Irvine could soon have new regulations blocking large warehouses from going in next to homes after city council members ordered staff to draft new regulations for them to consider on Tuesday night.
The debate comes as city leaders are trying to craft planning rules – zoning for more housing in areas like the Irvine Business Complex and Spectrum.
Councilmembers this week said they are hearing from new residents who are running into problems with traffic and noise from nearby distribution centers.
“If we’re on a trajectory where we’re going to have more residents there…I don’t want them to be subjected to this big semi truck traffic,” said Councilwoman Kathleen Treseder, who suggested adding new regulations.
City council members voted 4-2 to reconsider a proposal that Treseder and Mayor Larry Agran voted for two years ago, asking staff to update it and bring it back for them to vote on next month.
Councilmen Mike Carroll and James Mai, the two who voted against the idea, did not speak to the issue.
Mihran Toumajan, a spokesperson for the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties Southern California chapter, spoke out against any changes to the law on behalf of Irvine businesses.
“We have concerns,” Toumajan told council members at the meeting. “We remain opposed to onerous regulations that hamper the development of much needed last-mile distribution facilities.”
Councilman William Go asked for staff to look at adding a clause that would protect businesses who need their warehouses to function.
“I just want to be sure we’re mindful of that,” Go said.
But the remaining council members largely dismissed his complaints, highlighting that while smaller warehouses could work in the city, large ones could lead to more issues.
“I recognize E-commerce has made it necessary to have smaller warehouses nearby to get our delivery today,” said Councilwoman Melinda Liu. “But I ultimately want to make sure that when we develop and we grow business and economically, we are also maintaining our quality of life.”
Mayor Larry Agran called the zoning of warehouses “an enormous challenge,” and said there weren’t homes for many warehouses in Irvine, especially not large ones.
“I frankly have strong doubts that warehouses of the magnitude that have come upon us here can be accommodated anywhere in Irvine,” Agran said. ““I think we’re going to have to take a real deep dive on this matter if we’re going to keep faith with our reputation as a very well planned city.”
Noah Biesiada is a Voice of OC reporter and corps member for Report for America, a GroundTruth initiative. Contact him at nbiesiada@voiceofoc.org.
