Save Temescal Valley Mission Statement
Save Temescal Valley (STV) is a grassroots organization of residents advocating for responsible development. We are specifically working to see the warehousing component of the Serrano Business Complex downsized, stopped, or repurposed to develop more community-benefitting and less impactful businesses. STV supports responsible and balanced development that doesn’t sacrifice the quality of life, that is less harmful environmentally, and in particular does not affect our health, safety, and well-being.
The Serrano Commerce Center is a proposed 6 million square foot warehouse complex in Temescal Valley, California, located between Corona and Lake Elsinore. The project will run 1.5 miles parallel to the I-15 Freeway, south of Dawson Canyon Road and east of Temescal Canyon Road. If built, the project would be one of the larger logistics projects in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
The following is a summary of what the mass grading would entail for the proposed 490 acre Serrano Commerce Center warehouse project in Temescal Valley. The proposed warehouse project is approximately 700 feet to 1,000 feet west of the Terramor housing development. Based on the developers latest grading plans and land use plan, which we have been given, the following is proposed:
-Approximately 9,865,000 cubic yards of soil and bedrock will be moved as cuts and fills, not including approximately an additional 4,000,000 cubic yards to 6,000,000 cubic yards for remedial grading due to geotechnical and geologic considerations
-Proposed fill depths of up to 70 feet to 100 feet above the existing ground
-Proposed cut (excavation) depths of up to 175 feet deep below the existing ground. This would essentially remove the hills along the I-15 freeway.
-Fill slopes are proposed along Temescal Creek will be up to approximately 50 feet to 85 feet high and cover most of the hillsides along Temescal Creek.
-Cut slopes are proposed along the I-15 freeway up to approximately 30 feet to 70 feet high.
-The mass grading will produce very large level super pads for possibly up to 10 warehouses, ranging from about 106,000 square feet to 1,190,000 square feet, as well as possibly 4 business park buildings ranging from about 31,000 square feet to 355,000 square feet in size.
-Only approximately 7.5 acres will be allocated for a possible fire station and community center, if the county ever elects to build either facility.
-Existing natural ground, mostly along the perimeters of the project, will be designated for only about 74 acres of open space.
According to the developer mass grading could take up to 12 months. That's a lot of dust control that has to be monitored for compliance!
How will the Serrano Commerce Center negatively impact Temescal Valley?
"Warehouses are not standalone buildings; they take in goods and move them out again – mostly with trucks, which burn fuel and clog up streets and highways."
https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/01/inland-empire-california-warehouse-development/
We are already a "disadvantaged community," meaning an area identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency that is disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation.
https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/health-and-safety-code/hsc-sect-39711/
How large is a 6 million square foot warehouse complex?
For perspective, buildings superimposed on this site plan comprise the Promenade Temecula shopping mall.
Building 7, on the proposed Serrano Industrial Park, is one of the largest buildings at 1,124,000 square feet. It is large enough to fit almost 20 football fields inside!
Disadvantaged communities are areas throughout California that suffer most from a combination of economic, health, and environmental burdens. These burdens include air and water pollution, presence of hazardous wastes as well as high incidence of asthma and heart disease. https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/sb535
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