RESOLUTION NO. 26 -____
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MENIFEE,
CALIFORNIA CERTIFYING AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
(STATE CLEARINGHOUSE NO. 2025051051), ADOPT A FINDINGS OF
FACT AND STATEMENT OF OVERIDING CONSIDERATIONS, AND
ADOPT A MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM
FOR THE HERITAGE VALLEY BUSINESS CENTER
WHEREAS, on September 27, 2024, the applicant, Jon Kelly with Core5 Industrial Partners, LLC. (“Applicant”), filed a formal application with the City of Menifee for the approval of General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. PLN24-0197 to change the land use designation of one parcel APN 331-110-024, 025, and 026 from Heavy Industrial (HI) to Specific Plan (SP) more specifically the Menifee North SP, Specific Plan Amendment (SPA) No. PLN24-0199 to increase the height limit of Planning Area 2 to 60 feet and to change the boundary of the Menifee North SP to include APN 331-110-024, 025, and 026 and designate it as Planning Area 2 - Industrial, Change of Zone (ZC) No. PLN24-0198 to change to zoning designation of APN 331-110-024, 025, and 026 from Heavy Industrial (HI) to Menifee North SP and Plot Plan (PP) No. PLN24-0195 for the construction of the an approximately 829,755 square-foot warehouse/industrial building that includes 10,000 square feet of office space and 819,755 square feet of warehouse space on an 41.16-acre site. The Project site is generally located north of McLaughlin Road, south of Ethanac Road, east of Trumble Road, and west of Sherman Road within the City of Menifee (City), County of Riverside, State of California (APNs: 331-110-023, 024, 025, 026, 027, 031, 035, 038, 039, and 041); and
WHEREAS, collectively, all the applications are referred to as the “Project” or “Heritage Valley Business Center”; and
WHEREAS, on May 21, 2025, the City of Menifee publicly noticed its decision to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Project by noticing the State Clearinghouse, now known as the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), and other agencies in compliance with Section 15082 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines, and surrounding property owners within a 500-foot radius from the Project site boundaries; and
WHEREAS, on June 3, 2025, the City of Menifee held a duly noticed public scoping meeting regarding the preparation of the EIR to discuss and hear from the public on the potential environmental impacts, which meeting was publicly noticed in compliance with Section 15082 of the CEQA guidelines, and surrounding property owners within a 500-foot radius from the Project site boundaries; and WHEREAS, between March 18, 2026 and May 1, 2026, the City published/posted the Project Draft EIR (DEIR) in an effort to comply with the State- mandated 45-day public review period; and
WHEREAS, between March 18, 2026 and May 1, 2026, the City complied with the State-mandated 45-day public review period for the Project DEIR (re-circulated), which was publicly noticed in accordance with Section 15087 of the CEQA guidelines and mailed to surrounding property owners and non-owner residents within 500 feet of the Project site. A copy of the DEIR was sent to the State Clearinghouse and a copy of the DEIR was placed at the City Hall public counter and two city libraries; and Heritage Valley Business Center - EIR
June 17, 2026
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6 WHEREAS, during the public review period, comments on the DEIR were received from the following agencies, organizations, and individuals:
Agencies
oSouth Coast Air Quality Management District
oRiverside County Flood Control District
oSoCalGas
oRiverside Transit Agency
oCity of Perris
oCal Trans (Received the Monday after)
Organizations
oAdvocates for the Environment
oAdams Broadwell Joseph & Cardozo
Individuals
oAlex Munoz
WHEREAS, the Final EIR (FEIR), consisting of comments received during the 45-day public review and comment period on the DEIR, written responses to those comments, and revisions and errata to the DEIR, was submitted with the inclusion of Findings of Fact (Findings), and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) for the Planning Commission’s consideration. For the purposes of this Resolution, the FEIR shall refer to the DEIR, as revised by the FEIR’s errata section together with the other sections of the FEIR; and
WHEREAS, no evidence of significant new impacts, as defined by CEQA Guidelines Section 15088.5, have been received by the City after successful circulation of the DEIR which would require re-circulation; and
WHEREAS, the DEIR for the Project and FEIR for the Project, dated May 2026 provides an assessment of the environmental impacts associated with the Project and has been prepared in accordance with the Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq. (CEQA), and State regulations in Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 15000 et seq. (CEQA Guidelines); and
WHEREAS, on May 13, 2026, the Planning Commission of the City of Menifee held a public hearing on the Project, considered all public testimony as well as all materials in the staff report and accompanying documents for the Project including the consideration of the FEIR, which hearing was publicly noticed by a publication in The Press Enterprise, a newspaper of general circulation, an agenda posting, notices placed on the Project site, notice to property owners and non-owner residents within 500 feet of the Project boundaries, notice to all relevant agencies and to persons requesting notification; and
WHEREAS, on June 17, 2026, the City Council of the City of Menifee held a public hearing on the Project, considered all public testimony as well as all materials in the staff report and accompanying documents for the Project including the consideration of the FEIR, which hearing was publicly noticed by a publication in The Press Enterprise, a newspaper of general circulation, an agenda posting, notices placed on the Project site, notice to property owners and non-owner residents within 500 feet of the Project boundaries, notice to all relevant agencies and to persons requesting notification; and Heritage Valley Business Center - EIR
June 17, 2026
