Montebello planning commission approves 7,562 sq. ft. warehouse addition at 825 S. Maple Ave.

The Montebello Planning Commission voted 4-0 to adopt Resolution No. 0625 conditionally approving a site plan review to allow a 7,562-square-foot warehouse addition to an existing 19,584-square-foot building at 825 South Maple Avenue.

The project, submitted by Vincent Marquet (identified later in the meeting as Vincent Marseille) on behalf of 825 Maple LLC, would add cold- and room-temperature storage for dry and frozen food products and is in the city’s M-1 (light manufacturing) zone. Staff recommended approval and determined the proposal is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under CEQA Guidelines section 15332 (infill development).

Staff said the lot is 53,735 square feet and that the existing building is divided into four units (a body shop, a vacant unit, a light-manufacturing unit and a truck mechanic). The addition would be internal to the existing industrial area; staff said the surrounding zoning to the north, south and west is manufacturing and single-family homes lie to the east.

Commission staff explained that the municipal code’s site-plan-review trigger (Montebello Municipal Code chapter 17.74, section 17.74.030) requires commission review for new or enlarged commercial/industrial building area of 5,000 square feet or more. Staff also said the project meets the city’s off-street parking and loading requirements (Montebello Municipal Code chapter 17.22.030): the existing building generated a requirement of 26 spaces and the new warehouse adds a requirement of seven, for a total required 33 spaces; the applicant proposes 34 standard stalls plus 2 ADA stalls and one loading space (36 total).

Resident Josephine Garza, who lives across the street from the site, urged the commission to consider neighborhood impacts, saying the block already has heavy business-related parking and truck activity. "More traffic on the street?" she asked, and said she did not believe residents had the capacity to attend earlier meetings. Garza asked how the project would avoid increasing curbside parking and truck unloading on Maple Avenue.

Applicant Vincent Marquet/Marseille responded that the project includes on-site loading and unloading and that a canopy used for mechanical truck activity on the exterior would be removed as part of the work. "This activity will disappear as a consequence of this construction," he said, and added the applicant believes the net traffic impact will be neutral. He also said the proposed site plan designates sufficient on-site parking and a loading area so there will be no loading or unloading off the parcel.

Director Bellamy told residents the city can assist with a separate process—petitioning Public Works to establish a preferential parking district for the block—if curbside parking from nonresidents is a continuing issue. "The option would be for the residents to petition for a preferential parking district," Bellamy said, adding that the program is administered by Public Works and requires signatures from a threshold number of block residents.

After the public comment and applicant responses, Chairperson Medina moved to adopt Resolution No. 0625 and to find the project exempt from CEQA under section 15332; the motion was seconded and passed by roll call, with Commissioners Morales, Lomeli, Lopez and Chairperson Medina voting aye (4-0). Earlier in the meeting the commission also approved the minutes from the March 18, 2025 meeting (see "Votes at a glance").

The resolution approves the site plan subject to standard conditions and the requirement that final compliance (setbacks, landscaping, building code and permit review) be achieved during the administrative plan-check process. Staff and the applicant said they received two resident inquiries in advance (one email, one voicemail) and that both were responded to.

Next steps: the applicant will proceed to the administrative plan-check and building-permit process to meet municipal development standards. Staff offered to help residents with information on the preferential-parking petition process and offered to inspect the street markings and reported red curbs if residents request it.