Yucaipa council rescinds freeway‑corridor specific plan, halts special election

The Yucaipa City Council voted 5–0 on March 9 to rescind the city’s August 2025 freeway corridor specific plan and the ordinance that amended the zoning map, a move that halts a pending special election tied to referendum petitions. City legal counsel told the council that rescinding the legislative actions would render the petitions moot under Elections Code 9241 and allow the council to cancel the January call for a special election.

The decision followed a lengthy public‑comment period in which residents said the proposed logistics complex and warehouses threatened Yucaipa’s rural character, increased traffic on County Line Road and raised health concerns from diesel truck emissions. “This project simply does not match who we are,” resident Chelsea Brammer Ramirez told the council, urging members to “rescind the approvals, protect the character of this community, and keep Yucaipa Yucaipa.”

City counsel summarized the options before the council and noted March 9 was the last day the council could rescind the earlier votes to avoid the election. Council members debated tradeoffs between preserving local character and seeking revenue streams. Several members—while acknowledging legal and fiscal pressures—said the community’s long‑term identity weighed heavily in their decision. Deputy Mayor Beaver moved to rescind the resolutions and adopt an urgency ordinance to undo ordinance 448; the motion was seconded by Mr. Thorpe and carried on roll call.

Why it matters: rescinding the plan removes the immediate pathway for warehouse development tied to the freeway corridor amendments and stops the city from spending money now on a referendum election. Councilmembers who supported rescission said it gives the city and residents time to craft a different approach; opponents of rescission had argued the plan offered a route toward local revenue and jobs.

What happens next: Council members directed staff to begin a community process—suggestions included an ad hoc advisory panel with one representative from each district and representatives from utilities—to reexamine corridor planning and possible alternatives. Staff and council indicated they will reach out to property owners, utility representatives and community stakeholders to form the advisory group and return to council with a proposed structure and timeline.

Votes at a glance - Rescind freeway corridor specific plan and ordinance 448: motion carried 5–0 (mover: Deputy Mayor Beaver; second: Mr. Thorpe). - Consent agenda (items 1–7, excluding item 6): approved. - Demolition contract amendment (item 6) to cover hazardous‑material abatement: approved as part of consent discussion.

The council’s action rescinds the city’s prior legislative approvals and ends the immediate election pathway tied to the referendums; staff will report back with a proposed community engagement process.