The city said it was possible to add on to the existing building through a simple building permit process but that the parking lot on the applicant's vacant property required approval of a Site Plan Approval (SPA) entitlement from the Planning Commission.

On Nov. 22 I.C. filed a building permit application to construct 1,470 square feet of new space for the manufacturing of products.

Although the building addition will be removing five parking spaces, the applicant has demonstrated to the satisfaction of staff that the 2216 Rockefeller Drive site has sufficient land area to accommodate five or more parking spaces if a different land use (needing additional parking area) replaces the current business operation.