HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-19-2021_Open Session_Item 8_Blankenship, Bill of NAIOP IE_Redacted
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The City of San Bernardino is uniquely poised to continue to be a key partner with the Goods
Movement Industry. The cities proximity to Ontario International Airport the hub for Fed EX, UPS
and Amazon, as well as their immediate proximity to the I 10, 215 and 210 Freeway and major
rail lines, is a strength for the future of the City. The City of San Bernardino has carefully planned
and positioned itself to be a strong partner with the Goods Movement Industry. The Industry is
a valuable partner in the community, paying for badly needed infrastructure that serves city’s
residents and its business community.
The City is already updating its General Plan and Development Codes and as part of that
process it will include an evaluation of warehouse uses. It is our belief that the City does not
need to declare a moratorium to properly address its future warehouse uses. The declaration
of a moratorium is the last resort, when all other planning options have failed or a community
is without any other planning tools to address their stated concerns. There is a process for
each future applicant of a project to follow in the City and ultimately the applicant must seek
approval from the City’s Planning Commission and the City’s Council to develop their project.
NAIOP IE, is respectively requesting that the City Council direct its staff to continue to
develop warehouse development standards as part of the update to the General Plan and
Development Code. I am further urging, the City Council to continue to exercise discretionary
approval for future projects until a future policy ordinance can be developed that addresses the
goals and concerns of the City. As the Industries Representative, I am available to work with
your staff to develop a policy that the Industry and the City can support. Finally, I would like to
thank you for the opportunity to make comments on this important issue. I am hopeful that
you will all continue to be healthy and that the next time we all come together, we are able to
do so in person.
Sincerely,
Bill Blankenship, Director of Government Affairs
NAIOP IE Chapter