Warehouse project approved for Northern Gateway site
By Doug Spoon, Editor The appeal by two entities of preliminary approval of a logistics center warehouse project was unsuccessful last week...
http://www.menifee247.com/2025/07/warehouse-project-approved-for-northern-gateway-site.html?m=0
By Doug Spoon, Editor
The appeal by two entities of preliminary approval of a logistics center warehouse project was unsuccessful last week, with the Menifee City Council upholding the Planning Commission’s approval of the project in northwest Menifee.
The Northern Gateway Logistics Center, proposed for a location within the city’s northern Economic Development Corridor, will be built south of Ethanac Road, east of Evans Road, west of Barnett Road, and north of McLaughlin Road. It is designed to have two structures. Building 1 will be 45 feet high and will include 99,326 square feet of warehouse space and 6,000 square feet of office space. Building 2 is 45 feet, 7 inches in height and includes 277,715 square feet of warehousing space, 8,000 square feet of office space and a 7,000-square-foot mezzanine.
The Planning Commission approved the project by a 4-1 vote at a public hearing on May 14. Subsequently, the City of Menifee received appeals of the project by the Golden State Environmental Justice Alliance and the neighboring City of Perris, which shares the Ethanac Corridor with Menifee.
The Golden State Environmental Justice Alliance had no representatives at the July 16 council meeting.
The City of Perris and City of Menifee have been in discussions for months concerning the placement and number of warehouse projects along the Ethanac Corridor. Speaking on behalf of the City of Perris, attorney Shukan Patel claimed that Menifee continues to approve non-residential projects without protecting the potential for residential housing in that area.
“This will result in pushing residential out of the gateway,” Patel said. “We request that this item be continued until the deficiencies are adequately addressed.”
For months, Perris officials have been pushing for a continuation of project discussions until a global traffic study is completed. Results of that study – including the impact of traffic and emissions – are still being analyzed.
Menifee Mayor Pro Tem Bob Karwin questioned the credibility of Perris’ claims, stating that Perris’ stance was hypocritical considering that Perris recently approved a large warehouse project. City of Perris documents show that a project approved for a location adjacent to the Winco and Home Depot off Ethanac Road would include a 498,000-square-foot warehouse.
Karwin asked Planning Director Orlando Hernandez how many acres covers the entire Northern Gateway corridor. The response was “close to 600 acres.” In response to another question by Karwin, Hernandez estimated that about 3,000 homes could be built on that property if it were zoned to do so.
“So if you were to rezone the entire area, there could be about 3,000 homes,” Karwin said. “What’s your opinion of which would be higher density – 3,000 homes vs. logistical centers?”
Hernandez said the homes would be of higher density.
“Has Perris halted all its industrial development? No,” Karwin added. “So Perris gets to develop anything they want, but Menifee can’t build warehouses. It sounds like they don’t want Menifee to build anything. Perris is not doing what they’re asking Menifee to do. That’s hypocritical, and it’s really getting under my skin.”
Karwin went on to make the case that the land is too valuable not to be developed in some way. Property owners in that area are going to sell to developers one way or the other, he indicated.
“There can’t be ‘nothing’ there forever,” he said. “It’s either going to be homes or warehousing. You build more homes and it will have a far greater impact. This is the most minimal impact compared to a huge housing development. They are being entirely disingenuous, when this is the exact intended use of the area.”
Mayor Ricky Estrada, who ran on a platform of minimizing development, agreed with Karwin about the actions of the City of Perris. He was, however, the one council member who voted against the project.
“That’s the frustration Menifee has,” Estrada said. “They expect us to halt all building, yet they’re approving a big warehouse by Winco. Perris, I would love for you to respect our side of the border.
“That said, I have a few concerns with the project itself. The global traffic study is not complete. We have a vacancy in many warehouses already. It’s not in our best interests to have a vacancy. I’m not a fan of this project.”
In response to a question from Karwin, Hernandez reported that of the three warehouses in the Southern Gateway, two are occupied.
The appeal by two entities of preliminary approval of a logistics center warehouse project was unsuccessful last week, with the Menifee City Council upholding the Planning Commission’s approval of the project in northwest Menifee.
The Northern Gateway Logistics Center, proposed for a location within the city’s northern Economic Development Corridor, will be built south of Ethanac Road, east of Evans Road, west of Barnett Road, and north of McLaughlin Road. It is designed to have two structures. Building 1 will be 45 feet high and will include 99,326 square feet of warehouse space and 6,000 square feet of office space. Building 2 is 45 feet, 7 inches in height and includes 277,715 square feet of warehousing space, 8,000 square feet of office space and a 7,000-square-foot mezzanine.
The Planning Commission approved the project by a 4-1 vote at a public hearing on May 14. Subsequently, the City of Menifee received appeals of the project by the Golden State Environmental Justice Alliance and the neighboring City of Perris, which shares the Ethanac Corridor with Menifee.
The Golden State Environmental Justice Alliance had no representatives at the July 16 council meeting.
The City of Perris and City of Menifee have been in discussions for months concerning the placement and number of warehouse projects along the Ethanac Corridor. Speaking on behalf of the City of Perris, attorney Shukan Patel claimed that Menifee continues to approve non-residential projects without protecting the potential for residential housing in that area.
“This will result in pushing residential out of the gateway,” Patel said. “We request that this item be continued until the deficiencies are adequately addressed.”
For months, Perris officials have been pushing for a continuation of project discussions until a global traffic study is completed. Results of that study – including the impact of traffic and emissions – are still being analyzed.
Menifee Mayor Pro Tem Bob Karwin questioned the credibility of Perris’ claims, stating that Perris’ stance was hypocritical considering that Perris recently approved a large warehouse project. City of Perris documents show that a project approved for a location adjacent to the Winco and Home Depot off Ethanac Road would include a 498,000-square-foot warehouse.
Karwin asked Planning Director Orlando Hernandez how many acres covers the entire Northern Gateway corridor. The response was “close to 600 acres.” In response to another question by Karwin, Hernandez estimated that about 3,000 homes could be built on that property if it were zoned to do so.
“So if you were to rezone the entire area, there could be about 3,000 homes,” Karwin said. “What’s your opinion of which would be higher density – 3,000 homes vs. logistical centers?”
Hernandez said the homes would be of higher density.
“Has Perris halted all its industrial development? No,” Karwin added. “So Perris gets to develop anything they want, but Menifee can’t build warehouses. It sounds like they don’t want Menifee to build anything. Perris is not doing what they’re asking Menifee to do. That’s hypocritical, and it’s really getting under my skin.”
Karwin went on to make the case that the land is too valuable not to be developed in some way. Property owners in that area are going to sell to developers one way or the other, he indicated.
“There can’t be ‘nothing’ there forever,” he said. “It’s either going to be homes or warehousing. You build more homes and it will have a far greater impact. This is the most minimal impact compared to a huge housing development. They are being entirely disingenuous, when this is the exact intended use of the area.”
Mayor Ricky Estrada, who ran on a platform of minimizing development, agreed with Karwin about the actions of the City of Perris. He was, however, the one council member who voted against the project.
“That’s the frustration Menifee has,” Estrada said. “They expect us to halt all building, yet they’re approving a big warehouse by Winco. Perris, I would love for you to respect our side of the border.
“That said, I have a few concerns with the project itself. The global traffic study is not complete. We have a vacancy in many warehouses already. It’s not in our best interests to have a vacancy. I’m not a fan of this project.”
In response to a question from Karwin, Hernandez reported that of the three warehouses in the Southern Gateway, two are occupied.
