2 5
6 2
CITY OF MENIFEE
SUBJECT: Northern Gateway Logistics Center Warehouse Project MEETING DATE: May 14, 2025
TO: Planning Commission
PREPARED BY: Brandon Cleary, Associate Planner
REVIEWED BY: Orlando Hernandez, Acting Community Development Director
APPROVED BY: Orlando Hernandez, Acting Community Development Director
APPLICANT: Lovett Industrial
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Adopt a resolution certifying the Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse No. 2021110379), adopt the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program and direct staff to file a Notice of Determination; and
2. Adopt a resolution approving Plot Plan No. PLN23-0040 generally located south of Ethanac Road, east of Evans Road, west of Barnett Road, and north of McLaughlin Road.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Plot Plan (PP) No. PLN23-0040 includes the development of two speculative warehouses.
Building 1 (northern building) is 45 feet 1 inch in height and includes 99,326 square feet of warehousing space with 6,000 square feet of office space for a total of 105,326 square feet.
Building 2 is 45 feet 7 inches in height and includes 277,715 square feet of warehousing space, 8,000 square feet of office space and a 7,000 square-foot mezzanine for a total of 292,715 square feet. Both warehouses have a combined total of 398,041 square feet. Additional improvements include a parking lot and loading docks, ornamental landscaping, associated onsite infrastructure, and construction of offsite street improvements.
The Project would include 52 dock-high doors (15 on Building 1 and 37 on Building 2) and four grade-level truck doors (two per building). Approximately 15 trailer stalls (including dock spaces) are provided on the truck court on Building 1 and 78 trailer stalls are provided on Building 2 within areas secured by sliding gates. The proposed Project would also provide 108 passenger car parking spaces on Building 1’s site and 244 on Building 2’s site. Access to the site would be
City of Menifee Planning Commission
Northern Gateway Logistics Center Warehouse
May 14, 2025
provided by one driveway on Barnett Road and three driveways on Evans Road. Access to the Evans Road driveways will be provided by Ethanac Road and the proposed westbound driveway on the southern end of the Project site.
The Project would also include approximately 106,512 square feet (approximately 13 percent of the Project site) of ornamental landscaping, split between the two building sites. Building 1 proposes 35,374 square feet of landscaping totaling approximately 15 percent of the site and Building 2 proposes 71,138 square feet of landscaping totaling approximately 12 percent of the Building 2 site.
The truck courts will have an 11-foot-tall screen wall along the flood channel and at the entries to screen the truck court from public view.
The Project would also include various road and utility improvements along the southern, eastern and western project frontages.
LOCATION
The Project is generally located south of Ethanac Road, east of Evans Road, west of Barnett Road, and north of McLaughlin Road within the City of Menifee (City), County of Riverside, State of California (Assessor Parcel Numbers [APNs]: 331-060-007, 331-060-008, 331-060-030, 331- 060-023, and 331-060-020).
Project Location
City of Menifee Planning Commission
Northern Gateway Logistics Center Warehouse
May 14, 2025
GENERAL PLAN/ZONE
General Plan
The General Plan land use designation for the Project site is Economic Development Corridor – Northern Gateway (EDC-NG) which is intended to provide economic vitality and flexibility in land use options to promote economic development along the City’s major corridors. Surrounding Land Use designations and existing uses can be found below in Table 1. The Project’s proposed industrial use is consistent with the existing land use designation.
Zoning
The underlying zoning classification is EDC-NG. The existing zoning of the Project site allows for the development of industrial and warehousing-related uses with which the proposed Project is consistent.
General Plan Map Zoning Map
TABLE 1 – Surrounding Land Uses
Location Existing Land Use General Plan Land Zoning Classification Use
North Vacant undeveloped
land EDC-NG EDC-NG
East Vacant undeveloped
land and City of Perris
EDC-NG and City of
Perris
EDC-NG and City of
Perris
South
Southern California
Edison (SCE) utility
corridor
Public Utility Corridor
(PUC)
Public Utility Corridor
(PUC)
West Vacant undeveloped
land EDC-NG EDC-NG
City of Menifee Planning Commission
Northern Gateway Logistics Center Warehouse
May 14, 2025
DISCUSSION
The Project Applicant (Lovett Industrial) is proposing the development of two speculative warehouse buildings totaling approximately 398,041 square feet.
Proposed Site Plan
Circulation and Parking
Regional Project access would be from I-215 via Ethanac Road. Local access would be provided via Barnett Road and Evans Road. Project site ingress and egress would be via three driveways on Evans Road and one driveway on Barnett Road. The southernmost and northernmost driveways would provide access for passenger automobiles (shown with blue arrows above), while the middle access point on Evans Road would provide access to all vehicles (shown with the orange arrow). The one access point on Barnett Road will also allow all vehicles. While there are shared access points, trucks would not be allowed to circulate through the majority of the passenger vehicle parking areas. The City of Menifee Development Code outlines the parking requirements for the Project. As demonstrated in Table 2, the Project meets the City’s parking requirements.
