REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Jason Simpson, City Manager
Prepared by:Damaris Abraham, Community Development Director Date:December 9, 2025
Subject:Professional Services Agreement with T&B Planning, Inc. for Environmental Documentation for the West Nichols Logistics Center Project
Recommendation
Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute an Agreement for Professional Services with T&B Planning, Inc. to prepare California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance documents in the amount not to exceed $256,365.00, in such final form as approved by the City Attorney.
Background
The City of Lake Elsinore serves as the lead agency to evaluate the environmental impacts of development projects proposed within the City. The Community Development Department is responsible for the preparation of the necessary information and, depending on the scope and size of the project, will either prepare the environmental documents in-house or have a consultant prepare the documents and studies. The project applicant (Alberhill Development, LLC), through the application fee process, pays for the cost of preparing the environmental analysis.
Discussion
The applicant has submitted an entitlement application for a General Plan Amendment, the Third Amendment to the Murdock Alberhill Ranch Specific Plan (MARSP), Zone Change, Industrial Design Review, and Tentative Tract Map primarily affecting an approximately 60.6-acre property located southeast of the intersection of Nichols Road at Terra Cotta Road (APNs: 389-110-011, 389-100-030, -032, -034, 389-080-036, -037, 038, -039, -057, 390-130-006, -016, -038, -039, -040, and 043).
The project proposes the development of a 1,054,794 sq. ft. logistics center and associated site improvements. In addition, previously planned residential units are proposed to be transferred to other planning areas in conformance with the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (SB 330).
T&B Planning – West Nichols Logistics Center Project
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It is anticipated that the proposed application will require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The project will require several technical studies to be prepared including Air Quality, Biological Resources Assessment, Energy, Greenhouse Gas, Health Risk Assessment, Noise and Vibration Assessment, Cultural Resources Assessment, Paleontological Resources Assessment, Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, Geotechnical/Soils Evaluation, Utility/Services System Study, Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Analysis, and Wildfire Protection Plan and Report. LSA will utilize the above technical studies to prepare a detailed analysis for the project as required by CEQA.
Fiscal Impact
The cost of preparing the environmental review will be paid by fees collected from the developer through the City’s cost recovery program. All staff administrative time and consultant costs are paid from the applicant’s fees. No General Fund budgets will be allocated or used for the completion of the CEQA documents for the project.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – Agreement
Exhibit A – Proposal
Community Development