Mega Warehouses Coming To Lake Elsinore, Councilmember Magee Says

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — "Make no mistake, we are in the line of this type of development," Lake Elsinore City Councilmember Bob Magee said Tuesday night of mega warehouses coming to the city.

"When, not if, ... a project of this size is successfully submitted" in Lake Elsinore's "sensitive areas," guidelines should be in place "to raise the bar," he said.

During Tuesday night's City Council meeting, a public hearing was set to take place about such policies, but the hearing was pushed back to March 28 to allow the community more time to weigh in on the matter.

Only one local resident, Ace Vallejos, offered input Tuesday night on the proposed "Good Neighbor Policy." The policy aims to address large warehouse/logistic centers — 250,000 square feet or larger — near "sensitive receptors," which are defined as residential areas, schools, daycare facilities, hospitals, senior/assisted living homes, churches and outdoor recreational areas.

"This policy will ensure that larger-scale warehousing, logistics, and distribution projects will be designed and operated in order to mitigate negative impacts on sensitive receptors and the environment," according to city documents.

Development of mega warehouses inside the city's industrial zones — away from sensitive areas — would not be held to the Good Neighbor Policy, Magee said.

The Inland Empire has experienced significant growth in the warehousing, logistics and distribution industries. By most accounts, market conditions for the sector remain strong in the Inland Empire and demand for more mega-sites will increase in the region.

"As neighboring communities reach significant levels of build-out, it is anticipated that Lake Elsinore will become an increasingly attractive location for these market segments," according to city documents.

Ontario, Eastvale, Fontana, Moreno Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass Area are just some of the Inland Empire areas now burgeoning with logistics facilities. Some argue a public health state of emergency is occurring due to the "unchecked escalation of warehouse growth."

A balancing act is underway in Lake Elsinore. The city is vast — 38.24 square miles, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data — making it attractive to developers.

The warehousing/logistics sector promises to increase city coffers, but at what price?

The Good Neighbor Policy would not replace the required application and environmental review processes for developers, but instead adds a layer designed to "help minimize potential impacts to sensitive receptors" in Lake Elsinore, according to city documents.

Magee expressed disappointment in Tuesday night's low turnout. He proposed the Good Neighbor Policy idea in June, and the following month he got the council's backing. Magee and Councilmember Steve Manos were tapped to work with city staff to come up with a draft policy.

Stakeholders, like developers and the Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce, balked, however. They wanted a say, according to Magee.

Fast-forward to Tuesday night, and Vallejos was the only community member to comment on the draft policy that emerged. Vallejos called for more environmental review.

"Since there was no additional public input in the last seven months, I think it's a good idea to pause," Magee said, noting the next six weeks will allow more time for people to weigh in.

Magee promised that both he and Manos will make themselves available if people have questions and/or concerns about the draft policy. Community members can send comments directly to the councilmembers via email.

Below is detail about the Good Neighbor Policy, including the draft. If the information is not visible, click here: