2021-12-09 City Council Special MEETING - Agenda PacketCity Council Chambers
29844 Haun Road
Menifee, CA 92586
Bill Zimmerman, Mayor
Bob Karwin, District 1
Matthew Liesemeyer, District 2
Lesa Sobek, District 3
Dean Deines, District 4 SPECIAL AGENDA
Menifee City Council
Special Meeting Agenda
Thursday, December 9, 2021
5:00 PM Special Meeting
Armando G. Villa, City Manager
Jeffrey T. Melching, City Attorney
Sarah A. Manwaring, City Clerk
SPECIAL MEETING (5:00 PM)
1.CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4. DISCUSSION ITEMS
4.1 Industrial Development and Good Neighbor Policies Discussion
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Review the draft Industrial Good Neighbor Policies and provide comments; and
2. Provide comments on proposed workplan to update the General Plan and
Development Code as it relates to industrial development.
5.ADJOURN
Menifee Mayor and City Council
December 9,2021
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CITY OF MENIFEE
SUBJECT: Industrial Development and Good Neighbor Policies
Discussion
MEETING DATE: December 9, 2021
TO: Mayor and City Council
PREPARED BY: Orlando Hernandez, Planning Manager
REVIEWED BY: Cheryl Kitzerow, Community Development Director
APPROVED BY: Armando G. Villa, City Manager
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Review the draft Industrial Good Neighbor Policies and provide comments; and
2. Provide comments on proposed workplan to update the General Plan and Development Code
as it relates to industrial development.
DISCUSSION
Background
Staff presented a discussion item regarding industrial warehouse and logistics development at
the July 7, 2021 City Council meeting. Some of the information provided to Council included a list
of policies and/or general guidelines that had been implemented by other jurisdictions aimed to
reduce the impacts from industrial warehouse and logistics development. The City Council
directed staff to prepare a draft document of Good Neighbor Policies appropriate to the City of
Menifee and to analyze the need to update the General Plan and/or Development Code, specific
the Economic Development Corridors (EDC), as it relates to industrial and business park uses.
General Plan and Development Code Overview
The purpose of the City’s General Plan is to guide how the community will grow, using the
community’s priorities and values to shape the future. As part of the adoption of the City’s 2013
General Plan, the community and the City Council developed a vision for Menifee and adopted
community values. Some of these values include balanced growth, infrastructure, and
employment. These values set the framework for the future growth of Menifee, and state:
We recognize that, while growth is inevitable, we will accommodate it in a responsible and
strategic manner. (Balanced Growth)
We value the ability of our infrastructure (roadways, sewer, water, drainage, etc.) to keep
up with the pace of development. (Infrastructure)
Item Title:4.1
Industrial Development and Good Neighbor Policies Discussion
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We value the ability to accommodate a diverse mix of business types that will contribute
to a fiscally sustainable City. (Employment)
The General Plan includes policies on Land Use, Housing, Circulation, Open
Space/Conservation, Community Design, Economic Development, Safety and Noise. All of these
elements work together to ensure the City’s Vision is implemented. The primary purpose of the
Land Use Element is to designate the proposed general distribution and location of land uses and
establish density and intensity throughout the City, in order to establish a fiscally sustainable
balance of land uses and continually seek new and innovative ways to enhance the city's quality
of life. The Circulation Element coordinates the circulation system with future land use patterns
and levels of buildout and addresses access and connectivity among the various neighborhoods
and economic development districts.
Per the above, the 2013 General Plan envisioned more intense industrial uses along the northern
boundary of the City adjacent to Ethanac Road (future expressway) and Highway 74, transitioning
to business park development south of McLaughlin Road on the east side I-215 (adjacent to single
family residential to the south). Commercial uses along major corridors and supported by the
different residential neighborhoods. It was understood in the general plan planning process that
conflicting land uses cause economic, physical, and social problems on the community.
Business Park Residential
Heavy Industrial
McLaughlin Rd
Rouse RdPalomar RdItem Title:4.1
Industrial Development and Good Neighbor Policies Discussion
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The General Plan defines the following land use categories as follows:
Business Park - Industrial and related uses including warehousing/distribution, assembly and light
manufacturing, repair facilities, and business parks, including corporate offices. Employee-
intensive uses, including research and development, technology centers, "clean" industry, and
supporting hotel and ancillary retail uses are also permitted.
Heavy Industrial - More intense industrial activities, such as manufacturing uses, that can
generate significant impacts such as excessive noise, dust, and other nuisances.
Furthermore, the EDC subareas are described as follows:
EDC Northern Gateway - Envisioned as an employment center at Menifee’s northern gateway
that focuses on providing opportunity for business park development and more traditional
industrial (less office) than envisioned for the Southern Gateway (Scott Road) EDC area.
