Good News For No Way Gateway

At tonight's Beaumont City Council meeting, the council members indicated they would consider a resolution in support of the No Way Gateway community movement to stop the Gateway Warehouse project at their next meeting. Judging by the comments made tonight, it looks like Mayor Brenda Knight and Councilman Roger Berg have joined their colleagues, Mr. Castaldo and Mr. DeForge in opposition to the land zoning change the county is considering to allow the Shopoff Group from Orange County to build a massive warehouse off of Cherry Valley Blvd. The resolution, at this point, seems to be a formality and should pass easily.

It was also confirmed tonight, by City Manager Alan Kapanicas, that the City of Calimesa is planning to annex the property into the City of Calimesa once the project is complete. Mr. Berg pointed out tonight that the Cherry Valley Blvd exit off the I10 is insufficient to handle the truck traffic and he was doubtful the county would help with the cost of upgrading the infrastructure. It was mentioned that the City of Calimesa is interested in working with the City of Beaumont to improve the ramps but I wonder if that is contingent on the warehouse project going through.

At tomorrow night's Candidate forum, (Click here for details) I hope to hear Calimesa Councilman Jeff Hewett's position on the Gateway Warehouse. Mr. Hewett wants to represent us as our State Senator in Sacramento. I will be submitting a question to the Calimesa Chamber of Commerce, the host of the Forum, to ask the candidates to go on the record with their position on the warehouse in the hills of Cherry Valley.

Tonight was our first significant victory in what will be a long fight. Getting the Calimesa Council and their citizens on board now becomes our primary objective. We also need to get the Yucaipa Valley Water District on the record. They have already agreed to provide the water for the project, this may be a little more difficult to get them to oppose the zoning change but we are entitled to know where they stand. 

I will be at the candidate's forum in Calimesa tomorrow night and won't be able to make it to the YVWD meeting . So, if you are going to be able to make it, I suggest someone ask them for specifics about how many wells they have to support the project and will they need any capital investments to upgrade their facilities. If they will, then we need to make it clear to the customers of YVWD, the people of Yucaipa, what their future rate increases will be going to pay for.

I believe now, more than ever, we are going to be successful in stopping this project but now is not the time to let up. No Way Gateway!