Planning Commission backs Acacia Point: 141 townhomes proposal advances to council

The Perris Planning Commission on Aug. 20 voted 5-0 to recommend that the City Council approve the Acacia Point project, a proposal by D.R. Horton to build 141 townhome-style condominium units and amenities on about 11.6 acres at the southeast corner of Nuevo Road and Wilson Avenue.

Commissioners said they were satisfied that the applicant had addressed comments from the commission, an ad hoc committee and local residents after the project was continued in May. Contract planner Nathan Perez summarized the revisions, saying the developer added architectural details, increased the pool building to include a 735-square-foot meeting room, increased parking and enlarged a dog park, and committed to removing a large on-site stockpile of dirt by Sept. 3, 2025.

The commission’s recommendation follows a series of changes the developer made after community meetings and an ad hoc review. Daniel Boyd, vice president of entitlements for D.R. Horton, told the commission the company had met personally with neighbors about privacy, dust control and landscaping. “The removal of the stockpile will be completed no later than September 3,” Boyd said. He added the company conducts daily dust-control measures and will coordinate with residents who raise concerns.

Commissioners pressed for specifics on several items during the hearing and received commitments. Among them: the applicant agreed owners’ existing backyard fences may remain and said new fencing would be provided only with homeowner permission; the developer agreed to stripe “no parking” on Nuevo where required; the applicant committed to a larger clubhouse and to provide a kitchenette and storage that staff will verify on the floor plans; and the applicant agreed to work with staff on placement and species of trees to maintain privacy without creating fire hazards.

Staff’s recommendation, adopted by the Planning Commission, asks council to adopt a mitigated negative declaration, a mitigation monitoring program, and to approve the general plan amendment, zone change to MFR-14 with a plan development overlay, a tentative tract/condominium map to consolidate 57 parcels into 1 condominium lot and two lettered lots, and development plan review to allow construction of the townhomes and site amenities. The commission added conditions to require 1-year maintenance language for public-works landscaping items and to coordinate the dog-park design with staff so the final plan provides a small enclosed space for small or reactive dogs.

What happens next: The commission’s action is a recommendation; the City Council will take the final decisions on the general-plan and zoning changes. The commission record shows no appeals filed at this stage. Residents who spoke during the public-comment portion raised concerns about distance to homes, dust and rodent control, lighting spill and stockpile height; the developer and staff answered those items on the record.

Votes at a glance: The motion to recommend approval passed 5-0 (Jimenez, Menendez, Lopez, Shively, Hammond). The conditions of approval include the mitigated negative declaration number MND-2403, mitigation monitoring program and the specific project entitlements as listed in the staff report.