EDC Community Core - Development in the community core is anticipated to be a relatively
balanced mix of residential, commercial retail, commercial office, and business park uses.
Development that supports and complements existing specific plans and the City’s future Town
Center is especially encouraged.
EDC Southern Gateway - Envisioned as business park (predominantly light industrial and office
uses) and limited support commercial uses. The EDC area east of the I-215 and north of Scott
Road is envisioned to be a mix of commercial uses near the interchange and transitioning to office
and residential extending north toward Mount San Jacinto College. On the west side of I-215,
north of Scott Road, the EDC area provides an opportunity for commercial, residential and office
uses with a high level of freeway accessibility as a transitional area to the Town Center located
to the north.
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Industrial Development and Good Neighbor Policies Discussion
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Community Core Southern Gateway
The Development Code implements the goals and policies of the General Plan by regulating land
uses within the City. The Code also establishes specific development standards for each district
and the procedures to follow in order to approve a particular use. Section 9.135.020 of the
Development Code provides a description of each commercial and industrial zoning district and
identifies the general characteristics, intensity of uses, and type of development intended for
that district.
Additionally, Tables 9.135.030-1 and 9.140.030-1 permit “General warehousing, distribution
centers, and storage (except noxious, explosives, or dangerous materials)” in the Business Park,
Heavy Industrial, EDC-NG, and EDC-SG. The use is conditionally permitted in the EDC-MB. The
code does not include regulations on building sizes. Over the past decade, we have seen a
general increase in industrial building sizes and over the past 2-3 years we have seen a significant
increase in interest for larger developments (from 250,000 square feet up to 1.5 million square
feet) in all areas of the City.
Analysis
Staff sees a need to modify the land use descriptions listed above to clarify how ‘business park’
is intended in the EDC, the use tables in the Development Code to address general warehousing,
distribution and storage, and the boundaries of the EDC-CC/SG. The City’s vision has been to
allow warehousing/logistics and large manufacturing in the EDC Northern Gateway and Heavy
Industrial zones. However, the intent of Business Park and the EDC Southern gateway is to allow
incubator, light industrial and office uses. These zones are generally located adjacent to and as
buffers to residential land uses. The building size for this type of uses generally does not exceed
100,000 square feet. In the EDC-CC, primarily office business types have been envisioned, with
these types of uses generally not exceeding 50,000 square feet. Therefore, clarifying the
descriptions and including building size requirements will provide clear direction to the
development community.
Holland Rd
Garbani Rd
Garbani Rd
Wickerd Rd
Item Title:4.1
Industrial Development and Good Neighbor Policies Discussion
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City of Menifee Staff Report
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Good Neighbor Policies
In order to ensure the compatibility of land uses as a result of new industrial development, new
‘good neighbor’ policies had been drafted. Over the last four months, staff had met with multiple
property owners and/or project applicants to discuss the general framework of these policies.
Additionally, staff had also met with representatives from NAIOP Commercial Real Estate
Development Association. NAIOP wanted to learn what the City’s approach was going to be in
developing the policies. Additionally, they stated their experience in working with other
jurisdictions when adopting similar policies and indicated an interest in participating in the City’s
process.
As part of this process, the City analyzed several Good Neighbor Policy documents from the
following jurisdictions:
1. City of Moreno Valley
2. City of Rialto
3. City of Riverside
4. County of Riverside
5. Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG)
Although, the overall intent of these documents is similar, the framework and type of policies are
different based on the jurisdiction. Menifee has drafted a document that breaks the different
policies into four categories: 1) General Performance Standards, 2) Site Design, Access and
Layout, 3) Signage and Information, and 4) Environmental Considerations.
Some of the policies are similar to the ones adopted by other jurisdictions; however, some are
new and unique to the City of Menifee. These policies are in draft form and may be modified
based on City Council’s direction and collaboration with stakeholders (See Attachment).
Next Steps
As a result of the analysis conducted to prepare the Good Neighbor Policies, staff believes the
following updates are appropriate to provide consistent and clear information as it relates to
industrial development:
1. Update land use descriptions in the general plan and development code.
2. Expand the EDC Community Core boundary further south to Scott Road and place a
maximum building size of 50,000 square feet for warehouse and distribution primary uses.
3. Clarify the type of Development that would be allowed in the Business Park and EDC
Southern Gateway and place a maximum building size of 100,000 square feet for
warehouse and distribution primary uses.
4. Amend the Permitted Land Use Table of the development code to be consistent with the
changes listed above.
