Eddie Jones project approved by Oside Planning Commission
A marathon meeting ends with fewer truck docks as controversial project moves to the City Council for final approval
OCEANSIDE — An overflow crowd filled City Hall as the Oceanside Planning Commission unanimously recommended the controversial Eddie Jones Warehouse on Monday.
The emotionally charged meeting saw more than 100 residents attend with dozens speaking to the commission, most of whom were against the project, or at least wanting fewer truck docks. The commission amended the project, and its conditional use permit, to 34 terminals spread across the four buildings.
The project consists of four buildings at 250 Eddie Jones Way, totaling 497,822 square feet on 31.79 acres adjacent to the Oceanside Municipal Airport between Benet and Alex roads and north of state Route 76. Plans called for 56 docks, down from the 114 originally proposed, and 593 parking spaces for employees, although the commission sliced the number of docks.
There would also be 316,366 square-feet of landscaping with dozens of new trees to be planted and a 100-foot biological buffer from the San Luis Rey River habitat. The project now heads to the City Council in the coming weeks for final approval.
The site, though, is zoned for light industrial as part of the Airport Influence Area and subject to those compatibilities, Rob Dmohowski, Oceanside’s principal planner, said. The project also includes an eight-foot high flood wall based on discussions with the city and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an alternative floodplain mitigation.
Arlene Tendick, a spokeswoman for RPG, told the commission the zoning cannot be changed as it is deed restricted in perpetuity.
“This project does align with the General Plan, specifically economic development,” she added. “These goals do demonstrate what we’re trying to accomplish with this project. This site has been for industrial use since the 1960s.”
The main concern for the commissioners was the number of heavy trucks and traffic around the airport. They each voiced concerns over the number of vehicles, the impacts to residents, hours of operation and the outflow of other vehicles such as vans and light trucks to deliver the goods.
Adam Robinson, president of RPG, the developer, said the project’s design was inspired from a discussion with a potential life sciences company for another development three years ago. He said the number of docks varies and the use is not constant as it depends on the needs of a tenant.
He compromised with the commission by recommending 34 total docks, which RPG will be allowed to allocate as it sees fit. Robinson pitched eight docks in three buildings and 10 for the biggest based on square footage, but the commission opted to allow RPG on how to best to incorporate the docks with each building.
And based on the tenant, the number of docks could expand in the future, although the CUP must be amended to increase the number of docks, according to Oceanside City Planner Sergio Madera.
“It’s easy to say 40 docks is a lot,” Robinson said. “It depends on the tenant and the use. This would be one of the lowest dock counts in the county.”
Based on the larger project, an economic study from May 2023 shows a total combined tax revenue (property and sales) of $366,465 annually to the city and $2.1 million in project development impact fees. The total annual property tax bill was estimated at $1.7 million, with Oceanside receiving nearly 20% of those taxes, per the report.
The report estimates 1,425 construction jobs and an additional 1,178 indirect jobs as a result of construction. Also, projections show 1,380 direct and indirect permanent jobs from the development with a total annual economic output of $365.1 million.
With the scaled-down project, those numbers are expected to drop, although it is unknown what the tax revenue and other impacts will be yet.
Residents, meanwhile, hammered home their objections regarding traffic, neighborhood impacts, noise, pollution, threats of wildfire, evacuation routes and the proximity to protected habitat along the San Luis Rey River.
The airport resides between Benet and Alex roads, which was a source of serious concern for those residents. Many residents said the project doesn’t fit with the area, noting the development of Ocean Kamp and 700 residences.
Dozens of residents in opposition sported blue shirts — known as the Blue Crew — and carried signs in protest. They were prohibition signs with an image of a semi-truck, which residents held up the in protest every time “truck,” “traffic” and other buzzwords were mentioned during the meeting.
“There are a lot of questions about who will regulate the trucks on the other side of the bridge on Benet,” resident Randy Hansen said. “There are first responder concerns. We saw it three years ago. The stop sign will cause traffic to back up to the 76. Ocean Ranch is a great property to develop a project like this.”
Dee Keck, one of the Blue Crew, also known as Oceanside Speaks Out, said the group collected 5,458 signatures from residents in opposition. She railed against the environmental impact report saying it was full of “hedge words,” which would give RPG the ability to increase the project in the future.
Other residents told the commission they should reject the EIR, make the developer reconfigure the project and question design aspects such as walls around the property, who will regulate the trucks and how first responders would handle the project in an emergency.
The Oceanside Fire Department gave specific and detailed recommendations for an evacuation analysis, which satisfied the departments concerns, a spokesman told the commission.
Supporters of the project, which were few, championed the project's economic impacts such as an increase in local jobs and tax revenue to the city.
“Trucks are the hot button,” Commissioner Louise Balma said. “We do like manufacturing and office (space). We need to look at truck bay quantities and pared down to be more palatable for everybody to compromise on. We’re aligned on everything else. As things play out, the relationship with the residents will soften.”
In addition, RPG will spend $5 million to remediate toxic material from the previous development at the site. The location was previously home to a 172,300 square-foot industrial facility operated by TE Connectivity.
The facility specialized in industrial plating and electrical connectors for the defense, aerospace and maritime industries, per the staff report. It was originally owned by the Deutsch Company but sold to TE Connectivity in 2012 and the building was demolished in 2022.
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