City Council upholds approval of warehouse project

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Upholding the Planning Commission’s approval of the project, the Menifee City Council on Wednesday denied an appeal by the City of Perris regarding construction of two warehouse buildings in north Menifee.

The buildings, each approximately 125,000 square feet, will be built at the corner of Ethanac Road and Barnett Road, near the border with Perris. In three letters to the City of Menifee following the Planning Commission’s approval, Perris officials argued that the project was “inconsistent with the surrounding areas and Menifee’s good neighbor policy.”

John Fox, an attorney representing the City of Perris, argued in Wednesday’s meeting that the Planning Commission had not had a chance to review revised studies regarding the impact of the project.

During the public hearing, Menifee resident Brian Holly opposed the project, saying that increased truck traffic would be a safety hazard and would tear up local roads not designed to handle such heavy loads.

Council member Ricky Estrada said he agreed that the project is inconsistent with the city’s rural appeal, and pledged to vote in favor of Perris’ appeal. In the end, however, the vote was 4-1 to uphold the Planning Commission’s approval of the project.

According to city documents, the project would include “206,019 square feet of warehousing, 25,114 square feet of manufacturing area and 20,000 square feet of office area on a 13.89 gross acre project site. The buildings propose a maximum overall height of 42.5 feet, and each includes 15 dock doors and two at grade level.

“Associated facilities and improvements of the project site includes 414 proposed parking spaces, on-site landscaping, and related on-site and off-site street/road improvements. The project currently proposes two full-access driveways along Barnett Road and two right-in/right-out shared driveways -- one along Ethanac Road and one along Barnett Road -- with the adjacent property to the northeast (known as Ethanac Square).”