TABLE 2 – Parking Summary
Development Code Parking Requirements
Building No. Parking Required Parking Provided Total
1 (northern building) 120 108*
2 (southern building) 269 243* 351
Total: 389 351
*Total includes a 10% reduction for providing roadway improvements and dedications that exceed the recommendations from the traffic study.
City of Menifee Planning Commission
Northern Gateway Logistics Center Warehouse
May 14, 2025
Using the City’s Parking and Loading Standards, the warehouse building would require 389 off- street parking spaces. The Project includes a total of 351 proposed off-site parking spaces. (Note truck/trailer parking is not included within these totals.) Section 9.215.070 (“Alternative Programs for Parking”) allows for a reduction in the required number of off-street parking stalls if specific alternative programs/improvements are provided.
This Section allows for parking reductions to be combined for a maximum reduction of 15 percent of the required parking standard. The proposed Site Plan would only need a reduction of 10 percent (389 required, 351 provided). The Applicant is requesting this 10 percent reduction. This would be allowed under Section 9.215.070, because the Project provides roadway improvements and/or dedication that exceed those recommended by a traffic study (i.e., the Project’s southerly driveway) (five percent reduction credit) and the Project involves lot consolidation totaling a minimum of five acres (five percent reduction credit).
The 10 percent reduction results in a total requirement of 351 spaces; therefore, with the 10 percent reduction, the Project would meet its parking requirement.
Infrastructure Improvements
Onsite and Frontage Improvements
The Project Applicant would be responsible for the construction of public infrastructure improvements. Evans Road would be improved along the Project frontage to an Industrial Collector designation (two-lane). The improvement will include the necessary offsite transitions.
Barnett Road would be improved along the Project frontage to a Secondary Undivided (four-lane) designation. The improvement will include the necessary offsite transitions. The driveway along Barnett Road will have full access.
The Project will include a drive aisle along the southern project frontage to the ultimate width of 32 feet (curb-to-curb), with parkway as shown on the site plan and conceptual landscaping plan.
Offsite Improvements
The Project Applicant is required to construct Evans Road beyond the northern frontage of the Project to Ethanac Road to an interim condition of two 12-foot lanes, with six-foot paved shoulders, as detailed in the tentative site plans. The Project Applicant is also required to improve the intersection of Evans Road and Ethanac Road to a condition that allows for adequate turning movements for ingress and egress. This includes the creation of a westbound left turn and eastbound right turn pockets and construction of a traffic signal.
Road and Bridge Benefit District (RBBD), Fair Share Contributions, and Other Improvements The Project has also been conditioned to participate in the formation of the RBBD and is required to pay the RBBD fees based on the designated land use and areas prior to the issuance of a building permit.
Fair share cost participation would be required for off-site intersections including Evans Road at Ethanac Road intersection, I-215 Southbound Ramps at Ethanac Road, I-215 Northbound Ramps at Ethanac Road, the Evans Road to Case Road segment on Ethanac Road, the Case Road to I-215 Southbound Ramp segment on Ethanac Road, and the I-215 Southbound Ramp to I-215 City of Menifee Planning Commission
Northern Gateway Logistics Center Warehouse
May 14, 2025
Northbound Ramps on Ethanac Road. Utility improvements would be constructed which includes new water lines, recycled water lines, sewer, and storm drain lines.
Storm Drain Facility
A storm drain facility/line is currently installed under the Project site. The Project will be relocating the existing storm drain line within the Project site to align with the truck court for ease of access and maintenance.
Landscaping
Landscape standards for the Project are outlined in the City’s Development Code. A minimum of 10 percent of the Project site must be landscaped per the Economic Development Corridor requirements. Irrigated onsite landscaped areas for the Project site would total approximately 105,837 square feet (13 percent of the site) and would be comprised of drought-tolerant shrubs and groundcover and evergreen and deciduous trees. The conceptual landscape plan includes trees at the perimeter, street frontages, parking areas, and adjacent to the building to soften the edges of the development and the proposed building. In addition, the landscape and architectural plans feature site amenities that coordinate and complement the proposed Project, including outdoor break areas, benches, tables, bike racks, and trash receptacles. The trailer parking areas are screened from Evans Road and Barnett Road by large, landscaped setbacks and intervening passenger car parking areas as can be seen in the image below.
Conceptual Landscape Plan
City of Menifee Planning Commission
Northern Gateway Logistics Center Warehouse
May 14, 2025
Screening
On the Project’s northerly and southerly sides of the warehouse building, an approximately 260 foot long, 11-foot-tall, decorative concrete wall would be constructed to screen all loading areas from the east from public view. Screen walls and gates are also proposed at each entrance to the truck court for additional screening from public view. The visual height of the walls will be reduced as viewed from the outside through the use of landscaped berms, perimeter screening trees, and the truck courts’ lower elevations. As shown in the conceptual landscape plan, the intent is to provide landscape coverage with a variety of trees, shrubs and ground cover to soften the wall and to provide a more aesthetically pleasing street scene.
In addition, the conceptual landscape plans propose screen trees along the wall at the entries and exits of the truck courts, which are anticipated to grow above the height of the wall and further screen views into the facility. Furthermore, evergreen shrubs and vines are proposed along the exterior of the screen walls. The screen wall facing the flood channel will not include landscaping on the exterior (facing flood channel).
