Council approves first reading of DHS Varner Road specific plan amendment and EIR addendum for proposed logistics center

The Desert Hot Springs City Council on April 21 approved on first reading a multi‑part application to amend the Desert Land Ventures specific plan and allow development of a logistics center on land north of Interstate 10 near Palm Drive and Varner Road.

Planning staff described the project area, its planning‑area divisions, and site features. The proposal would permit a large warehouse building footprint (the presentation cited a 1,160,989‑square‑foot building with 28,800 square feet of office on an 83.3‑acre parcel in planning area 1A) and adjusts the specific plan to allow up to 1.5 million square feet of logistics space across the plan area. The project design includes two access points (primary access on Varner Road and a secondary access on West Drive), 661 employee parking spaces (132 designated as EV chargers per 2025 code requirements), 721 stalls for semi‑trucks, and 220 dock spaces. The plan also designates planning area 1B for stormwater facilities and planning area 2 as open space/conservation.

Staff said an addendum to the certified 2018 EIR was prepared (ENV25‑2) concluding that the amended project would not create new significant environmental impacts nor substantially increase the severity of previously identified impacts. A comment letter from the Sierra Club (via attorney Abigail Smith) was distributed to council; staff and the project consultant responded during the hearing.

Applicant representative Tom Donahghue thanked staff and described lengthy review and application materials filed in 2024 and 2026. EIR consultant Nicole Christ (Teranova Planning) addressed the Sierra Club concerns and cited comparative technical figures showing reductions from the 2018 project in water demand (from 405 to roughly 73 acre‑feet per year), NOx (from 119 to 71 lb/day), CO2e (from ~30,000 to ~19,000 tons/year), electricity use (~15 million to 7.8 million kWh/year) and daily vehicle trips (from 28,719 to 3,194). She also described mitigation measures included in the addendum (tier‑4 truck requirements, electric forklifts, vanpool/ride share targets, and truck electrification targets) and traffic‑related conditions of approval requiring on‑ and off‑site improvements.

Councilmembers asked a few clarifying questions and suggested additional landscaping and screening along the I‑10 frontage to reduce truck visibility. Councilmember Gardner moved and Councilmember Pi seconded a single motion to: adopt the EIR addendum ENV25‑2; approve SP24‑2 (renamed DHS Varner Road Specific Plan); approve GPA 24‑1; approve trackmap TM25‑1; approve design review DR24‑4; and introduce an ordinance amending Chapter 17.210 (first reading). The motion passed unanimously; the ordinance will return for second reading and formal adoption at a future meeting.

Next steps: the ordinance will be brought back for second reading and adoption; staff noted a comment letter was received and will remain in the public record. The Sierra Club's concerns were discussed on the record and the applicant said it intends to engage the organization after the meeting.