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6 WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Menifee has read and considered all environmental documentation comprising the FEIR, has found that the FEIR considers all potentially significant environmental impacts of the proposed Project and is complete and adequate, and fully complies with all requirements of CEQA; and WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State of California and the City of Menifee, in accordance with CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines, that the City shall not approve a project that has significant effects on the environment unless there is no feasible way to lessen or avoid the significant effects and that the benefits of approving the project outweigh the unavoidable significant impacts, such that the impacts are acceptable based on CEQA Guideline Section 15093; and
WHEREAS, the CEQA Guidelines provide that no public agency shall approve or carry out a project for which an EIR has been completed and which identifies one or more significant effects of the project unless the public agency makes written findings for each of the significant effects, accompanied by a statement of facts supporting each finding; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the CEQA Findings attached as Exhibit “C”; and
WHEREAS, prior to action on the Project, the City Council has considered all significant impacts, mitigation measures, and Project alternatives identified in the FEIR, and has found that all potentially significant impacts on the Project have been lessened or avoided to the greatest extent feasible; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to CEQA Guideline Section 15093(b), the City must state in writing the reasons to support its action based on the FEIR and/or other information in the record.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Menifee, California: hereby finds, determines, and orders as follows:
Section 1: Recitals. The Recitals above are true and correct, based on substantial evidence in the record, including the FEIR attached as “Exhibit A,” and incorporated herein by this reference.
Section 2: Certification of EIR. Based on its review and consideration of the FEIR and all written communications and oral testimony regarding the proposed Project which have been submitted to, and received by the City, the Planning Commission certifies that the FEIR has been completed and is in compliance with CEQA and the State and local CEQA Guidelines. The Planning Commission finds that the FEIR reflects the Planning Commission’s independent judgment and analysis as lead agency under CEQA, and recommends City Council to adopt and certify the FEIR as complete and adequate. The Planning Commission further certifies that the FEIR was presented to the Planning Commission and that the Planning Commission reviewed and considered the information contained in it prior to recommending City Council approval of the Project.
Section 3: CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations (SOOC).
Heritage Valley Business Center - EIR
June 17, 2026
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6 The Planning Commission recommends City Council approval of the CEQA Findings of Fact and SOOC attached as “Exhibit C”, which exhibit is incorporated herein as though set forth in full.
Section 4: Significant Impacts. The significant impact of Greenhouse Gases and Transportation has not been reduced to a level of insignificance. The Planning Commission finds that the significant unavoidable adverse impacts of the Project are clearly outweighed by the economic, social and other benefits of the Project, as set forth in the Findings of Fact and SOOC.
Section 5: Alternatives. The FEIR has described all reasonable alternatives to the Project that could feasibly obtain the basic objectives of the Project, even when those alternatives might impede the attainment of Project objectives and might be more costly.
Section 6: Good Faith. A good faith effort has been made to seek out and incorporate all points of view in the preparation of the FEIR as indicated by the public record for the Project and the FEIR.
Section 7: Mitigation Plan Approval. Although the FEIR identifies certain significant environmental effects that would result from approval of the Project, certain environmental effects can feasibly be avoided or mitigated and will be avoided or mitigated by imposition of mitigation measures included in the FEIR and the MMRP.
Pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21081 and CEQA Guidelines section 15097, the Planning Commission recommends City Council approval of the MMRP attached hereto as Exhibit "B," which is incorporated herein by reference as though set forth in full. The Planning Commission further finds that the mitigation measures identified in the FEIR are feasible.
Section 8: No Significant New Information Added to Draft EIR. The information provided in the various reports submitted in connection with the proposed Project and in the responses to comments on the DEIR, the information added to the FEIR, and the evidence presented in written and oral testimony at public hearings on the Project and the DEIR, do not constitute significant new information that would require recirculation of the DEIR pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21092.1 and CEQA Guidelines section 15088.5.
Section 9: Location and Custodian of Record of Proceedings. The Community Development Department of the City of Menifee, located at 29844 Haun Road, Menifee, CA 92586, is hereby designated as the custodian of the documents and other materials which constitute the record of proceedings upon which the Planning Commission's approval is based, which documents and materials shall be available for public inspection and copying in accordance with the provisions of the California Public Records Act (Government Code §§ 6250 et seq.) during normal business hours.
Heritage Valley Business Center - EIR
June 17, 2026
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6 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this the 17th day of June 2026. _________________________
Ricky Estrada, Mayor
Attest:
Stephanie Roseen, City Clerk
Approved as to form:
Jeffrey T. Melching, City Attorney