Redlands Planning Commission recommends citywide ban on new distribution warehouses

REDLANDS, Calif. — The Redlands Planning Commission voted 5–1 on Tuesday, Oct. 14, to recommend that the City Council adopt a citywide ban on new warehouse and logistics development, citing concerns about traffic, air quality, and the city’s long-term land use goals.

Commissioners agreed that the intent of the proposal—referred to during the meeting as “option three”—is to stop the spread of warehouse projects across the entire I-10 and 210 freeway corridors, even though staff said only three sites remain available for new construction. Existing warehouses would retain their current rights to operate but would not be allowed to expand or redevelop beyond their existing footprint.

“The reason we’re having the conversation has little to do with remaining available sites as it stands today,” said Vice Chair Matt Endsley. “It’s with protecting already developed sites. We’ve already seen the developers of these warehouses have little to no concern of taking over and redeveloping complete sites very quickly for new warehouses.”

Endsley added that the proposal is about “protecting the nature of the city surrounding the existing corridor” and ensuring the General Plan’s goal of diverse land uses is upheld.

“Within the Donut Hole and the city of Redlands, 28 million square feet [of warehousing] over the last 25 years have been developed. Nothing else, no single type of development comes close. We, in my opinion, have a duty to at least examine these options.”

Commissioner Mark Stanson cast the lone dissenting vote, questioning the need for a ban given the small number of available parcels and raising concerns about property rights.

“I can’t support the taking away the rights of people to be able to rebuild their building or to be able to do what they want with their property,” Stanson said. “It’s already hard enough to deal with the state of California and the city of Redlands as it is, let alone just adding another layer on it.”

City planning staff confirmed that “option three” could be implemented without major legal hurdles and would not affect existing permits or operations.

“We would basically make all existing warehouses legal uses as long as they continued,” said Brian Desatnik, city of Redlands development services director. Details about rebuilding following a fire or natural disaster would be clarified in the final ordinance.

Commissioners emphasized that the measure is not intended to restrict light manufacturing or commercial projects that include storage areas but are not primarily logistics facilities. Brian Foote, city planner, clarified that ancillary warehousing—such as storage tied to manufacturing or service uses—would still be allowed.

Commissioner Emily Elliott echoed the need to consider diverse land use.

“While it might seem like a moot point that there’s only three sites left, there’s still three sites left that could be something besides warehouses,” Elliott said, noting that Jay Riley and Escape Craft Brewery both started their businesses in a warehouse district. “That’s a highly successful land use that we’ve seen repeated in the city because it’s where a lot of our local businesses can get their start.”

Elliott also urged that elements of state laws AB 735 and AB 98 be incorporated into the city’s ordinance, such as new buffer requirements and truck routing standards designed to protect residents and sensitive receptors.

Commissioners Rosemarie Gonzalez and Maryn Mineo-Wells echoed support for preventing redevelopment of legacy sites like Pharaoh’s Lost Kingdom and Lazy-Boy Furniture, which were replaced in recent years by large warehouse projects.

“These were places that meant something to people,” Mineo-Wells said. “We want to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

The commission’s motion, made by Chair Karah Shaw and seconded by Endsley, directed staff to bring the recommendation to the City Council for review and discussion before drafting a formal code amendment.

“Our intent is to not allow any more warehouses—no new ones, no redevelopment of buildings that are not currently zoned as such,” Shaw said in summarizing the vote. “We do not want to take away rights from existing parcels that are zoned as warehouses.”

The motion passed 5–1, with Stanson opposed. The City Council is expected to take up the issue in the coming weeks.