Perris planning commissioners approve Synergy Companies’ 5,240-sqft business park after design and safety tweaks

The Perris Planning Commission voted 5-0 on May 6 to approve Development Plan Review 25-00005, allowing Synergy Companies to build a 5,240-square-foot business park building on a 0.44-acre parcel in the Perris Valley Commerce Center specific plan. The commission also adopted Resolution 26-09, finding the project categorically exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to section 15332 (infill development projects).

The project will be used primarily as an administrative and dispatch office for Synergy Companies, an energy-efficiency contractor that performs HVAC, water-heater, insulation and weatherization work. Planning staff noted the site plan includes 15 parking spaces (a stated surplus of nine), two at-grade roll-up doors, a trash enclosure and about 2,500 square feet of landscaped area (13.3% of the site).

"We do not request any special considerations," Norman Pulliam, the project manager and general contractor for the applicant, told commissioners. He described Synergy as a two-decade local business and said the new building is a modest expansion to support on-site administration and three full-time employees. Pulliam asked the commission to base its decision on current law and requested notice if staff relied on a code interpretation so the applicant could respond.

Commissioners and staff focused their discussion on site design and operational details rather than land-use compatibility. Planning staff (identified in the record as "Lupita") corrected a clerical error in the staff report, noting the project resolution number is 26-09, not 26-07, and described how the project meets the Perris Valley Commerce Center standards and municipal code parking requirements.

Several commission questions produced changes staff will incorporate into the conditions of approval. Commissioners asked about vehicle types and overnight parking (the applicant said employees take vehicles home and vehicles on-site are typically small pickup trucks and vans); bioretention basins for stormwater were confirmed to collect on-site runoff and discharge toward Commerce Street and Perris Boulevard; and plan reviewers clarified ADA and EV parking locations and compliance requirements.

Design and site-condition changes the commission required or requested include: - Revise the building elevations to add a centered entry door in the archway and to reflect the entry as the main access to the office; add a canopy over the entry to comply with California Green Building Code requirements. - Revise the proposed yellow "daisy" arch color to a gray or red color (subject to staff approval) and confirm the arch will be aluminum-clad with a factory finish to improve durability. - Add a lattice or similar front treatment to match adjacent buildings. - Provide either a front fence with a two‑rail steel fence and rolling gate to secure the site, or alternatively secure the rear (southerly) portion of the site; the applicant may choose which approach and then comply accordingly. - Work with staff to locate or relocate the employee patio area away from the trash enclosure if needed; provide evergreen screening around the patio (Condition of Approval 18a). - Consider smaller (24-inch) boxed trees or alternative plantings where only a 5-foot planting strip is available and work with staff to select native species where practicable. - Submit a photometric (lighting) plan; Condition of Approval #24 requires photometrics to ensure adequate lighting of the parking lot and perimeter.

Planning staff also clarified that one ADA parking stall will be located on the east side in front of the building and that five EV-ready stalls are shown on the west side; staff confirmed that EV stalls must meet applicable ADA access requirements and that final configuration will be checked during plan review.

"If it became necessary, we would do [an electric gate]," the applicant said when commissioners asked about perimeter security, noting the existing Synergy building does not have a front gate but adjacent properties do. On landscaping, the applicant said he was willing to install 24-inch box trees instead of 36-inch where needed and to coordinate with staff on the final palette.

After concluding discussion and reading the amended conditions into the record, the commission considered a motion to adopt Resolution 26-09 and approve DPR 25-00005. Commissioner Lopez moved approval and the motion was seconded; a roll-call vote was read into the record with all five members voting yes, and the motion carried.

Votes at a glance - Adopt Resolution 26-09 / Approve DPR 25-00005 (Synergy Companies, 5,240 sq ft): Motion passed, 5-0. - Consent calendar (approval of Planning Commission minutes, 04/01/2026): Motion passed, recorded as 3 yes, 2 abstain in the meeting record.

What happens next The applicant will submit revised construction drawings and elevations to reflect the door, canopy and color/finish changes, and plan check will verify parking, ADA/EV compliance, photometrics and other conditions. Staff will track which fencing option the applicant elects and confirm landscaping substitutions (e.g., 24-inch trees) during plan review.

Why it matters The decision clears the way for Synergy Companies to expand local administrative operations and retain three on-site positions, while the conditions aim to address neighbor-facing design, long-term material durability, site security and pedestrian/traffic safety.

Sources and attributions Quotes and attributions are taken from the May 6, 2026 meeting transcript of the City of Perris Planning Commission. Speakers cited directly in this article are drawn from the meeting record and the meeting's roll call.