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Board approves Cajalco Commerce Center in Mead Valley with 13‑acre park, $40M+ in community benefits; EIR finds unavoidable NOx and VMT impacts
Summary
After an extended public hearing with more than 50 speakers, the Board of Supervisors voted 5‑0 to approve the Cajalco Commerce Center in Mead Valley, certifying the EIR with required findings and securing a community benefits package that includes a 13‑acre park and land for local commercial use.
The Board of Supervisors voted 5‑0 to tentatively certify the final environmental impact report and to approve the Cajalco Commerce Center project — a general plan amendment, change of zone, plot plan and tentative parcel map for a site south of Cajalco Road and west of Seton Avenue in Mead Valley (item 23.1).
Staff presentation: County planner Russell Brady summarized the application and the final EIR. The project site covers approximately 58 acres; staff described roughly 44 acres proposed for the warehouse area and a separate approximately 13‑acre public park. The warehouse conceptual plan includes a single building the applicant described as about "1,003,510 square feet," 152 truck loading bays and a large surface parking area. The EIR identified potentially significant and unavoidable impacts for operational emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) relative to South Coast Air Quality Management District thresholds and for vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Staff said all feasible mitigation was included in the EIR but that NOx and VMT impacts remained above county thresholds; a statement of overriding considerations would be required if the board approved the project.
Applicant presentation and community benefits: Scott Morse for developer Hillwood said the company had worked with the Mead Valley community over four years and proposed what he characterized as a package of infrastructure and recreational benefits. Hillwood and staff described a community benefits package originally presented at about $38 million and later increased with additional commitments to more than $40 million. Added benefits in the board package included acquisition and transfer to the county of 5 acres in the Mead Valley core (anticipated as 2.5 acres for commercial use and 2.5 acres for a small passive park), a community facilities district (CFD) to fund operation and maintenance for the 13‑acre park that will be limited to the warehouse parcel, and a condition that a multipurpose building in the park accommodate workforce training coordinated with Riverside County Workforce Development and Mount San Jacinto College. The applicant also agreed to supplemental mitigation measures including installing electrical conduit on dock doors so that future truck charging could be added later; staff and the applicant said the conduit requirement would equal 50% of dock doors for future charging infrastructure.
Public comment and contentious issues: The county received extensive public comment: the clerk reported 55 speakers (approximately 15 online and about 40 in person). Speakers were sharply divided. Supporters — including many Mead Valley residents, local labor unions and several elected officials — emphasized jobs, local hiring and the need for parks, recreation and site cleanup. Labor representatives said a community workforce agreement and project labor commitments would create construction careers for local residents. Opponents — including environmental and community groups, Sierra Club representatives and neighborhood organizers — argued the site adds to an existing overconcentration of warehouses, cited the EIR's finding of unavoidable NOx and VMT impacts, raised public‑health and environmental justice concerns and noted existing vacant warehouse space in the Inland Empire. Several speakers raised the potential for residential displacement where rezonings are proposed elsewhere in Mead Valley.
Board discussion and vote: Supervisor Jose Medina, who represents the district, said he had heard community needs for parks, jobs and infrastructure; he praised Hillwood for a community workforce agreement and for increasing the community benefits package and moved to approve. Several supervisors thanked residents on both sides for participating; they noted the project would be subject to the EIR's mitigation measures and that the statement of overriding considerations would be part of the record. The motion to approve as recommended carried 5‑0.
Key conditions and clarifications: Staff and the applicant specified that the 13‑acre park must be constructed prior to the warehouse receiving final building permit or occupancy; the park will be funded and maintained via a CFD limited to the warehouse parcel; the multipurpose building was conditioned to support workforce training coordinated with county workforce agencies and Mount San Jacinto College; mitigation included conduit for future truck charging for 50% of dock doors. The EIR concluded other impacts would be less than significant after mitigation but that NOx and VMT impacts were significant and unavoidable.
Clarifying details: Project area ~58 acres; proposed warehouse building described by applicant as about 1,003,510 sq ft; warehouse area ~44 acres and park area ~13 acres; proposed 152 truck loading bays; landscaping described as ~292,000 sq ft (~15% of site); parking counts and some smaller numeric details were presented in staff materials and by the applicant and should be referenced in the project planning exhibits for exact figures (some speaker transcripts show formatting or transcription artifacts for vehicle counts). The final EIR was published July 19, 2024; the final EIR responses were posted August 13, 2024 and were provided to the board in the package.
Ending: The county approved the project with its required CEQA findings and the added community benefits package; staff said a statement of overriding considerations would be included in the certification record to address residual NOx and VMT impacts, and will track implementation of park construction and CFD formation.
