Residents, environmental groups press Ontario to shut alleged illegal truck yards at Euclid/Shaffer

Public commenters presented detailed complaints about truck‑yard activity in the Euclid corridor and urged the council to revoke temporary use permits (TUPs) for properties at 7255 and 7435 Shaffer Avenue. A representative of SELA and the Inland Valley Advocates for the Environment said the sites operate as full truck yards rather than the empty‑trailer parking allowed by their TUPs and urged the city to "enforce the law and shut down the illegal truck yard now." Jennifer Daley, representing an environmental nonprofit, told the council she has documented trailers fully loaded with potentially hazardous materials, claimed the site was not part of the original environmental review and described the operation as an "85‑acre truck yard operating 24/7 under a temporary permit."

Several residents, including Chris Robles and Ricardo Ruelas, highlighted repeated two‑year permit extensions and asked how five consecutive extensions comport with the original 'temporary' intent of the Euclid Mixed‑Use Plan. Robles described onsite diesel emissions and particulates, and said he observed thousands of trucks using former farmland as trailer storage. Ricardo Ruelas asked for a meeting between residents and staff to review the decision history.

City Manager response and staff context: the city manager responded at length, arguing the Inland Empire is a regional logistics hub and that policy decisions require factual, contextual review. He said the city had directed code enforcement and the city attorney to pursue enforcement and that staff have closed some illegal operations, but acknowledged enforcement can be a "whack-a-mole" challenge. The manager told one commenter that a recent staff review indicated "there is not a violation as is alleged of that TUP."

Why it matters: speakers tied the truck‑yard activity to air-quality and health concerns and said repeated TUP extensions have effectively turned temporary permits into long‑term industrial uses without full public process. Council members discussed the regional economy, jobs and land‑use tradeoffs; the meeting produced no immediate reversal of existing permits but did include public requests for follow‑up and clarification.

Quantities and enforcement notes: commenters referenced a $22,000 fine issued for one site and other fine figures that were unclear on the record; the city manager said staff were pursuing enforcement actions in some cases but also noted some sites were operating under permitted temporary conditions in the transition of Ontario Ranch land uses.

Next step: residents sought a staff‑level meeting and clearer timelines for the Euclid Mixed‑Use plan implementation; council indicated staff would follow up as appropriate.