Greenbark 30 Battery Energy Storage System Project (Viajero Battery Storage)
Unaddressed parcel at the northern terminus of  Viajero Drive;
Assessor Parcel Number 079-210-053. 
Case No(s). 24-0001-GPA, 24-0002-DRB, 24-0002-ORD, 24-0002-CUP, 24-0007-DP

POSTED DATE: December 11, 2026

Greenbark 30 Battery Energy Storage System Project (Viajero Battery Storage) Notice of Availability of Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND).

The City has prepared a Draft IS/MND to study the impacts of the below described project that is located in the Inland Area on property with use designations of General Commercial (C-G). The Applicant is requesting a General Plan Amendment and Rezone from C-G to Office and Institutional (I-OI) and a Conditional Use Permit to allow the battery storage facility.

The Draft IS/MND evaluates the project’s impacts on the issue areas listed in CEQA Guidelines Appendix G Checklist which are:

• Aesthetics
• Agriculture and Forestry Resources
• Air Quality
• Biological Resources
• Cultural Resources
• Energy
• Geology and Soils
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Hazards and Hazardous Materials
• Hydrology and Water Quality
• Land Use and Planning
• Noise
• Population and Housing
• Public Services
• Recreation
• Transportation
• Tribal Cultural Resources
• Utilities and Service Systems
• Wildfire

PUBLIC REVIEW OF THE INITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED DESIGNATED DECLARATION (IS/MND):

The public comment period for the IS/MND begins on December 11, 2025, and will end on January 9, 2026 (30 days).

All Comments must be received no later than January 9, 2026 at 5:00P.M.  Please limit comments to environmental issues.  When possible please use email tlee@cityofgoleta.gov to submit public comment.

Project Description:

The proposal generally includes, but is not limited to:

1.  Requested change to the parcel's General Plan land use designation and zoning form General Commercial (C-G) to Office and Institutional (I-OI).
2.  Approval of Major Conditional Use Permit to allow the Major Utilities use (battery storage) as outlined in 3 and 4.
3.  Placement of 36 Tesla Megapack 2 XL battery units that are 28'-10.5" wide by 5'-5" long 9'-2" tall to provide up to 30 MW of stored power.
4.  Construction of an 8' tall ornamental no-climb fencing with landscape screening on the north, south, and eastern property lines.

The project was filed by Tim Murphy, ERM on behalf of Scale Microgrids, LLC

Location:

The project is located at an unaddressed parcel at the northern terminus of Viajero Drive, Goleta, CA 93117. The Assessor's Parcel Number (APN) for the site is 079-210-053.  The site is located in the Inland Area and is currently designated as General Commercial in the General Plan and on the zoning map.

Staff Contact:    Travis Lee, Associate Planner
                               tlee@cityofgoleta.gov
                                805-562-5528

Documents:

• Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND)
• Draft IS/MND Public Comments

Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND):

• Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND):

Draft IS/MND by Chapter

_Cover and TOC
01 Executive Summary - Mitigated Negative Declaration
02 Environmental Determination
03 Introduction to the Initial Study
04 Project Description
05 Environmental Analysis and
5.1 Aesthetics
5.2 Agriculture and Forestry Resources
5.3 Air Quality
5.4 Biological Resources
5.5 Cultural Resources
5.6 Energy
5.7 Geology and Soils
5.8 Greenhouse Gas Emissions
5.9 Hazards and Hazardous Materials
5.10  Hydrology and Water Quality
5.11 Land Use and Planning
5.12 Mineral Resources
5.13 Noise
5.14 Population and Housing
5.15 Public Services
5.16 Recreation
5.17 Transportation
5.18 Tribal Cultural Resources
5.19 Utilities and Service Systems
5.20 Wildfire
5.21 Mandatory Findings of Significance
06 Mitigation Monitoring Plan (MMP)

Appendices 

Appendix A - List of Preparers
Appendix B - References
Appendix C - Visual Renderings
Appendix D - Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Report
Appendix E - Biological and Aquatic Resources Technical Report
Appendix F - CONFIDENTIAL Cultural Resources Report - on file with the Planning Department
Appendix G - Geotechnical Report 
Appendix H - Hazard Risk Assessment
Appendix I - Drainage Analysis
Appendix J - Stormwater Control Plan
Appendix K - Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)
Appendix L - Noise Assessment Report
Appendix M - Noise and Vibration Modeling Report
Appendix N - Traffic, Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Parking Study