Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the most frequently asked questions about the Eddie Jones project. This FAQs list will continue to grow as we progress through the City review and approval process. Please email us if you have additional questions to add to this list.
LAND USE
This plan is inappropriate for a residential neighborhood. Why do you think this is compatible?
The project site is within the city’s industrial core, immediately adjacent to the Airport. The project is consistent with the property's long time Industrial Zoning and with the Airport Expansion Master Plan. San Luis Rey Bike Trail and the river itself create a distinct separation from the residential uses north of the City of Oceanside’s industrial core and Municipal Airport. The preservation of industrial land is a key objective outlined within the City’s Economic Development Element so a goal of ours is to align with this policy, while also being context-sensitive and considerate of the site’s constraints, which includes the views of adjacent residences.
Why consider expanding outside of the current zoning regulations?
We're not. The project as proposed is consistent with the existing General Plan designation and industrial zoning for the site.
Additionally, the project aligns with City priorities. The City’s Economic Development Element estimates that the city will have a deficit in industrial land and that existing Industrial land should be preserved.
What is allowed on the site with the current zoning?
City development standards would allow roughly 1 million SF on a property of this size! Maximizing the site to its fullest potential would not have been appropriate. Given the lack of industrial land available in Oceanside, the proposed project aims to strike a balance to meet the city need while also being sensitive to the site’s context.
PROCESS
What other opportunities will there be for us to speak directly with the developer/project team?
Four public meetings have been held for this project. Members of the project team are available for one on one and small group meetings. Click here to get in touch.
What's happening on site now?
As mentioned during the 1/17/23 community meeting, the former dilapidated warehouse that was on site had issues with vandalism and homeless encampments. It has since been demolished and soil remediation for contamination caused by the former use is in process. We are actively working to keep the site secure and people off the property.
What is the project timeline?
Public circulation of the draft Environmental Impact Report began on October 26, 2023. The responses to comments are being prepared. Once the final EIR is complete, it will be made available to the public and a public hearing regarding the project at the Oceanside Planning Commission will be scheduled. If approved, construction could begin as soon as 2025.
What approvals are you seeking?
The project is seeking a Conditional Use Permit. This is customary in Oceanside for all facilities larger than 50,000 sq. ft. The project is consistent with the site’s existing Light Industrial zoning.
SITE PLAN
What is RPG proposing?
The Project utilizes the site’s Industrial zoning to replace a 50-year-old dilapidated building with a new and efficient facility that meets today’s needs, and aligns with City priorities for economic development and preservation of industrial land. The proposed design incorporates industry best practices to provide a modern yet functional industrial space that could support multiple tenants. Read more.
How does the four-building option presented at the last public meeting fit into the process?
The Final EIR, which will address the proposed project and four alternatives, including the 4 building option, will be considered by the city decision makers at a public hearing. Through that process, the city ultimately decides whether to certify the Final EIR and what to approve and implement from the certified document. This option was included in response to community comment.
SITE CONSTRAINTS
Is there any correlation between the airport and the Eddie Jones Industrial project?
No. The Airport Expansion Master Plan predates this project. The project is consistent with current ALUP requirements and future expansion plans. The project is not affiliated with the airport, so no additional airport traffic is projected for personnel or materials.
How does this project comply with San Diego County’s Airport Land Use Commission Policies?
The project is designed to comply with all Oceanside Airport Land Use Plan (ALUP) safety zones and height requirements, and has received the FAA “No Hazard Determinations” and approval from San Diego County ALUC.
Additional design considerations include:
Building placement – sited further north than otherwise would have been to be outside glide path;
Staggered building height keep away from levy and residents and still comply;
Landscape design at end of runway in compliance with FAA restrictions.
Why do you have to build a flood wall?
The site’s proximity to the river required that it be protected from the 100-year flood. The alternative to the flood wall was to raise the pad elevation out of the flood plain. This would have resulted in the building being situated higher up. We did not think this would be compatible with the surrounding community, so we opted to construct the flood wall to reduce view impacts for the residential uses.
What measures have been taken to ensure this project would not adversely impact the San Luis Rey River and surrounding habitat?
The project maintains the 50-foot biological buffer and 50-foot planning buffer as required from the edge of the San Luis Rey River riparian habitat. The buffer area is adjacent to the San Luis Rey River Trail embankment and is designated to be replanted with native coastal species.
A biology report was completed as part of the CEQA process to identify possible impacts on surrounding habitat and sensitive species.
How do you plan to protect the San Luis Rey River from hazardous runoff generated by the project’s trucks?
