Perris council approves mixed-use ‘Retreat at Lake Perris’ including apartments, hotel and self-storage

The Perris City Council on Sept. 30 approved a revised mixed‑use development called the Retreat at Lake Perris, voting 5-0 to certify environmental review and adopt related approvals after finding most impacts mitigated but identifying greenhouse gas emissions as significant and unavoidable.

Senior planner Nathan Perez told the council the proposal replaces a previously proposed industrial warehouse with multifamily housing and a self‑storage facility while maintaining a hotel and two sit‑down restaurants along Ramona Expressway. Perez said the project site is about 16.91 acres between Perris Boulevard and Redlands Avenue and that the developer added an alternative that is now before the council.

The approved plan calls for three principal components: a commercial fronting Ramona Expressway with a 107‑room, four‑story hotel and two sit‑down restaurants; a 204‑unit multifamily residential development in two four‑story buildings; and a roughly 179,000‑square‑foot self‑storage complex with about 1,079 units (1,016 climate‑controlled), RV parking and a 2,000‑square‑foot caretaker unit. Staff said parking and design elements comply with applicable standards.

The council’s action included certification of the final environmental impact report and adoption of mitigation measures and findings. The staff presentation noted that all environmental impacts were reduced to less‑than‑significant levels with mitigation except for cumulative greenhouse gas emissions; the council’s packet states a statement of overriding considerations would be required to approve the project. Perez summarized that "the concluded that all impacts have been reduced to less than significant and have been reduced to below significance level with the implementation of mitigation measures, except for impacts related to cumulative GHG, which is greenhouse gas emissions." (paraphrase of staff summary)

Developer Marwan Al Abbasi addressed the council, saying his team had revised the proposal in response to council feedback after an earlier hearing and added the multifamily and self‑storage components to reduce industrial uses on the site. "We went through different alternatives, and we studied the site to see if we could accommodate what the community, what the leadership wanted," Al Abbasi said.

Several labor and community groups spoke in support during the public hearing, praising the developer for revising the plan and for commitments to local hire. Zach Strasser of Care California said the organization was "overwhelmingly in support of the project," noting the developer’s responsiveness. Rob Ramos, a business agent for Iron Workers Local 416, said the developer committed to local hiring and skilled, trained labor. John Sisley, representing Union Plumbers, Pipefitters and Refrigeration, said he supported the change from industrial to residential and commercial uses.

Staff clarified that allowing self‑storage will require a zoning adjustment: the council approved changing the zoning for the specific project area so that the self‑storage can be considered in the business‑park/office land use context for this site only. Senior planner Perez told the council that the recommended action would not automatically allow self‑storage across the entire Perris Valley Commerce Center; other properties would still need their own approvals.

The council approved the motion to adopt the resolution and related entitlements with conditions of approval and findings. The motion was made by Councilwoman Elizabeth Vallejo and seconded by Councilman Malcolm Corona; a roll call showed Vallejo, Councilman Nava, Corona, Mayor Pro Tem Raab and Mayor Michael Vargas voting yes.

Project opponents did not muster a majority voice at the hearing; one letter of support from Perris Neighbors in Action was noted in the staff report. The action clears the way for the developer to advance project design and permits under the conditions adopted by the council.

Looking ahead, staff noted that one outstanding issue for the developer is the requirement to adopt the mitigation monitoring and reporting program and the statement of overriding considerations for greenhouse gases as part of project approval. Those elements are part of the council’s motion and the conditions attached to approval.