If the City Council agrees with this approach, a two phased work effort that would run parallel
would be as follows:
Item Title:4.1
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Good Neighbor Policies and Development Code Amendment Timeline
Applicant and stakeholder meetings – January 2022
Planning Commission hearing – February 2022
City Council hearing – March 2022
General Plan Amendment Timeline
Planning Commission hearing – April 2022
City Council hearing – May 2022
The above workplan would require updates to the General Plan and Development Code. The
adoption of Good Neighbor Policies would occur separate from this process. In addition, there are
several industrial developments currently in process or anticipated (staff has reviewed Pre-
Applications). Staff has reviewed the draft Good Neighbor Policies and the general framework
should not significantly impact the applications in process in the EDC-NG. There is currently one
formal application in process in the EDC-SG north of Scott Road that has been deemed complete
and may not be affected by the proposed updates since the application is complete and in
process. There are multiple projects that have been submitted as Pre-Applications and/or in Due
Diligence in the EDC-SG north of Scott Road that would be affected by the proposed changes to
the EDC-CC boundary and building size restrictions – these include proposals for buildings up to
1,000,000 square feet.
STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVE
Livable and Economically Prosperous Community
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Draft Good Neighbor Policies
Item Title:4.1
Industrial Development and Good Neighbor Policies Discussion
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GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICIES
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Good Neighbor Policies (Policies) is to provide local government and
developers with ways to address environmental and neighborhood compatibility issues
associated with permitting warehouse, logistics and distribution facilities. These Policies are
designed to promote economic vitality and sustainability of businesses, while still protecting the
general health, safety, and welfare of the public and sensitive receptors. within the City of Menifee.
Sensitive receptors include residential neighborhoods, schools, parks, playgrounds, day care
centers, nursing homes, hospitals, and other public places where residents are most likely to
spend time.
The intent of the City of Menifee’s Good Neighbor Policies, in siting new warehouse, logistics and
distribution uses, include:
1. Minimize impacts to sensitive uses
2. Protect public health, safety, and welfare by regulating the design, location and operation
of facilities
3. Protect neighborhood character of adjacent communities
APPLICABILITY
The Policies apply to all new warehouse, logistics and distribution facilities that include any
building larger than 100,000 square feet in size or any sized building with more than 10 loading
bays (dock-high). These Policies apply in addition to the provisions of the Development Code,
and act as a supplement to the City-wide Design Guidelines adopted by the City on April 15, 2020.
Project-level review under CEQA would continue to apply to any project, regardless of the total
square footage. The hearing body has the discretion and authority to approve projects that deviate
from the guidance provided in this policy, subject to unique site-specific conditions such as
topography and other relevant factors.
The following summarizes the Policies for the City of Menifee:
A. General Performance Standards
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Industrial Development and Good Neighbor Policies Discussion
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1. Vehicle traffic shall generally be routed away from sensitive receptors, to the maximum
extent feasible (e.g. access locations, use of traffic control features, signage).
2. Buildings shall be designed so that truck driveways, loading docks and truck internal
circulation routes are located away from, and not be visible/disruptive to sensitive
receptors.
3. Sufficient landscape buffers shall be provided on-site to screen sensitive receptors from
truck access, parking, and storage.
4. Building massing shall be designed so as not to be imposing in scale on adjacent sensitive
receptors.
5. Community outreach throughout the planning process shall occur.
B. Site Design, Access, and Layout
1. Buildings shall be setback a minimum of one (1) foot for every one (1) foot of building
height, but no less than 25 feet, when adjacent to a sensitive receptor.
2. Dock doors shall be a minimum of 250’ from residential property line (zoned or used) and
500’ from schools/parks/playground property line.
3. Dock doors should face internal to the site when feasible to avoid screen walls being the
most prominent street feature. A "wing-wall" may also be installed perpendicular to the
loading dock areas to further attenuate noise related to truck activities and also address
aesthetics by screening the loading area.
4. Decorative walls shall be used to fully screen sensitive receptors from warehouse and
logistics facilities. Walls shall not be located in the setback area. Landscaping shall be
used to soften the walls so screen walls are not the most prominent feature. When
feasible, landscaping and berming are preferred to solid walls.
5. To maximum extent feasible, truck driveways shall not be placed on any portion of the
street that fronts sensitive receptors.
6. Facilities shall be designed to provide adequate on-site parking for commercial trucks and
passenger vehicles and on-site queuing for trucks away from sensitive receptors.
7. Check-in gates are required to be positioned with a minimum of 300 feet of storage
capacity inside the property line (or 150 feet if two lanes are provided) to provide sufficient
stacking space. The general queuing and spill-over of trucks onto surrounding public
streets are prohibited. Commercial trucks and/or trailers shall not be parked on the public
road right-of-way or nearby sensitive receptors.