Screen Wall at Truck Court Entries
Screen Wall at Flood Channel (260 feet long)
Elevations
The proposed building has unique design features as well as shared architectural elements with approved industrial developments within the northern section of the City to provide for cohesive development. There are complementing roof forms, colors, and materials. The various colors include white, multiple variations of gray and wood accent material. The building will include significant glazing with black aluminum mullions. Visual interest is maintained throughout the Project by enhancing architectural detailing and façade articulation along all building elevations to reduce any large blank sections of walls.
Building 1 North Elevation
City of Menifee Planning Commission
Northern Gateway Logistics Center Warehouse
May 14, 2025
Building 1 West Elevation
Building 1 South Elevation (truck court)
Building 1 East Elevation
Building 2 North Elevation
Building 2 West Elevation
Building 2 South Elevation
City of Menifee Planning Commission
Northern Gateway Logistics Center Warehouse
May 14, 2025
Building 2 East Elevation
Industrial Good Neighbor Policies
On March 2, 2022, the City Council adopted the Industrial Good Neighbor Policies. The focus of the policies can be summarized in three sections:
1. Minimize impacts to sensitive uses (residential, schools, parks, nursing homes, hospitals)
2. Protect public health, safety and welfare by regulating design, location and operations
3. Protect neighborhood character of adjacent residential communities When reviewing the proposed Project, the Industrial Good Neighbor Policies were referenced to ensure a compliant project. Implemented policies include added landscape buffers, screen walls, improved building design, community outreach, increased building and loading dock setbacks, on-site truck queuing, on-site signage, and environmental mitigation measures.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
Notice of Preparation (NOP)
On June 21, 2023, the City of Menifee publicly noticed its decision to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and hold a public scoping meeting for the Project by noticing the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (State Clearinghouse [SCH]) and distributed the NOP to various agencies and surrounding property owners and residents in accordance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements. The NOP review period was from June 21, 2023, to July 20, 2023. On June 27, 2023, the City of Menifee held a duly noticed public scoping meeting at City Hall regarding the preparation of the Draft EIR and provided an opportunity for members of the public to comment on the scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the EIR.
EIR Impacts
Within the EIR that has been prepared for the Project (SCH No. 2021110379), mitigation measures are provided under the categories of Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, and Tribal Cultural Resources. The EIR determined that the Project would not result in significant and unavoidable impacts.
Draft EIR Public Review
The City distributed the Draft EIR for public review beginning June 6, 2024, and ending July 22, 2024. During the public review period, comments on the Draft EIR were received from the following agencies, organizations, or individuals:
Agencies
oAgua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
City of Menifee Planning Commission
Northern Gateway Logistics Center Warehouse
May 14, 2025
oAirport Land Use Commission
oCity of Perris
oRiverside County Department of Waste Resources
oSouth Coast Air Quality Management District
oRiverside County Flood Control District
oRiverside Transit Agency (RTA)
Organizations
oRadical Research, LLC
oSupporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (“SAFER”) oGolden State Environmental Justice Alliance
Individuals
oBreanna Harwood
oJose Marquez
The City prepared a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR), consisting of all comment letters received during the 45-day public review and comment period on the Draft EIR, written responses to those comments, and revisions and errata to the Draft EIR. The FEIR was distributed to the Draft EIR commenters 10 days prior to the Planning Commission hearing. The FEIR, and Draft EIR, including technical appendices can be accessed for review on the City website at https://www.cityofmenifee.us/325/Environmental-Notices-Documents.
Findings of Fact
The Draft EIR did not identify unavoidable significant adverse impacts that could not be mitigated below the level of significance; however, Findings of Fact (Findings) are required to approve the Project. The Findings are included within the resolution for the EIR for consideration by the Planning Commission.
Community Outreach
City staff held an environmental scoping meeting on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at City Hall to discuss the Project and to receive comments from the public. A total of eight comment letters were received in response to the environmental scoping. For the Draft EIR 45-day comment period and public hearings, property owners and non-owner residents within 500 feet of the Project boundary were mailed notices at each step of the Project (scoping meeting, Draft EIR comment period, public hearing).
FINDINGS
Findings for the EIR and PP No. PLN23-0040 are included in the attached resolutions.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The proposed Project was noticed on May 4, 2025, for the May 14, 2025, Planning Commission public hearing. A public notice was published in The Press Enterprise and notices were mailed to property owners and non-owner residents within a 500-foot radius of the Project site. The public notice was posted on-site, and all relevant public agencies and those requesting notification were notified of the public hearing.
City of Menifee Planning Commission
Northern Gateway Logistics Center Warehouse
May 14, 2025
ATTACHMENTS
1. Project Plans & Exhibits
2. Resolution – EIR
3. Exhibit A – FEIR
4. Exhibit B - MMRP
5. Exhibit C – Findings of Fact
6. Resolution - Project Entitlements
7. Exhibit A – Conditions of Approval
8. Public Hearing Notice