Riverside Residents Protest Warehouse Plan

In a recent Riverside City Council meeting, about 40 residents spoke out against a plan to build more than 1.8 million square feet of warehouse space, just east of the city. The property, called West Campus Upper Plateau, is the site of a proposed two-building, 1.8 million-square-foot industrial project, and many locals are concerned.

The Inland Empire has become one the hottest industrial markets in the country, as e-commerce has taken off during the pandemic and Los Angeles County is running out of logistics space. The region offers proximity to airports, seaports and access to 20 million consumers within a 2-hour drive.

Riverside residents however are frustrated about the proliferation of warehouses, and worry about the pollution coughed up by the diesel trucks and the traffic problems they create. One speaker noted there is a petition signed by over 1,000 people opposing the West Campus project, but according to The Press-Enterprise, no action was taken at the City Council meeting.