ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Call to Order/Roll Call 1:01 PM
EDC MEMBERS PRESENT
Mayor Deborah Robertson
Councilmember Ed Scott
CITY/AGENCY STAFF PRESENT
Robert Messinger, Assistant City Attorney
Michael Milhiser, Interim City Manager
Colby Cataldi, Director of Community Development
Timothy Sullivan, Director of Maintenance and Facilities Vicente Giron, Engineering Manager
Daniel Casey, Principal Planner
Sandra Robles, Senior Planner
Kim Dame, Administrative Analyst
PUBLIC COMMENTS – Four (4) speakers
Joshua Holemen – 1798 W. Candlewood Ave. – spoke on item EDC-24-1783.
Mr. Holemen is a current member of the Transportation Commission. He voiced concerns over the proposed traffic plan for this project.
Yesenia Ramos – 1727 West Coast Blvd. – spoke on item EDC-24-1783.
Ms. Ramos voiced her objection to this warehouse project and asked if there was something else that could be built on the site instead of a warehouse.
Kelly Valencia – 1723 West Coast Blvd. – spoke on item EDC-24-1783.
Ms. Valencia is a long time Rialto resident and opposes the warehouse project. She is in favor of installing a cul-de-sac at the end of her street.
Marven Norman – 3840 Sunnyhill Dr., Jurupa Valley, CA 92509 – spoke on EDC-24-1783.
Mr. Norman is a representative of the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice. He voiced his opposition to having a warehouse so close to a residential neighborhood. He suggested the specific plan in that area be reexamined to ensure separation.
REVIEW/APPROVAL OF MINUTES – None
REPORTS/DISCUSSION ITEMS
EDC-24-1783
Update on the West Coast Boulevard and Locust Avenue Warehouse Project (Master Case No. 2023-0024).
Presented by Daniel Casey
Committee Comments/Questions/Recommendations:
There were four (4) speakers present: Joshua Holemen, Yesenia Ramos, Kelly Valencia, and Marven Norman. Their comments are listed above in the Public Comments section of these minutes.
Mr. Casey provided a brief background on the project. Zoning for the project is Planned Industrial Development. The applicant is Rialto Springs, LLC. The proposed project is a 225,000 sq. ft. industrial warehouse building. Planning Commission voted 3-1 to approve the project on August 7, 2024. An appeal was filed on August 21, 2024, asking City Council to reconsider the item and overturn the Planning Commission’s decision. On September 24, 2024, a public hearing was held and the City Council in a 5-0 vote chose to continue the item to the November 12, 2024, City Council meeting and asked staff to bring the project back to the next EDC meeting for review (October 23, 2024).
The primary concern brought up by residents at the City Council meeting on September 24th was access on West Coast Boulevard. There are intended improvements on West Coast Blvd. and Locust Ave. to address their concerns. Staff and the applicant have been working on a solution that would restrict access, including a cul-de-sac, a gate, and a turn around area. Planning, Engineering, Fire Department, and the applicant have all agreed that this is a good solution, and this is what is planned to be presented to the City Council on November 12th to show that the resident requests have been addressed.
Mayor Robertson asked if a traffic analysis had been done for the project. Mr. Casey affirmed that an analysis has been done, however it did not account for the proposed updates (cul-de-sac, gate, etc.). Mayor Robertson asked for an updated traffic study to be included for the City Council meeting. Councilman Scott asked when an EIR (Environmental Impact Report) was done for this project. Mr. Casey stated that an EIR was done for the Rialto Airport Specific Plan in 1997 and this project had its own study prepared this year. All the studies done on this project have been compared to the Specific Plan study to ensure compliance.
Councilman Scott asked about the report of vacant warehouses in the City. Mr. Casey stated that staff had prepared a survey in April of 2024, which was also shared with the Planning Commission. That survey showed approximately nine (9) vacancies. Since then, two of those have been leased dropping the number of vacant warehouses to seven (7). Councilman Scott asked how old those seven buildings were and Mr. Casey stated that most of them have been constructed within the last year.
Councilman Scott asked what the current zoning is for the project and how long has that zoning been in place. Mr. Casey said it is zoned Planned Industrial Development and has been zoned as such since 1997. Councilman Scott then asked the applicant if any market study had been done on the property. The applicant replied that as a matter of practice, they always look to see what the best use for a property may be. Councilman Scott asked if they had considered building a grocery store or retail center. The applicant stated that those options weren’t considered feasible as this was a primarily industrial area and the property isn’t zoned for that use.
Councilman Scott asked that staff bring a report from the police department to the next Council meeting regarding traffic accidents over the last 3 to 4-year period, including the streets brought up by the residents, and what types of vehicles were involved so there’s a clear picture of what the traffic conditions are like around the project site.
Mayor Robertson would like to see a market analysis to see how many homes (“rooftops”) are in the area currently versus what was there when the specific plan studies were done in 1997 utilizing a 1 mile to 1 ½ mile radius. She would like the information available at the November 12th City Council meeting.
The applicant requested to make some final remarks on the project, stating the residents to the north of the project site have all been met with and have given support towards the project, many of whom have signed a petition in support of the project and written letters of support. Councilman Scott asked that any letters or petitions of support be given to staff so they are given to Council prior to the November 12th meeting.
EDC-24-1793
SCAG Grant Funding Opportunity, REAP 2.0
Presented by Colby Cataldi
Mr. Cataldi updated the EDC on the status of the REAP 2.0 grant. Two awards were granted, one between the City and SCAG in the amount of $193,000. The other was a cooperative/joint grant that the City and SBCTA received from SCAG for approximately $300,000, for overall grant funds of approximately $500,000. In early 2024, the State put a hold on funding due to budget restrictions. Recently the State has released those funds and awarded us the grants. Staff is working on the necessary documents to present to Council for projects related to infill housing and the disposition of various City-owned parcels in the downtown area. Projects could include housing projects, affordable housing projects, or mixed-use projects. An item will be on the November or December City Council meeting agenda to approve and accept grant funds. If approved, an RFP would go out for consulting services to help develop a master plan for the area.
Mayor Robertson asked if funds could be used for transitional housing in the downtown area or renovating an old hotel/motel for that purpose. Mr. Cataldi said that we could potentially use City-owned property in the downtown area for that purpose, however the intended use of the grant funds is to hire a consultant who can evaluate the use types for the City-owned downtown properties. This grant is intended to help develop a plan for the downtown area.
Committee Comments/Questions/Recommendations:
None.
Upcoming Meetings/Other Discussion Items:
The next EDC meeting will be scheduled for January 23, 2025.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 1:51 p.m.