Perris planning commission recommends denying rezoning for Harley Knox industrial building

The Perris Planning Commission voted 5-0 on March 19 to direct staff to prepare a resolution recommending that the City Council deny a specific plan amendment and development plan review that would rezone a 4.01-acre parcel at Harley Knox Boulevard and Perris Boulevard to light industrial and clear the way for construction of a 58,974-square-foot industrial building.

The proposal, known in staff materials as the Bru Harley Knox project, sought to amend the Perris Valley Commerce Center specific plan and to approve development plan review and associated environmental findings, including adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration. Planning staff recommended approval of the entitlements, noting the parcel’s proximity to existing industrial uses, a surplus of required parking, and proposed landscaping that exceeded the specific-plan minimum.

Commissioners raised concerns about keeping commercial frontage for employee-serving businesses, truck routing and cumulative industrial buildout, and the lack of a committed tenant. Vice Chair Shively moved to direct staff to prepare a resolution recommending denial to the City Council; the motion was seconded and approved 5-0. The commission’s action sends the recommendation, not a final decision, to the City Council.

Staff presentation and applicant response: Alfredo Garcia, Associate Planner, described the project and environmental review. He told the commission the project included 64 parking spaces (10 with EV charging), a new trash enclosure and an employee break area, and a site layout with right-in/right-out driveways for autos and a truck-only driveway. Garcia told commissioners staff recommended adoption of PC Resolution 24-01 and the MND.

Applicant Michael Wolff (BREW Enterprises) and his team argued the site historically had industrial designation prior to a 2012 change and that the property was now infill between existing industrial uses. Wolff said BREW is speculative developer for the building and clarified the name “BREW” is not related to an on-site brewery, saying, “there's not gonna be any brewery or any drinking on-site.” The applicant described a voluntary contribution toward a nearby park discussed with the mayor; an amount of about $100,000 was mentioned during the hearing.

Environmental and technical issues: Consultants told the commission the project’s MND tiers from the specific-plan EIR and that project-specific technical studies (traffic, biology, air quality, noise) showed impacts would be less than significant with mitigation. Commissioners pressed staff and consultants on truck routing and whether trucks would add travel miles on city streets because a U-turn at nearby intersections is infeasible; staff cited the project’s traffic report noting about 23 truck trips per day (in + out), and that conditions would prohibit truck access on local streets such as Paris and Ramona.

Commission discussion and vote: Multiple commissioners said they were reluctant to lose commercially zoned frontage near a major corridor and worried about cumulative industrial conversions within the Perris Valley Commerce Center specific plan. After extended discussion about alternatives (including a business-park layout or retaining commercial zoning), Vice Chair Shively moved to direct staff to prepare a resolution recommending denial. The motion passed 5-0, and the commission instructed staff to return a written resolution with findings to transmit to City Council.

What’s next: The Planning Commission’s action is a recommendation to the City Council; council will consider the resolution and the project in a later agenda. Staff said the commission’s recommended alternative language — including a request to evaluate a business-park layout, clarification of landscaping and lighting conditions, and a park contribution — will be included in the record sent to council.