CITY OF MENIFEE
SUBJECT: Appeal of Planning Commission Decision for the Menifee Boardwalk Project
MEETING DATE: June 3, 2026
TO: Mayor and City Council
PREPARED BY: Desiree McGriff, Associate Planner
REVIEWED BY: Orlando Hernandez, Community Development Director APPROVED BY: Armando G. Villa, City Manager
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Adopt a resolution denying Appeal No. PLN26-0056 submitted by Foothill Arch, LLC; and
2. Adopt a resolution adopting an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) based on the findings incorporated in the Initial Study and the conclusion that Menifee Boardwalk located south of Newport Road, west of Menifee Road, north of Reviere Drive, and east of Calle Pompeii will not have a significant effect on the environment and direct staff to file a Notice of Determination; and
3. Adopt a resolution approving Plot Plan No. PLN24-0118, Conditional Use Permit No. PLN25- 0112, and Tentative Parcel Map No. 39000 (PLN26-0037) for the Menifee Boardwalk.
DISCUSSION
Planning Commission Decision
On April 8, 2026, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing and voted 5-0 to approve Plot Plan No. PLN24-0118, Conditional Use Permit No. PLN25-0112 and Tentative Parcel Map No. 39000 (PLN26-0037), for the Menifee Boardwalk (Project) along with the related environmental analysis. On April 17, 2026, the City received an application from the Foothill Arch, LLC to appeal the Planning Commission decision.
Project Description
Tentative Parcel Map (TPM) No. PLN26-0037 (TPM39000) was approved by the Planning Commission for the subdivision of 6.02 acres into five commercial lots ranging in size from 0.49 –
1.58 acres.
City of Menifee City Council
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Plot Plan (PP) No. PLN24-0118 was approved by the Planning Commission to construct five commercial buildings with a combined total of 38,560 square feet of building area. The plan includes two quick-serve drive-through establishments located along the northern boundary of the property and provides a total of 278 parking stalls, including 18 ADA-compliant spaces.
Conditional Use Permit (CUP) No. PLN25-0112 was approved by the Planning Commission to allow the quick-serve restaurant and coffee shop to have a drive-through.
Master Sign Program was approved by the Planning Commission to establish property signage, ensuring consistent design, tenant identification, and effective wayfinding for both pedestrians and vehicles accessing within the development.
Location
The Project site encompasses approximately 6.02 acres of vacant land, situated south of Newport Road, west of Menifee Road, north of Reviere Drive, and east of Calle Pompeii (APN: 364-030- 016).
IMAGE 1: PROJECT SITE
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Appeal No. PLN26-0056
Foothill Arch, LLC filed an appeal on the Planning Commission’s approval on April 8, 2026, of TPM No. 39000 (PLN26-0037), PP No. PLN 24-0118, and CUP No. PLN25-0112. The appeal asserts that components of the Project (as outlined below), including the traffic and environmental analysis, were not adequately analyzed/addressed.
Summary of Appeal Issues and Responses
Traffic Analysis
The Appellant contends that the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) understates potential traffic impacts by relying on trip generation assumptions that do not fully reflect the intensity of the proposed restaurant and drive-through uses. The Appellant further argues that higher trip generation estimates were identified but not fully incorporated into the operational analysis, resulting in an incomplete evaluation of traffic circulation, roadway operations, and potential impacts. Additionally, the appeal asserts that the City did not adequately evaluate whether a traffic signal is warranted at the proposed Newport Road driveway, thereby raising concerns related to public safety and access operations.
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Concerns
The Appellant also argues that the IS/MND does not adequately analyze safety and environmental impacts associated with the Project. Specifically, the appeal asserts that higher restaurant-related traffic volumes could result in increased traffic conflicts, congestion, and vehicle emissions, potentially resulting in impacts greater than those identified in the IS/MND. Based on these concerns, the Appellant contends that the IS/MND is not supported by substantial evidence and therefore does not comply with the requirements of CEQA.
