Perris narrows ‘no net loss’ housing ordinance after debate over warehouse rezonings

The Perris City Council voted July 29 to introduce a zoning code text amendment establishing a city “no net loss” and density‑bonus program intended to preserve residential capacity required under state law, but the council removed warehouse rezonings from the ordinance’s coverage.

The measure — zoning code text amendment 25‑00002 to add chapter 19.89 to the Perris Municipal Code — was presented by Principal Planner Rafael Garcia as a tool to track residential units lost through rezonings and allow those units to be relocated to eligible sites. Garcia said the program would create a residential unit bank “to track the residential housing units that are lost through a rezoning effort” and suggested recipient locations such as the River Glen specific plan area and properties within a two‑mile radius of Perris’s Metrolink stations.

The ordinance was proposed after the council directed staff in May to draft a mechanism to help the city comply with Senate Bill 330. Staff told council the planning commission recommended safeguards including a requirement that an industrial rezone that reduces residential capacity must entitlement 100% of the displaced units and ensure at least 25% of those units are constructed and have a certificate of occupancy before occupancy of the industrial development. Staff also proposed a 500,000 square‑foot cap on warehouse buildings used under the…