Storm water runoff is highly regulated in California; a site can have no untreated storm water runoff. A hydraulics and hydrology report has been prepared for the project in addition to a Drainage report and a Storm Water Quality Management Plan (SWQMP) that the project would be required to incorporate as part of a condition of approval. The SWQMP includes Best Management Practices (BMPs), like landscaping areas and underground detention vaults, to treat and clean storm water. Once treated, stormwater would be released into the City's drainage infrastructure. Compliance with these plans is mandatory and monitored by regulatory agencies.
With these measures, storm water from the site will be treated, resulting in cleaner runoff than today.
CIRCULATION
Do your studies take the other large developments in the area?
Yes - Eighteen projects, including Ocean KAMP, were analyzed as part of the cumulative impacts within the Environmental Impact Report.
How will the increased traffic impact Oceanside's master bike plan on Benet?
Benet already has Class 2 bike lanes so it will not impact the Master Bike plan. The project also provides the missing link of sidewalk on Benet to improve pedestrian access.
What traffic improvements are identified for SR-76/Benet Rd.?
As documented in the Local Transportation Study (Section 3.7), if Eddie Jones is the only project, the intersection of SR-76/Benet Rd would require no improvements.
As noted above, existing traffic plus traffic from 18 cumulative projects are what cause an exceedance of the level of service goal for SR-76/Benet Rd., and that is only in the 2030 cumulative condition once these other developments in the city are added. As a result, consistent with City standards, the project and other contributing developments will make fair share payments towards future improvements to the SR-76/Benet intersection, based on each project’s proportion of the trips expected to be generated.
When was the traffic study conducted?
The traffic study was finalized in 2023 and is consistent with city standards. Base traffic levels were based on the highest level of traffic volumes measured over a seven-year period starting in 2015.
How many trucks will the warehouse add to current traffic in the neighborhood?
13 trucks are estimated during the morning peak hour and 9 trucks are estimated during the afternoon peak hour.
How is the site accessed?
There are two ingress and egress points for the site: Benet and Foussat Roads. All truck traffic will be directed to the Benet entrance. Employees will be able to choose between Benet of Foussat.
Why are you using Benet and not the larger Foussat?
A variety of factors influenced the circulation plans for the project.
Benet is a Secondary Collector, which would allow it to be used for uses consistent with the surrounding area’s zoning. Benet has the capacity to accommodate the project based on objective metrics on road capacity.
Future improvements to Foussat, including a roundabout planned for Foussat and Alex, would limit the use of Foussat for trucks.
Have you considered alternative routes?
Alternative routes, like Airport Road, are not recommended because they are less efficient when accessed from SR-76.
The development plan indicated trucks would be restricted to Benet. How will you restrict trucks from passing through the community?
The trucks that will be associated with this project would have no reason to proceed north on Benet past the project site into the neighborhood. However, we understand that members of the community view that segment of Benet as residential, so we’re exploring options to work with the City to formally restrict truck travel north of the bridge.
Will a dedicated right turn lane be added to Benet Road to avoid trucks blocking passenger vehicles?
Yes, a dedicated right turn lane has been added in response to community feedback.
OPERATIONS
Have you considered other uses for the property? What about sports fields or a trampoline park?
We are not pursuing a General Plan Amendment or zone change so we have not considered any uses that would be outside the site's existing land use designation. Sports fields would not be allowed with the site's existing zoning. A trampoline park would be allowed. We are still more than a year away from identifying tenants.
Do you have a planned tenant type for this project?
No. It is too soon to have a prospect list. Tenants will not sign a lease or letter of intent without a projected move in date. However, a tenant like Thermo Fisher Scientific is on our wish list.
Is this Amazon?
No tenants have been identified for the project. However, the project is not consistent with Amazon’s distribution center specifications. Further, it has been reported recently that Amazon is scaling back on its warehouse locations. These two factors make it highly unlikely this space would be leased to Amazon.
If you don't know who the tenants will be, how can you accurately predict traffic?
The traffic study uses data that has been collected over time from a variety of like uses. These standards provide an objective framework for analyzing anticipated trip generation.
How do you see this project impacting property values?
These 31 acres have been used for industrial purposes for decades – so we don’t anticipate a shift in community character. RPG has developed similar facilities within similar contexts and has not seen a decrease in the surrounding area due to the quality of the buildings they develop. We took special consideration during the design process to be mindful of the residences to the north by making sure the height of the new facility wouldn’t change their views and adding more green screening and landscaping than what is currently there.
What are the hours of operation?
The hours of operation are determined by the tenant. An Operations Management Plan will be prepared for each tenant that will include business operation details, hours of operation, security protocol, and property maintenance. It will also include a “good neighbor policy” detailing delivery vehicle schedules, truck haul routes, noise mitigation, best management practices, and protocol to address any concerns from neighboring property owners or tenants.
Who will be responsible for maintaining the landscaping and parking lot once the building is completed?
RPG typically maintains its properties. There have been occasions where a tenant has asked for more control, but that is rare.