Combined Response to the Two Concerns Above
The approved TIA adequately evaluates the potential transportation impacts associated with the proposed mixed-use Project and was prepared consistently with accepted traffic engineering methodologies, City TIA Guidelines, and applicable industry standards. The trip generation forecast was calculated using land use assumptions appropriate for a neighborhood commercial center consisting of retail, restaurant, and daycare uses. The analysis also conservatively excluded internal trip capture between the proposed uses and surrounding residential neighborhoods, which would reasonably reduce external vehicle trips.
The TIA evaluated site circulation, driveway operations, intersection performance, and multimodal transportation conditions in accordance with established methodologies. The analysis concluded that the Project would not create significant traffic impacts requiring additional roadway improvements beyond those identified in the study.
With respect to the proposed Newport Road driveway, the driveway is designed as a right-in/right- out access point. Traffic signals are not typically installed at right-in/right-out driveways, and a signal warrant analysis is therefore not applicable under standard roadway design and access management practices. Similar access configurations currently exist along Newport Road and operate under comparable conditions.
City of Menifee City Council
Menifee Boardwalk Appeal
June 3, 2026
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The IS/MND also adequately analyzed air quality and greenhouse gas impacts based on the trip generation assumptions contained within the approved TIA. Staff and the City’s consultants determined that the alternative trip generation assumptions provided by the Appellant represent a substantially more conservative scenario than is typically applied to integrated commercial centers and do not account for internal capture characteristics commonly associated with mixed-use retail developments.
Foothill Arch LLC Original Comment Letter – Summary and Responses
1. Expansion of Traffic Study to Analyze Newport Road Driveway and Traffic Distribution The Appellant requested additional analysis regarding the interaction between the proposed Project driveway and the adjacent Archibald’s driveway along Newport Road. Based on the proposed circulation design and existing roadway configuration, staff and the City’s traffic consultant determined it is unlikely that a measurable volume of vehicles would utilize the proposed Project site to access eastbound Newport Road movements already available from the adjacent Archibald’s driveway. The circulation assumptions utilized in the TIA are therefore considered reasonable and supported by accepted engineering judgment.
2. Re-evaluation of Drive-Through Stacking Capacity
Although a specific coffee tenant has not been identified, the Project provides approximately 18 vehicle stacking spaces within the proposed drive-through lane. This exceeds typical operational requirements for comparable drive-through coffee retailers, including Starbucks, Dutch Bros, and Better Buzz. Additional on-site circulation space is also available to accommodate temporary peak demand conditions without affecting the public right-of-way.
3. Analysis of Trip Generation Assumptions
The alternative trip generation assumptions submitted by the Appellant would not materially change the conclusions of the TIA. The approved TIA utilizes conservative assumptions and does not include reductions associated with internal trip capture between complementary commercial uses. Furthermore, cumulative traffic projections incorporated into the analysis already reflect substantial future growth within the surrounding roadway network.
4. Air Quality Analysis
The Project’s Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas analyses were prepared using the trip generation assumptions contained within the approved TIA. Because the underlying trip generation assumptions remain appropriate and supported by the traffic analysis, revisions to the air quality analysis are not warranted. The City’s environmental consultant also concluded that cumulative traffic assumptions incorporated into the model already conservatively account for future traffic conditions.
5. Traffic Simulation Analysis Along Newport Road
The Appellant requested preparation of a traffic simulation analysis for Newport Road between Calle Pompeii and Menifee Road. The City’s traffic consultant concluded that the City of Menifee City Council
Menifee Boardwalk Appeal
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Highway Capacity Manual methodology utilized within the TIA provides a conservative analysis of driveway operations because it does not fully account for signal progression and traffic platooning effects created by nearby signalized intersections.
6. Analysis of Archibald’s Site Driveways
The TIA analyzed the operational characteristics of adjacent driveways, including the Archibald’s driveway along Menifee Road. While unsignalized right-in/right-out driveways along major arterials may experience delay during peak periods, these conditions are common along heavily traveled commercial corridors and do not, by themselves, indicate unsafe operations or significant impacts.
