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Lancaster Council approves Westside annexation, North Lancaster industrial specific plan
Summary
The Lancaster City Council approved the Westside annexation and the North Lancaster industrial specific plan, including a 15-year development agreement, pre-zoning and a revised final EIR that requires a statement of overriding considerations for air quality, greenhouse gases and noise.
The Lancaster City Council approved the Westside annexation and the North Lancaster industrial specific plan package after a public hearing and staff presentation.
City senior planner Jocelyn Swain told the council the annexation application filed with the Los Angeles Local Area Formation Commission would bring roughly 7,153 acres from unincorporated Los Angeles County into Lancaster and that a 1,860-acre portion would be governed by the North Lancaster industrial specific plan. "All environmental impacts can be mitigated to a less than significant level with the exception of air quality, greenhouse gases, and noise," Swain said, and recommended adoption of the related resolutions, pre-zoning and the development agreement.
The specific plan allows a range of industrial and commercial uses and would permit up to 38,500,000 square feet of industrial and commercial development across eight planning areas. Swain said the plan would allow small commercial uses, alternative energy, industrial warehouse distribution facilities of various sizes and the future construction of an electrical substation. As part of the proposal, a development agreement with MPAV Logistics Center LP would cover planning areas 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8, be effective for 15 years with a possible five‑year extension, and would freeze fees and the zoning code for eight years.
Swain described commitments from the developer that include funding for civic organizations and parks programs, public art, trail improvements, scholarships and backbone infrastructure improvements, and said the project does not propose site‑specific development at this stage but would establish land‑use designations and pre‑zoning that largely mirror existing county designations with a few exceptions (sanitation district property as public, a mobile home park designation for Leisure Lakes, and one area designated as specific plan rather than light manufacturing).
Swain also summarized the environmental review: the draft EIR was released for public review in May 2025, the final EIR in August 2025, and a revised final EIR on October 3, 2025. She said the city received multiple comment letters (20 during the draft comment period and additional letters afterwards, including from the Center for Biological Diversity) and that the staff report includes findings and a statement of overriding considerations for regional construction and operational emissions, air quality management plan consistency, cumulative air quality impacts, greenhouse gas emissions and off‑site mobile traffic noise.
Speakers during the public hearing included labor and construction representatives who endorsed the project for local jobs. Rene Palacios, business agent for Iron Workers Local 433, urged the council to support policies that prioritize local hire and community workforce agreements so that "when projects are built with skilled and local workers, it benefits everyone." A representative of the Laborers union also told the council the project would shorten commutes and recycle payroll dollars into the local economy.
Councilmembers thanked staff and members of the public for their testimony. After public comment the council moved, seconded and voted to accept PH 4 — listed in the motion as Westside annexation number 24‑002; general plan amendment 24‑0002; pre‑zone 24‑0001; North Lancaster industrial specific plan 24‑0002; development agreement 24‑0001; Lancaster reorganization 2024‑08 tax transfer resolution — and to adopt resolution 25‑58 and introduce ordinances 11‑40 and 11‑41. The motion passed with four yes votes.
Because the EIR identified unavoidable impacts for air quality, greenhouse gases and noise, the record includes the draft and revised final EIRs and a statement of overriding considerations adopted with the resolutions. Staff said the specific plan would impose development standards and mitigation measures for each planning area and that the development agreement is intended to help finance infrastructure and community benefits while providing regulatory certainty for certain planning areas.
The council vote completes the city’s local approvals for annexation and specific‑plan actions; the annexation application remains subject to Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCO) processes and any implementation steps required by that agency and by the development agreement.
