Hemet extends moratorium on warehouses for one year as council pledges regulatory rewrite

The Hemet City Council voted 5-0 on Jan. 14 to adopt an urgency ordinance extending the city's moratorium on the establishment or expansion of warehouses and distribution facilities by 10 months and 15 days, taking the total pause on approvals to one year and setting the new expiration for Dec. 9, 2025.

The extension gives city staff time to prepare a regulatory ordinance for industrial, logistics and distribution uses, city attorneys said, and council members said they expected the regulatory update to come back for Planning Commission and City Council review well before the moratorium expires.

Supporters and opponents framed the matter very differently during a lengthy public-hearing period. Opponents warned of potential health, safety and quality-of-life impacts from warehouses and the trucks that serve them, while supporters argued the facilities bring local jobs.

"They're all going automated. They're getting rid of the people. It's so much cheaper," said Roy Fails, a resident who urged caution about relying on warehouses for local employment and cited recent regional closures. Fails said he is particularly concerned about a planned logistics site near the Lakes at Hemet West senior community and about development on or near the San Jacinto Fault, telling council: "Putting a warehouse on top of the San Jacinto Fault, probably not a good idea."

Other residents cited traffic, air pollution and proximity to homes and schools. "The immense size of the thing, I can hardly even think about it," said Pam Yang, pressing the council to consider road capacity, noise and pollutant exposure for nearby children and seniors. Lynn Volmer, who lives near planned sites, described narrow local streets and said she worries about large trucks sharing space with school buses, pedestrians and mobility devices.

Those urging a pause to study the issues included speakers who flagged specific distances between proposed buildings and residences, questioned geotechnical risks, and asked for clearer public notice and community outreach. Council member comments and staff responses repeatedly noted the city's limited jurisdiction over some regional transportation and economic trends while emphasizing the need to update local zoning and operational standards.

Not all public comment opposed the moratorium. "I'm here today to express my support for the development of the warehouses in our city," said Fatima Raman, who told the council that local hiring from warehouse construction and operations would help residents and businesses. Raman also argued that local jobs reduce long commutes and related roadway deaths.

Mayor Pro Tem Tim Kendrick thanked speakers and staff for preparing the item and said: "It's important for us to have public input." City Attorney Steven Grama Pacifico explained the extension mechanics: the council initially adopted a 45-day moratorium and the current action adds 10 months and 15 days, producing the one-year total allowed under state law for the urgency ordinance.

The motion to adopt the urgency ordinance was made by Council member Grama and seconded by Council member Lodge. The roll call vote was Krupa 'yes, Lodge 'yes, Mills 'yes, Mayor Pro Tem Kendrick 'yes and Mayor Jackie Peterson 'yes. The motion passed 5-0.

What happens next: staff and the city attorney's office said they expect to prepare a draft regulatory ordinance that would set objective standards, permit requirements and operational limits for warehouses and distribution centers in Hemet. Speakers and council members asked staff to include traffic, air quality, proximity to sensitive uses, seismic constraints and public-notice improvements in that drafting process. The moratorium will remain in effect until the ordinance process concludes or until Dec. 9, 2025, whichever comes first.

The council also noted the moratorium does not retroactively cancel existing entitlements; it is a development pause while the city completes regulatory work and public review.

Votes and related items from the meeting are recorded in the council minutes; the extension of the moratorium was the most contested land-use decision on the Jan. 14 agenda.