The March Joint Powers Authority voted in a public hearing against plans to build industrial warehouses in Riverside County on May 12. 

Following the federal-mandated realignment and reduction of the March Air Force Base in 1993 and prior to its rebrand as the March Air Reserve Base in 1996, the bordering jurisdictions to this land formed The March Joint Powers Authority. It is composed of eight representatives from the cities of Moreno Valley, Perris and Riverside to oversee and approve usage of the approximate 4,400 acres of land, the surplus land no longer utilized by the historic base. 

The West Campus Upper Plateau project proposed by an Upland-based real estate firm, Meridian Park LLC, was developed to utilize an approximate 818 acres of this surplus land for industrial construction and recreational open space. The land borders Orangecrest and Mission Grove neighborhoods. 

This development plan was originally proposed before the March JPA on June 12 where it was denied. 

A motion to revisit a revised development plan for a March Innovation Hub was approved by the March JPA in March 2025. 

The revised general plan included an approximate 20 percent decrease in square footage for the Innovation Hub and an increase in recreational space. The plan promised around 5 miles of hiking trails, a 48-60 acre sports park accessible to the public, and a new fire station. A 1,000 foot buffer of land would be reserved between the innovation complex and residential areas. 

In the proposal presentation, development representatives expressed the hope to create a campus with innovative, technologically advanced warehouses and claimed that, “There is nothing like where we’re talking about in the Inland Empire.” 

The goal of the hub is to “leverage entrepreneurial talent and create a space of collaboration.” 

The presentation claimed that this project would introduce approximately 3,100 temporary and permanent jobs and an estimated $139 million in fiscal benefits for the County of Riverside. 

Efforts to gather public opinion via emails, phone calls and mailers sent out to communities affected were presented. Meridian Park representatives stated that “62 percent of informed voters were in support of the Upper Plateau Project,” and 631 signed support cards while 741 letters of support were submitted. 

Over 300 constituents sat in on Monday’s meeting held at the Riverside County Administrative Center. Across an hour and a half window, over 100 constituents spoke before the March JPA board in support and in opposition of the proposed plan. The majority attending expressed a multitude of concerns regarding industrial construction. 

Those in favor argued that more warehouses would increase opportunities for employment and solve current issues with foot traffic in the area.

Groups like the Riverside Neighbors Opposing Warehouses lead the argument in opposition, where citizens spoke on their concerns for “public health, the essence of the community and its people.” 

Recurring concerns included poor air quality, increased traffic on the near Interstate 215, loud noise disturbances and lack of contribution to the community’s job market. 

After these concerns were originally addressed in the initial public hearing in 2024, the development team proposed a plan that claimed to eliminate industrial manufacturing onsite in its totality. 

Jennifer Larratt-Smith, cofounder of R-NOW, urged the March JPA to vote against this claim, stating that, “It doesn’t matter what they say verbally. You are voting to certify what is in writing … These are the same old warehouses they presented to you last June, and you must reject them.” 

“I agree with the speaker who said that we cannot approve something that is not in writing, something that is only a promise,” County Supervisor Jose Medina said. 

“If we put a covenant that they can’t build warehouses, will you accept that? If the answer is no, what do you want?” Council Member Chuck Conder, addressing those opposed to the project, asked.

Bryan Goodman, a Lewis Group representative, said that the developers were prepared to prohibit the plot to be used for warehouses. 

After some deliberation, Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez attempted a motion to approve the project with the condition that it not be used for warehouses. 

The board rejected this motion, and the March Innovation Hub project was denied.