The March Joint Powers Authority commission, following a three-hour public hearing in Moreno Valley, voted 6-1 to table a proposed large warehouse project near the former March Air Force Base.
The commission must secure a majority vote to reintroduce the West Campus Upper Plateau project for another public hearing, which means the project is postponed indefinitely.
The decision came after March JPA planning staff and the developer, Lewis Group of Companies, requested more time to review public input.
Riverside County Supervisor Kevin Jeffries proposed tabling the project.
"They're not ready to make a presentation," he said when making his motion. "They've asked us all to be here tonight. They don't have a project ready to go. Take it off the calendar."
The project proposes 1.8 million square feet of warehouse space on 800 acres of land near the Orangecrest and Mission Grove neighborhoods in Riverside.
Plans include a campus-like setting with industrial and office spaces, and a 60-acre park featuring walking and biking trails. The developer aims to mitigate environmental impact with clean vehicles and solar-powered warehouses.
Supporters from trade unions, like Jason Geiger from the Southwest Carpenters Union, emphasized the potential to build something good for the area.
"I've seen this vacant land for a lot of years and then have heard some things come around," he said. "But nothing's ever come to fruition."
Opponents of the project, such as Orangecrest resident Sandy Cabrera, voiced concerns about air quality, traffic safety and the area’s natural landscape.
"Why would you take a natural habitat and turn it into an industrial zone knowing that the community already has some of the worst air quality and traffic in the entire nation?"
Jennifer Larratt-Smith is with Riverside Neighbors Opposing Warehouses (R-NOW) and also lives in Orangecrest. She considers the outcome a win for her neighborhood.
"It was a huge victory in terms of the community coming out and speaking their mind and really showing their commitment to their community."