Item Title:4.1
Industrial Development and Good Neighbor Policies Discussion
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8. Required passenger vehicle parking should be separated from enclosed truck
parking/truck court, and have separate primary access.
9. Underground stormwater facilities shall be utilized and preferred over above-ground
basins. If above-ground facilities are needed, these shall be designed so that the depth
(i.e. under 18”) does not require perimeter fencing and can be incorporated as additional
landscape buffer.
10. A minimum of 50% of site plantings shall be evergreen broadleaf tree species.
11. Front setbacks shall include a minimum 25 foot landscape planter. Side setbacks shall
include a minimum 10 foot landscape planter. Rear setbacks shall include a minimum 5
foot landscape planter.
12. No parking shall be permitted in the setback area.
C. Signage and Information
1. Require on-site signage for directional guidance to trucks entering and exiting the facility
to minimize potential impacts on sensitive receptors.
2. Anti-idling signs are required to be posted at warehouses to stipulate a 3-minute idling
restriction.
3. Legible, durable, weather-proof signs are required at all truck exit driveways directing truck
drivers to the truck route and State Highway System.
4. During construction, signs are required to be in public view with contact information for a
designated representative of the building occupant and an SCAQMD representative who
is designated to receive complaints about excessive dust, fumes, or odors on this site.
5. New and existing industrial uses shall provide truck drivers with information on the closest
restaurants, fueling stations, truck repair facilities, and lodging (i.e. by posting in
offices/breakrooms).
6. Facility operators are required to establish specified truck routes between the facility and
regular destinations, identifying the most direct routes to the nearest highway/freeway and
avoid traveling near sensitive receptors.
D. Environmental Considerations
1. Air Quality
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Emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases are often among the most substantial
environmental impacts from new logistics and warehouse facilities. CEQA compliance demands
a proper accounting of the full air quality and greenhouse gas impacts of logistics facilities and
adoption of all feasible mitigation of significant impacts. As updated by South Coast Air Quality
Management District (AQMD) and California Air Resource Board (CARB), the following policies
apply:
1. In compliance with CEQA, conduct SCAQMD URBEMIS and EMFAC computer models
to identify the significance of air quality impacts on sensitive receptors.
a. Require an air quality analysis to ensure air quality protection, in accordance with
the Air Quality Management District (AQMD) guidelines, for both project-specific
and cumulative impact analysis.
b. Require “Health Risk Assessments” for industrial uses within 1,000 feet of sensitive
receptors in accordance with AQMD guidelines.
2. Minimize the air quality impacts of trucks on sensitive receptors
a. Design facilities with queuing of trucks on-site and away from sensitive receptors.
b. Prevent the queuing of trucks on streets or elsewhere outside of the facility.
c. The installation of on-site electric hook-ups to eliminate idling of main and auxiliary
engines during loading and unloading of cargo and when trucks are not in use and
required where transport refrigeration units (TRUs) are proposed to be used.
3. Require Transportation Demand Management measures for industrial uses with over one
hundred employees to reduce work-related vehicle trips.
4. Use of electric-powered hand tools, forklifts, aerial lifts, materials lifts, hoists, pressure
washers, plate compactors, and air compressors, when feasible.
5. Site plans are required to identify a planned location for future electric truck charging
stations and install conduit to that location.
6. The following environmentally responsible construction practices are required:
a. Use of most readily available technology (CARB Tier 3, Tier 4 Interim, and Tier 4
Compliant equipment).
b. Designate an area of the construction site where electric-powered construction
vehicles and equipment can charge if the utility provider can feasibly provide
temporary power for this purpose.
c. The maximum daily disturbance area (actively graded area) shall be determined
by the Air Quality Study
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d. Streets adjacent to the development site shall be swept on a regular basis as
determined by the City inspector to remove any construction related debris and
dirt.
e. Construction equipment maintenance records and data sheets, which includes
equipment design specifications and equipment emission control tier
classifications, as well as any other records necessary to verify compliance with
items listed above, shall be kept onsite and furnished to the City upon request.
B. Noise and Traffic
Noise impacts associated with logistics facilities can be the most impactful to sensitive receptors.
Various sources, such as unloading, truck movement, rooftop mechanical equipment, and PA
systems.
1. Use of perimeter walls, buildings, and/or enhanced landscaping to reduce noise impacts
as appropriate.
2. If a public address (PA) system is being used in conjunction with a warehouse/distribution
facility operations, the PA system shall be oriented away from sensitive receptors and the
volume set at a level not readily audible past the property line.
3. Prepare a construction traffic control plan prior to grading, detailing the locations of
equipment staging areas, material stockpiles, proposed road closures, and hours of
construction operations to minimize impacts to sensitive receptors.
4. See B5 through B8 above in Site Design, Access and Layout section.
Item Title:4.1
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