[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6598677,"mediaKeyId","3031559-0e98885118825b385bb62ec0fcf30851","parentId",3031559,"title","City building official says demolition permit submittal contained tenant-improvement work; staff flagged fraudulent behavior","audioSeconds",100,"startMs",26000,"endMs",126000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3031559-0e98885118825b385bb62ec0fcf30851&start=26&end=126","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3031559-0e98885118825b385bb62ec0fcf30851/thumbnail_26000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6598677/Hemet/Riverside-County/California/City-building-official-says-demolition-permit-submittal-contained-tenant-improvement-work-staff-flagged-fraudulent-behavior","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598677-255c33669bc1e4c3f838dec0637bbff9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770691950&Signature=MLZp4l3AP23aHz3cixLcWCuM0qUzs-JJVM-ZlMD5COPORY6~TVcUmRagCLSJQgw3So5QDVCDvGN8WEyQ22Iltsno5lq9-l3YlANR0JoKLK2rya7dQ1m1ZjJL3S~o5iSQIxtJDa9lidnu-Li3jHv9oCQXclo5YH-XjpcWQPebdNWFZZsWJ-bJHbb94L6z2O0NG-lBUlKXgHrm29olKJ1ulHH2Q4EtMGKppH5swILG3uMIKIJHvgnTRNCnjmatoUZKs3PKo6AwYukn81G5iPuN7yTE0xOGZYZRMYi-a2t4jciJ1nc0wSXef~ca9dXNkEPn2pblrf31DZb1r~Ew16~XYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-17T03:01:17.9Z","article","At the April 8 meeting a city building official raised concerns about a recent demolition permit application that, according to staff, included plans and notes inconsistent with a demolition-only application and instead contained tenant-improvement elements.

The official said the plans proposed new decks, patios, stair relocations and ADA ramp changes and that staff had returned the plans for corrections multiple times. The building official asked that staff post a letter of conditions in the permit file and said the applicant’s repeated resubmissions appeared to be an effort to obtain approvals beyond the scope of a demolition permit; the official used the word “fraudulent” to describe the applicant’s approach and asked the council to note the issue.

No formal action was taken during the meeting; the comment was entered into the public record for the city’s permit file.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting 4/8/2025","oneSentenceSummary","A city building official told the council that a demolition permit submittal included plans inconsistent with pure demolition, prompting multiple rounds of corrections and a request that a letter of conditions be posted to the building permit file.","taxTitle","Hemet, Riverside County, California","taxId",4863,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6598680,"Residents demand transparency as council considers Hemet United annexation petition",336,7806000,8142000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3031559-0e98885118825b385bb62ec0fcf30851&start=7806&end=8142","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3031559-0e98885118825b385bb62ec0fcf30851/thumbnail_7806000.jpg","/articles/6598680/Hemet/Riverside-County/California/Residents-demand-transparency-as-council-considers-Hemet-United-annexation-petition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598680-67b4aa4811d9e4a4a77c9cf3b765eb90/orig.mp4?Expires=1770691950&Signature=SuKRUEt8QMSKJQxTqzj90acIpk3nHrE1Vzc1aD3f9wjlTxOfDegvnaVXEIZLiApMxpCf1EceGND6eGuQTf-rYZTqDGdmIN59spEw5Z4f1hOZw0MnkPHOIW~ToOndDsXaucqEAnwTlp6WvT5MN~uF20SAwK4sHknZngh5SwmWiArpbIRIydzzLw7GWvltY1fs-hoEg49WAw7~zBlFEzzjgOPn3nAMpkm6t20A0bQhMdF9ta-Mu6k8pUj6MxV4U~V0OXZum9u1z7oEv2WQQZJhu-DGRGn-kVrm5nSApO36TbDYblPxixtq198aRR~eshsTox4lGrEEAOxGfcQkYWiTHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the April 8 public-comment period several residents raised questions about a petition effort by a group referred to as Hemet United seeking annexation of unincorporated territory into the city. Speakers sought greater transparency from staff and answers about procedural and resource implications.

Comments included concerns that the petition materials submitted to LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission) and to the city may predate current demographics and include signatures more than three years old; one commenter said the listed petitioner, Keith Garrison, had died in January and asked who now represented Hemet United. Residents said they had filed public-records requests for the petition documentation and were told the city needed extra time to produce records.

