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Residents press Moreno Valley planners over McDonald's appeal and growth of warehouses, data centers
Summary
During public comment residents urged the Planning Commission and upcoming city council to oppose a McDonald's appeal and to move quickly to limit warehouses and AI/data centers, citing traffic, safety, water and air‑quality concerns and a regional 'Region and Crisis' report.
A large portion of the June 11 public comment period focused on two recurring themes: opposition to the applicant appeal of a denied McDonald's project (planning case PEN25‑0136) and broad community alarm about continued warehouse and data‑center growth in the region.
Denise Mortati told commissioners a seven‑page McDonald's appeal argued the restaurant is in full technical compliance and that consultants’ algorithm‑based analyses showed no traffic, noise or safety impacts; Mortati said that conclusion dismissed concerns voiced by over 100 residents and 44 public commenters and described the appeal as driven by corporate interests rather than community welfare. Deanna Hargreaves, who said she had spent weeks reviewing hundreds of pages of records on PEN25‑0136, told the commission she could not identify independent city analysis of queuing, circulation, pedestrian safety or the operation of a 24‑hour dual drive‑thru, and she placed that concern on the public record ahead of the appeal hearing at council.
Other speakers used the public comment period to urge action on warehouses and AI/data centers. Oswan Gonzalez urged the city to direct staff to draft an ordinance banning AI/data centers and cited a "Region and Crisis" research paper that, he said, documents tens of millions of square feet of new warehouse space, pending approvals and disproportionate regional air‑quality impacts. Several commenters referenced Monterey Park’s recent voter decision to prohibit data centers and asked Moreno Valley to follow suit or enact a moratorium while the city prepares rules.
Speakers emphasized why the issues matter locally: water scarcity in the desert, air‑quality disparities in the Inland Empire, and a pattern of approvals residents say produce minimal local employment but large environmental and quality‑of‑life impacts. Several community organizations and residents told the commission they plan to continue engagement at the city council level where appeals will be heard.
Next steps: the McDonald's appeal is scheduled for city council consideration; the commission and staff will continue the logistics mitigation ordinance review and will consider a study session on moratoria (including AI/data centers) after the motion for a study session passed the commission on June 11.