7. Signal Warrant Analysis
The driveway operational analysis was updated to reflect a single northbound right-turn lane configuration at the Newport Road driveway. Although delay values increased modestly, the overall conclusions of the analysis remained unchanged. Because the driveway is restricted to right-in/right-out operations, a signal warrant analysis is not considered applicable or appropriate.
Responses to RK Engineering Peer Review
Comment #1 – Trip Generation Methodology
RK Engineering asserted that the TIA underestimated Project traffic by applying generalized retail trip generation assumptions instead of evaluating individual restaurant and drive-through uses separately.
Staff and the City’s traffic consultant concluded that the alternative trip generation analysis provided by RK Engineering substantially overestimates Project traffic because it treats each land use as a stand-alone operation and does not account for internal trip capture typically associated with integrated neighborhood commercial centers. The approved methodology is consistent with accepted industry practice and reflects reasonable planning assumptions for this type of development.
Comment #2 – Trip Distribution and U-Turn Assumptions
RK Engineering questioned the Project’s trip distribution assumptions and the use of a future U- turn movement at Laguna Vista Road/Newport Road.
The Project trip distribution assumptions were reviewed and approved during the TIA scoping process and are supported by professional engineering judgment based on the surrounding transportation network. The future U-turn movement was included because the associated roadway improvements are tied to cumulative development assumptions included in the analysis. Staff also determined that a separate queuing analysis was not necessary because all Project driveways operate as right-in/right-out access points and are not anticipated to create queuing impacts within the public right-of-way.
City of Menifee City Council
Menifee Boardwalk Appeal
June 3, 2026
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Comment #3 – Newport Road Driveway Operations
RK Engineering asserted that the Newport Road driveway would operate at LOS F and that queuing impacts could affect internal site circulation.
Staff and the City’s traffic consultant acknowledge that unsignalized commercial driveways along heavily traveled arterials may experience periods of increased delay during peak traffic conditions.
However, this condition is common along Newport Road and does not constitute a significant transportation impact under applicable standards. The Project driveway is located in close proximity to signalized intersections that create periodic traffic gaps, which are expected to improve actual operating conditions beyond what is reflected in the conservative HCM methodology. Staff further concluded that the Project site contains sufficient on-site circulation and stacking capacity to avoid impacts to the public right-of-way.
Based on the evidence contained in the administrative record, including the TIA, IS/MND, peer review materials, consultant responses, and staff analysis, staff concludes that the appellant has not provided substantial evidence demonstrating that the Project’s environmental review or traffic analysis is inadequate under CEQA or City standards. Accordingly, staff recommends denial of the appeal and affirmation of the Planning Commission’s approval.
Environmental Determination
The Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. PC26-681 adopting an IS/MND on April 8, 2026 determining that the Project will have no significant effect on the environment with incorporation of standard conditions of approval and mitigation measures (as listed in the IS/MND). A Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan (MMRP) was prepared and identifies all mitigation measures that will be required for the Project. Following the Project’s approval, a Notice of Determination (NOD) was filed with the Riverside County Clerk’s office on April 10, 2026 The IS/MND, as well as all its technical appendices, can be accessed for review on the City website:
https://www.cityofmenifee.us/325/Environmental-Notices-Documents Public Notice
Public notices were distributed on May 23, 2026, for the June 3, 2026 City Council hearing. Notices were published in The Press Enterprise and notices were sent to owners within 300 feet of the Project site boundaries and to all relevant agencies, interested parties, and all who commented on the environmental document. On-site postings were provided.
STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVE
Thriving Economy
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
City of Menifee City Council
Menifee Boardwalk Appeal
June 3, 2026
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ATTACHMENTS
1. Project Exhibits
2. Resolution – Appeal
3. Resolution – IS/MND
4. Exhibit A – IS/MND
5. Exhibit B - MMRP
6. Resolution - Entitlements
7. Exhibit A – Conditions of Approval
8. Planning Commission Staff Report
9. Public Hearing Notice
10. Appeal Package
11. City’s Response to Foothill Arch, LLC
12. LLG Response to Foothill Arch, LLC