Speakers also asked how the city would provide services and maintain public health and safety for a potential influx of residents, noting the absence of local maternity services and the possible effect on traffic and emergency response. Several requested the city host town halls and more coordinated outreach; one speaker asked the city to make space available for community officials to hold public meetings. LAFCO processes and the county executive’s March 24 letter about boundaries outside the sphere of influence were referenced by commenters.

No council action on annexation was reported at the meeting; residents asked the city to provide records, clarify the petitioner identity, and discuss service and fiscal impacts in public outreach and future hearings.","Multiple residents urged the council to scrutinize a community-initiated annexation petition, citing outdated signature verifications, unclear proponentship following the petitioner’s death, questions about city involvement, and concerns about public safety and services.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6598688,"Residents press Hemet council for transparency and action after officer-involved killing of Jimmy Lopez",1068,8235000,9303000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3031559-0e98885118825b385bb62ec0fcf30851&start=8235&end=9303","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3031559-0e98885118825b385bb62ec0fcf30851/thumbnail_8235000.jpg","/articles/6598688/Hemet/Riverside-County/California/Residents-press-Hemet-council-for-transparency-and-action-after-officer-involved-killing-of-Jimmy-Lopez","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598688-bb0b9ffd3992a5c42ff463e13226a43c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770691950&Signature=AwVcNaZCz67drTKkOieFaRNhcYdiNOrZDJOvHjmE1VCIot3Y3dZVg-QqDFfcKbBvnrG~p3AGroHuPA64D8n0GoVM8jpB1TY0KaWVek4TdCsmD5DK4oVgxWB0KKHgM7iYMmsF0wz4pDUnyBcmdWuWICRO-EQShWX6Qsxp1-RKmxu2bFvlFvn5QXG~J3BBDs4gqmRDlkv6kmANp4Cgdr0mPZsg7acRwJsO90EUWiuwrLjLNE3-QiHMqs9cQQx09lmiAZsZ63RV2Q04qX~k2~FF~WI3fBWKmmssLDKLgkMxHZTJHLpYtx8tG1jTs38wl72p3K7FRaj9evD5W-Mu9rq4fg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of speakers used the April 8 public-comment period to demand action and transparency from Hemet city officials and the Hemet Police Department over the killing of Jimmy Lopez on July 4, 2024.

Speakers including Yancey Noriega and Jimmy Lopez’s mother, Mandy Diaz, accused the department of failing to respond adequately to community complaints and asked the council to exercise its oversight responsibilities. Commenters called for the release of body camera and other footage, a public accounting of the investigation status, and clarification about why officers involved had not been placed on leave. Several speakers referenced an ongoing state Department of Justice review (described in public comments as an “AB 1506” investigation) and demanded a written update from Police Chief Arellano on two complaints the community submitted.

Residents described context they said raised questions about use of force: multiple speakers said released video footage appeared incomplete or edited and asked the city to produce unredacted material. Witnesses and other commenters described prior local incidents and alleged misconduct involving named officers; one commenter described an earlier incident at an Applebee’s involving Officer Christopher Maker and said Maker had been arrested earlier in the year for an alleged domestic-violence offense. Community members called for that officer’s removal from active duty pending legal and administrative review.

Speakers and community organizers asked the council to require greater transparency about internal investigations, to accelerate responses to public complaints, and to pursue independent oversight and reporting to rebuild public trust. Several asked the city to provide a public timeline for responses and to make full investigative reports and relevant footage available to the family and the public within the limits of privacy law and ongoing criminal processes.

