San Bernardino News Daily Local news for San Bernardino, about San Bernardino.
The San Bernardino City Council will deliberate today whether or not to consider a moratorium on new warehouse construction in the city or to incorporate new regulations in a city general plan update.
San Bernardino is in the process of updating its General Plan and Development Code that would also include review of zoning and conditions for warehouse development. General Plan updates are required every ten years under California law, although most cities do not strictly adhere to these timelines.
San Bernardino last updated its General Plan on November 1st, 2005.
Discussion of a moratorium was proposed by rookie 5th Ward City Councilmember Ben Reynoso who is in his 5th month on the council.
Moratoriums are generally applied to new or previously unregulated economic ventures, and have been applied to marijuana distributors in the city while the legal ramifications of state laws and voter initiatives played out in court or until regulatory schemes could be developed to mitigate their impacts.
According to local economist Jay Prag, other cities, such as Ontario, Moreno Valley and Rancho Cucamonga once had similar concerns regarding warehouses that seemed to populate most of their new development at one time. As the economics of those cities improved and land became more valuable, those industries gave way to more office and commercial uses over time.
“The location of San Bernardino and its current economic state are very well suited for distribution and logistics jobs,” said Prag. “Imposing a moratorium doesn’t bring in other types of jobs, but simply takes away those opportunities from your residents.”
Addressing the impacts of warehouses and distribution through the General Plan update was previously suggested by 1st Ward Councilmember Theodore Sanchez when the idea of a warehouse moratorium was first brought up for discussion.
Regulations for all development, including zoning for warehousing and other industrial uses, commercial and residential development, and even open-space and parks are incorporated into a city’s general plan and development code which have been previously approved by the Planning Commission and City Council.
A recent report to the Inland Valley Development Agency and San Bernardino International Airport Authority last week highlighted the economic benefits of the redevelopment of the former Norton Airforce Base, much of it in the logistics arena. According to that report, San Bernardino has recovered or developed over 14,500 jobs in aerospace and logistics since 2002.
Criticism of the moratorium has been quietly growing since it was originally proposed back in April among community and business leaders.
“Initiating a moratorium on warehouses and distribution, which have been one of the only economic bright spots for San Bernardino since the closure of Norton Airforce Base, is extremely shortsighted,” stated former San Bernardino City Councilmember Neil Derry. “Outside of the San Bernardino Auto Center these represent the only significant investment of private sector dollars in our city. ”
The San Bernardino City Council meeting will begin its public meeting at 7:00 PM via zoom and can be accessed at https://sbcity.tiny.us/MCC051921 .
