Council approves Freeway Corridor update and Pacific Oaks Commerce Center; developers must complete infrastructure before occupancy

The Yucaipa City Council voted 4-1 on Aug. 25 to adopt an updated Freeway Corridor Specific Plan and to approve entitlements for the Pacific Oaks Commerce Center, a planned two-building industrial complex that city staff and the applicant say will fund major utility and roadwork in the corridor.

The council adopted Resolution No. 2025-54 to approve the specific plan update and the revised final supplemental environmental impact report. The motion to accept staff recommendations was moved by Council Member Miller and seconded by Council Member Beaver and carried on a roll-call vote: Bieber — yes; Miller — yes; Woolsey — yes; Venable — no; Thorpe — yes.

The update changes land-use designations across the Interstate-10 corridor east of Yucaipa, adds housing-density options and reconfigures open-space mapping to reflect natural drainage courses. Staff and the applicant said the revised plan reduces projected peak vehicle trips at full build-out by roughly 52 percent compared with the 2008 plan and makes mitigation and permitting work available to future property owners through the plan’s environmental review.

Pacific Oaks Commerce Center: scope and conditions The Pacific Oaks Commerce Center proposal covers about 312 acres and includes two warehouse buildings, access from Live Oak Canyon Road and a network of onsite roads and infrastructure the developer says will be constructed at its cost. The applicant, Pacific Industrial, told the council it expects to preserve about 95 acres as permanent open space and to provide an on-site multiuse trail across the site.

City staff described required public improvements conditioned on the…