Perris council adopts amended "no net loss" land-use ordinance after split vote

The Perris City Council adopted the second reading of Ordinance No. 1459 on Aug. 26, 2025, approving a “no net loss” mechanism to allow the city to reallocate residential units when land is rezoned to commercial, manufacturing or business‑park uses. The ordinance, as amended and adopted, does not apply to industrial warehouse or distribution facilities. The motion passed 3‑2.

The ordinance gives the council a tool to require offsets when residential land is converted to specified nonresidential uses. City staff said the rule would apply when a rezoning is proposed that changes land from residential to commercial, manufacturing or business‑park uses; the council retains the authority to reject rezoning proposals even if offsets are offered.

Members of the public and several council members debated whether the ordinance’s housing components were written clearly enough to help future housing developers. Councilmember Vallejo said the housing language “was confusing” and raised concerns about whether it would actually help housing production; she voted against the ordinance. Councilmember Malcolm Corona and others said the ordinance is a planning tool for future councils and stressed it would not automatically approve projects.

Public speakers included Ashley (no last name given), who told the council she supported placing additional hurdles on future development and said the ordinance could prevent inappropriate warehouse development in the future. Council discussion clarified that warehouse and distribution centers were intentionally excluded from the ordinance.

A motion to adopt the second reading was made by Councilmember Nava and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Rab. The roll call vote was Corona, Rab and Nava — yes; Vallejo and Vargas — no. The ordinance was adopted with the amendments that staff implemented following direction from the council majority at the prior meeting.

The city did not reference a specific state statute or other legal authority on the record during the hearing. Staff described the measure as a municipal zoning/rezone tool and emphasized it remains subject to the standard legislative rezoning process.

Looking ahead, staff and councilmembers said the ordinance is intended as a tool that future applicants and councils could use and does not itself rezone any land or approve any projects.

Votes at the meeting also covered routine minutes and other agenda items; those outcomes are listed in a separate council roundup article.