Perris planning commission opens EIR scoping for Vallarta Marketplace after initial study flags air and GHG concerns

The City of Perris Planning Commission on Dec. 4 held a public scoping session for the Vallarta Marketplace Community Shopping Center project, a proposed 10.55-acre commercial development at the southeast corner of Placentia Avenue and Perris Boulevard that would include a 59,371-square-foot supermarket anchor, a junior anchor, a convenience store with vehicle fueling, multiple quick-service restaurants (some with drive-through lanes), and several retail buildings.

The scoping meeting is part of the California Environmental Quality Act process and follows a November 22 notice of preparation. "The project would exceed the daily air quality emission thresholds, as well as the annual greenhouse gas emission standards of 3,000 metric tons annually for commercial projects," said Ryan Birdsey of Birdsey Planning Group, the environmental consultant for the project. Birdsey and staff said those two topics could not be resolved in the initial study and therefore will be the principal focus of the draft EIR.

Why it matters: an EIR that identifies significant, unavoidable impacts could require mitigation, changes to the project or, if impacts remain significant, a statement of overriding considerations before the commission could approve the project. Planning staff told commissioners that if impacts cannot be reduced to less-than-significant levels, the commission — as the deciding authority — could need to adopt a statement of overriding considerations.

Staff presentation and scope: Associate planner Alfredo Garcia outlined the project site and basic design features, including Spanish-style architecture, rafter tails and red clay roof tiles, a primary access aisle from Perris Boulevard and Placentia Avenue, and landscaping totaling about 11 percent of the site (roughly 51,000 square feet). The project team said truck access will use a designated easterly driveway for deliveries with right-turn ingress/egress, while domestic vehicle access will use the primary two-way aisles.

Environmental studies: Project consultants have prepared technical reports as part of the initial study including air quality, greenhouse gases, biological resources, cultural resources, geotechnical, Phase I environmental site assessment, hydrology/water quality, noise, and a traffic impact assessment including a vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) memorandum. Birdsey said the EIR will evaluate the project alternatives (including the required no-project alternative), cumulative impacts and, specifically, the air- and GHG-related impacts that could not be mitigated in the initial study.

Commissioner questions and staff responses: Commissioners asked about the geographic scope for noise measurements, pedestrian and bicycle access, truck operations and delivery hours, back-of-store safety, lighting spill and EV charging layout. Staff said on-site noise analysis focused on adjacent residences to the east and south and on roadway segments evaluated in the traffic study. For deliveries, staff noted an initial mitigation measure in the draft materials restricting deliveries to store operating hours (the presenter identified expected store hours as roughly 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) to avoid nighttime noise exceedances.

Public access to documents and schedule: Staff said the initial study and technical appendices are available on the City of Perris website and that hard copies/flash drives are available for review at the city. The notice of preparation public review period runs Nov. 22–Dec. 23, 2024; the project team clarified the draft EIR is expected in early 2025 and the final EIR and responses to comments expected later in 2025, with subsequent planning commission and city council consideration following the CEQA process.

Community concerns raised at the meeting included back-of-store safety, noise from delivery trucks, and lighting; the project architect and applicant team said the anchor operator maintains store cleanliness and security measures and that delivery activity is expected to be spread during operating hours. No formal action was taken; the scoping session is an opportunity for agencies, organizations and residents to request topics or studies for the EIR record.