Council Postpones Decision on The Triangle

The latest in The Triangle saga became a trilogy Tuesday when Murrieta City Council voted just before midnight to continue the item until next month.

The October meeting will be the third of recent hearings held on a renewed vision for the 64-acre commercial project at the conflux of Interstates 15 and 215 in Murrieta.

In May, the matter was heard by the Planning Commission, which recommended moving forward but without the drive-thru restaurants, gas stations and billboards sought by the property owners, the Domenigoni family.

Mayor Rick Gibbs said Tuesday he would “vote to uphold the votes of the Planning Commission.”

“Rarely should the recommendation of a planning commission be overturned,” said Gibbs, who is holding out for a high-end project sans any gas stations or drive-thru restaurants.

“Putting a gas station is downscale and demeaning for what Murrieta has waited decades for,” Gibbs said. “When you duplicate what already exists that is cannibalizing what already exists...Any gains would come from someone else’s business...By cannibalizing we are not gaining any increase in city revenue.”

According to Gibbs, the project would need not have come before the city had the Domenigonis elected to develop it under a specific plan for Murrieta Springs Mall—approved by Riverside County just prior to the city's incorporation in 1991.

The original and revised specific plans both consist of 1.76 million square feet of commercial development, but the new one calls for less retail and more office—with buildings up to 20 stories as part of the proposal.

“If McDonald’s has space on the ground floor of an office building...we don’t feel that’s incompatible,” said Kelly Buffa, president of Development Planning Solutions, representing Domenigoni-Barton Properties.

“Building would be market driven, we wouldn’t want to build a fast food restaurant on the property and just let it sit there,” Buffa said. “...This is not going to be a development of yellow plastic and neon flashing red, that is not our vision.”

The developer also submitted Tuesday that it would add a 150-foot buffer from the property line to where a fast-food restaurant or gas station could be built, while reserving pads for sit down restaurants along Murrieta Hot Springs Road.

Councilman Randon Lane and Councilman Harry Ramos voiced their support of the Domenigoni family’s proposal to allow a limited number of those types of businesses.

Ramos said having a gas station at the project would be a convenience factor for visitors and employees of the center.

Lane said it would not be “settling” to allow those land uses.

“I am hard pressed to believe that if the Domenigoni family built fast food or gas stations within the design guidelines that no one else is going to build on this,” Lane said. “...I don’t want to wait another 20 years...I want to give the Domenigoni family the ability to build now.”

Yet another issue was whether to allow warehouse retail stores. The Planning Commission had recommended those be permitted by way of a conditional use permit—on a case-by-case basis—but the Domenigonis are seeking that as an automatically-approved component for the project.

A higher-end department store could bring as much as $350,000 to $500,000 in annual sales tax revenue to the city, according to Bruce Coleman, economic development director.

The Domenigonis will seek those higher-end retailers, but they don’t want it limited to that, Buffa said.

In one of many references made by city staff and the developer to the Irvine Spectrum, Buffa pointed out that that center is home to high-end retail as well as a Target.

Lastly, the developer is asking for the ability to allow two freeway billboards on I-15 and and two on I-215. However, the city currently has a moratorium on billboards, which prompted the Planning Commission to recommend leaving those out of the development plans.

Buffa proposed that the billboards be approved, but noted the developer would adhere to the moratorium and only seek permits for the billboards should that be lifted in the future.

Following nearly five hours of discussion, it was Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Bennett who asked for more time to make the decision. She cited unanswered questions and new information, such as the 150-foot buffer for fast food and gas stations.

“...How can we make a decision on that when new stuff comes out on the day of the hearing?” Bennett said.

She said she would also like to know: how much of the 125,000 square feet proposed for restaurants would be allotted to sit down versus fast food or food court; and details on a grocery store included in the specific plan and accompanying recycling facility.

“We’ve all agreed this is going to be a high-end project,” Bennett said. “We have an obligation to require what’s best for the city and balance that…I don’t look at this as demanding, I look at it as working together with a developer...I see this as partnering to ensure that occurs.”

Councilman Alan Long said that overall he was impressed with the project, but also had some unanswered questions.

“I would like to point out that I do like some of the compromises,” said Long, noting he was still concerned with fast food as an approved use, and needed more information on the 150-foot setback being proposed.

“I would prefer to see a food court with some fast food choices,” Long said.

Sales tax revenue from fast food tends to average about $20,000 to $30,000 a year, Coleman had said earlier in the meeting, while upscale restaurants could bring about $65,000 per year.

Proposed hotels could also be a boon to the city, all agreed.

City Council did not take issue with the results of a subsequent environmental impact report that showed traffic and air quality would be unavoidable, significant impacts of the project.

“The decision-making body has balanced that the benefits of the project outweigh the adverse effects, and the adverse effects are considered to be acceptable,” said Jennifer Marks of BonTerra Consulting, which conducted the environmental study.

Murrieta residents also had their chance to weigh in.

About eight people spoke in favor of the Domenigoni family’s newest plans, such as former State Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth.

“It will be a very quality project...but it may not happen if you put these restrictions on it,” Hollingsworth said.

Another five or six were in agreement with city staff and Planning Commission recommendations.

Resident Faye Wons said: “Mr. Domenigoni is correct, we are tired of looking The Triangle as it is, but I would rather wait a little longer to have something to be proud of.”

Another resident, Ray Johnson, said: “You get what you demand, and if you demand quality development you will get quality development.”

Cindy Domenigoni, wife of the lead man on the project, Andy Domenigoni, also spoke. She said her husband “has committed to developed a project that the city and residents can be proud of.”

“...A project that allows a mix of uses with flexibility so that it can be successful...We don’t want to see a project developed and then no tenants in it...Please don’t put roadblocks in the form of conditions to hinder its development,” Cindy said.

“Every day this sits vacant, it costs the city in revenue, and it costs the residents the ability to shop, work and dine local.”

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