In October of 2020, the Vernon City Council approved an agreement with The Arroyo Group (TAG) to assist the City in exploring mixed-use development opportunities and prepare a Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR). The intent was to allow and encourage an area within the Westside of Vernon (Westside) to transition into an active place of mixed uses (residential, live/work, production retail, and restaurant/entertainment) while strengthening the majority of the Westside as a highly competitive area of clean industrial production. During the past two and a half years, TAG performed baseline studies, drafted an update to the Housing Element, analyzed transportation enhancements, conducted one-on-one interviews with key stakeholders, identified and studied catalytic site development, conducted a PEIR Scoping meeting and held multiple Stakeholder Committee Meetings.
Ultimately, the Stakeholder Committee deviated from the idea of a Westside Specific Plan, but did express support for changing the City’s zoning code to allow for mixed-use development in select areas concentrated along Santa Fe Avenue and Pacific Boulevard. The Vernon Housing Commission also expressed its support for the City's proposed plan to amend its zoning code.
Staff has utilized the feedback gathered from its community outreach over the last two and a half years to draft amendments to Title 17 of the Vernon Municipal Code (VMC) that are aligned with the City’s Housing Element Update and that incorporate mixed uses in select areas of the City. At its July 18, 2023 Council meeting, a resolution was adopted to amend the introduction to the General Plan and the Land Use Element of the General Plan to provide consistency with the proposed changes to the City’s zoning code; and the first reading of an ordinance took place that proposed the adoption of changes to Title 17 of the VMC creating four zoning districts.
The second reading of the City's Zoning Code ordinance reflecting proposed changes took place on August 1, 2023, at which time the Vernon City Council adopted zoning for mixed-use development in Vernon. The City’s zoning code amendments encourage an active place of mixed uses - residential, live/work, production retail, and restaurant/entertainment - in select areas concentrated along Santa Fe Ave and Pacific Blvd. These changes will not only allow for mixed-use development, but will provide design standards and guidelines for such development.
Some property owners have already expressed an interest in pursuing innovative development projects in the City. We are excited to see what this monumental decision has in store for the future of Vernon! The Vernon evolution continues.
