Several residents spoke out Thursday about the proposed Valero Benicia Refinery Crude-by-Rail project, which would add train track to the refinery’s own property so Union Pacific could deliver domestic crude oil, replacing some of the oil currently supplied to Valero by oceanic tanker ships.

Residents speaking to the Planning Commission asked that the public get 90 days to evaluate and comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR), rather than the 45 days currently slated. The draft report is scheduled to be released Tuesday.

Once comments are received, staff will write a response and compose a final environmental report, which the Planning Commission will decide whether to adopt or reject, a step in deciding whether the refinery should be issued a use permit for the project.

Before it makes that decision, the commission will conduct a public hearing next month to receive comments from any interested parties.

The panel also may have its own open workshop to receive guidance in reading and analyzing the DEIR, which may be as many as 2,000 pages.

Benicians for a Safe and Healthy Community, an organization that opposes transport of crude oil by rail, will lead its own public airing of the report from 1-4 p.m. June 28 at Benicia Public Library, 150 East First St.

In other matters, the commission advised city staff in their task to develop an ordinance required by the state to accommodate transitional and supportive housing as well as emergency shelters for the homeless.

They preferred a staff alternative that emergency shelters be placed in specific overlays, rather than all parts of residential zones.

Because of the distance the shelters must be from each other, parks, schools and certain other buildings, even a corridor approach wouldn’t work, Million said. Staff had looked at both East and West Military, but discovered the distance restrictions would have prevented shelters from being built on Military West.

The city must accommodate the housing options and put a suitable ordinance in place, or the next edition of its housing element would not receive state approval, Million said.

The commission on Thursday also agreed with the latest draft of its work plan, though its work on the proposed crude-by-rail project and the housing element would prevent the panel from addressing its own plan, such as improving crosswalks and redesigning intersections — as well as revising industrial zones to attract more businesses — until these tasks are completed.

Also Thursday, a majority of the commission sided with city staff in denying Rita Maldonado’s request to open a vehicle license title service in Benicia Industrial Park. Only Suzanne Sprague opposed a motion to deny Maldonado’s appeal of City Manager Brad Kilger’s decision that her business didn’t belong in an industrial district.

“That vote was made with some regret,” Chairperson Donald Dean said. He and several others expressed sympathy with the appellant.

Commissioner Rod Sherry said the vehicle license title company seemed compatible with an industrial zone, but acknowledged the letter of the law. “It’s a heartbreaker,” he said.

Maldonado insisted her company catered to industrial companies that operated commercial trucks, and that her customers would be in the Industrial Park.

While Principal Planner Amy Million said spaces in commercial business districts were found and recommended, Maldonado said many office spaces were too large for a one-person operation or didn’t meet state licensing requirements that mandate her office be accessible to the handicapped.

That meant upstairs offices in the city’s downtown business area and many buildings in the Arsenal that had vacancies would meet the city’s approval, but not that of the state, she said.

“I’m trying to make everybody happy,” she said.

Suite 16 of 3001 Bayshore Road would please the state, but Kilger decided Maldonado’s 3 Step Title and Reg. Service was a business office that didn’t meet the industrial district’s zoning requirements.

The only office operations allowed in the zone are those that are accessories to other businesses, Million explained.

Million told Maldonado she could appeal the Planning Commission’s decision to the City Council.