Public Scoping Meeting to Discuss Proposed Warehouse Project

A public scoping meeting to discuss the proposed Moreno Valley Logistics Center project will be held on Monday, July 6. The project site is located in the southern portion of the city, on the corner of Krameria Avenue and Indian Street. During the public review period, public agencies, interested organizations and individuals have the opportunity to comment on the proposed project and identify those environmental issues that should be addressed further by the City of Moreno Valley in the Draft Environmental Impact Report. The July 6 public meeting will be held in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 14177 Frederick Street, from 6 to 7 p.m. The project includes: 1) a Specific Plan Amendment (P15-036) to modify land use buffering and landscape; 2) a Tentative Parcel Map 36150 (PA15-0018) to consolidate 73.4-acre into two parcels, identify public road improvements, and to identify the size and location of proposed utility infrastructure improvements; and 3) four Plot Plans (PA15-0014-PA15-0017) for the construction and operation of a warehouse distribution center with four buildings with a combined 1,737,518 square feet of total floor space. Associated improvements to the property include loading docks, parking areas, drive aisles, roadway improvements, utility infrastructure, landscaping, exterior lighting, signage, and water quality detention basins. The public will have the opportunity to provide comments regarding the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project at the meeting. The Notice of Preparation (NOP) has been prepared per the California Environmental Quality Act requirements and was distributed on June 17. The public review period on the NOP will extend through July 17. The NOP states that the initial environmental review of projects like the proposed Logistics Center, is normally a three-step process governed by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The first step is typically for the city, the lead agency in this case, to determine if the project is exempt from CEQA review; the city has determined that it is not exempt, the NOP states. The typical second step is the preparation of an Initial Study (IS) to determine potential impacts of the project. If the IS determines that the project has the potential to cause one or more significant environmental impacts, the usual third step is to determine whether or not an Environmental Impact Report must be prepared. The City of Moreno Valley has determined that an EIR will need to be prepared based on the scale of the project and its potential to cause environmental effects. The EIR will be prepared to evaluate those effects. Based on the information presented in the IS, the following environmental factors will be evaluated in detail in the EIR for the proposed Moreno Valley Logistics Center project: aesthetics; hazards and hazardous materials; agricultural resources; hydrology/water quality; air quality; land use/planning; biological resources; noise; cultural resources ; transportation/traffic; greenhouse gas emissions; and other mandatory findings of significance. The IS further describes the anticipated scope of the environmental analysis for each issue. Due to the time limits mandated by state law, residents must send their responses at the earliest possible date, but no later than 30 days after receipt of this notice or July 17. Those with further questions may contact Julia Descoteaux, associate planner, at 951-413-3209 or juliad@moval.org.