No formal council action was taken on the topic at the meeting; the public-comment record documents the community’s demands and the request that council exercise its charter oversight of the police department.","Dozens of public commenters demanded transparency and accountability following the July 4, 2024 fatal shooting of Jimmy Lopez by Hemet police, calling for a written response from the police chief, release of evidence and clarification of disciplinary status for officers involved.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6598693,"Hemet council refuses to certify EIR for Simpson warehouse project after hours-long public hearing",15996,9715000,25711000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3031559-0e98885118825b385bb62ec0fcf30851&start=9715&end=25711","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3031559-0e98885118825b385bb62ec0fcf30851/thumbnail_9715000.jpg","/articles/6598693/Hemet/Riverside-County/California/Hemet-council-refuses-to-certify-EIR-for-Simpson-warehouse-project-after-hours-long-public-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598693-899f8dfeaff51e86d7bce4c9eaf11841/orig.mp4?Expires=1770691951&Signature=HWNUky5V32rkGPQiKMcj9bCJCDEyfnkdWx1gAd1d-N8C664QVsDyCcsZKSU5fQgaBPaf05Y~I150s9F1kNkUahwTRxYf8G6C1gPyXAuttcq~xd9nySg4DD4n5XHKUXUWDbYSM~oR6rm-LtxL9vJy~jf34o1cHKwRd7VvtL9t4Vb5YFgYpNIhN88nqrj7R1XBHYZ79SMmmpNPQJsuxr0JZZ8ZMN37IBpjz4WjiEZNUn8wOjeNOF14UuL7B2xX~Knum8Y5nfLztG9aoICi7qQcbW7J85F4zP2OjnDmH70h6axrYJoo-gFNukG4mGrWp7FWbXbVP~D2UYmGAVM8y3kMew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hemet City Council on April 8 declined to certify the environmental impact report (EIR) for the proposed Newland Simpson logistics project, a development that would have built two high-cube warehouse buildings totaling roughly 1.19 million square feet on about 74.88 acres near the intersection of Domenigoni Parkway, Simpson Road and Warren Road.

The vote followed a multi-hour public hearing that drew more than 60 speakers, a developer presentation, and detailed staff reports. Councilmember Kroupa moved to not certify the EIR; Councilmember Lodge seconded. The motion passed 5-0. The council instructed staff to prepare a resolution formalizing the denial and to return the matter on a future agenda.

The proposal, advanced by Newland Capital Group with Rialto Distribution identified as the prospective tenant, would have included two warehouse buildings (approximately 883,080 square feet and 309,338 square feet), an ancillary trailer parking area, on- and off-site street and utility improvements, 47 electric vehicle chargers on site, and funding offers such as $75,000 toward a signal synchronization study and $50,000 toward a Dominigoni Parkway median study. Developer and consultant presentations included a fiscal-impact analysis by DPFG estimating about 1,309 permanent on-site jobs and construction-period employment and an overall public-benefit package that Newland said exceeds $3 million in commitments since the earlier Planning Commission hearing.

Opposition from residents and community groups was broad and sustained. Speakers cited concerns about truck traffic on Warren and Simpson roads, air quality and greenhouse-gas emissions, noise, impacts on local roads and bridges (including the aging Warren Road bridge), encroachment on agricultural land, impacts on nearby neighborhoods and parks, and a lack of robust community outreach. Many senior residents emphasized health risks and reduced quality of life. The Planning Commission previously recommended denial (a 0–5 vote) after concluding the economic benefits did not outweigh significant and unavoidable impacts.

Representatives of Rialto Distribution and several union trade groups spoke in favor of the project, stressing job creation, workforce training programs, local hiring and benefits, and commitments to site sustainability measures such as rooftop solar and electric trucks. Developers also presented revised design changes intended to improve aesthetics, additional landscaping, and infrastructure commitments to widen or repave adjacent road segments and to construct or fund segments of the Salt Creek Trail.

City staff and environmental consultants summarized the EIR analysis and noted several significant and unavoidable impacts that the report disclosed, including greenhouse-gas emissions, noise on Warren Road (where existing noise levels lower applicable thresholds), loss of agricultural land, and vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) impacts tied to the location. Staff said some project adjustments—such as removing the larger building—would be required to eliminate certain identified impacts.

Councilmembers said they were sympathetic to job-creation arguments but raised persistent concerns about scale, gateway aesthetics, cumulative traffic and air impacts, and whether the city’s West-side planning guidance and general plan had adequately anticipated this scale of industrial development. Multiple councilmembers said they were not prepared to certify the EIR as presented and asked the developer and staff to consider revisions or remand the project for further review if the applicant wished.

The council approved a motion not to certify the EIR (5-0). The city attorney noted that if the council cannot certify an EIR it cannot approve the project; the council asked staff to return with a resolution documenting the decision and outlining next procedural steps.","After a packed public hearing with more than 60 public commenters, Hemet City Council voted 5-0 to decline certification of the environmental impact report for the Newland Simpson warehouse project and directed staff to return with a denial resolution and next steps.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City building official says demolition permit submittal contained tenant-improvement work; staff flagged fraudulent behavior

Residents demand transparency as council considers Hemet United annexation petition

Residents press Hemet council for transparency and action after officer-involved killing of Jimmy Lopez

Hemet council refuses to certify EIR for Simpson warehouse project after hours-long public hearing