Hesperia sets moratorium on wooden pallet yards as residents' concerns mount

The Hesperia City Council approved a moratorium on the establishment or expansion of wooden pallet yards.

The 45-day moratorium, enacted after a 4-0 vote on Tuesday, Aug. 20, allows city staff to study the issue, and adopt regulatory and zoning standards for current and proposed pallet businesses.

The city may extend the urgency ordinance for 10 months and 15 days, a proposed action that several residents requested during public comments.

Pallet yards are currently designated as general industrial type use and allowed in any industrial zone. The yards pose a fire danger, with no regulation designating for pallet stack locations or height restrictions, according to Principal Planner Ryan Leonard.

The city is processing four entitlement applications for businesses that would manufacture, repair and store wooden pallets. The businesses would be located near the Hesperia Airport, west of Interstate 15 and east of the railroad tracks near Darwin Avenue.

Pallet yards can pose fire, rodent dangers, affect property values

During Tuesday's city council meeting, resident Susan Garcia was one of several people who shared concerns about pallet businesses. She said there is potential for “fire danger,” “rodent infestation," and decreased “property values.”

Garcia said her main concern was a proposed pallet storage business adjacent to the Hesperia Airport near Santa Fe Avenue and Jenny Street. The new pallet facility would be situated between the railroad tracks and the airport runway.

Earlier this year, residents began sharing concerns when the city announced plans for the nearly 6-acre pallet storage facility with a warehouse near the airport.

The city’s municipal code currently lacks regulatory and zoning standards to assure that wooden pallet yards do not adversely affect the health, safety, and welfare of the public, according to city staff.

For example, pallet storage yards are currently classified as general industrial use in the municipal code and are subject to the general development standards regulating outdoor storage.

However, the existing standards do not contain regulations or criteria specifically addressing wooden pallet yards.

Potential public safety threats

Should wooden pallet yards continue to be permitted without further regulation, such developments would constitute a "current and immediate threat to public health, safety, and welfare," according to city staff.

Potential risks include:

• Fires: Wooden pallet storage yards present a fire hazard due to the storage of large quantities of wood, a combustible material, at a single site. Within the past few years, there have been multiple fires associated with pallet yards in nearby cities.

• Stacking Hazards: Pallet storage yards often store wooden pallets in high stacks. Without adequate regulation of the location, height, and volume of these stacks, or the separation between these stacks, the health, safety, and welfare of the public may be endangered.

City staff said they intend to study the issues associated with wooden pallet yards including new development standards that may be imposed on their operation to mitigate any potential impacts.

215 Freeway fire: Intense pallet yard fire near Devore damages several vehicles

Pallets, 'how the world moves.'

Despite residents concerns, pallet business owners asked the council to halt or limit the moratorium, adding that their businesses are safe, follow fire regulations and include sprinkler systems.

City Manager Rachel Molina told the council she does not know the outcome of the staff study, and that the city may have to issue potential refunds.

Lee Macias, with Manufacturing Green Products, told the council that his family had already invested $1 million in establishing a new business near Highway 395 and Poplar Street.

Macias told the council that his business has followed fire marshal standards as they work to construct a 90,000-square-foot tilt-up building.

Macias, who asked that the moratorium be tabled, said, “Pallets, like it or not, are how the world moves.”

On Thursday, Macias told the Daily Press that his business has worked with city, even giving up property for the installation of a traffic signal.

"Now, it seems like the city is pulling the rug out from beneath us," he said.

Macias added that he had a conversation with a few residents who had shared during public comment.

“Those that spoke in opposition said they were mainly concerned with the pallet yard near the airport and were not concerned with the other three locations,” Macias said.

Macias said he knows the other pallet businesses are “trying to do things right” and he hopes they are not negatively affected by the moratorium and future regulations.

Mayor Larry Bird shared his concern over pallet businesses that had made investments. He also expressed his desire to implement development standards for the businesses.

Mayor Pro Tem Rebekah Swanson said the safety of residents was a priority and that she is glad the city is tightening regulations. Councilwoman Brigit Bennington expressed her concern over potential fire danger and rodents at pallet businesses, and how earthquakes and strong winds could affect the stacked pallets.

Bennington also inquired on how pallet businesses were obtaining fire insurance since many insurance companies, citing growing risks and costs, have paused or stopped writing new policies in the state.

Councilwoman Allison Lee joined the council in voting yes on the moratorium, while Councilman Cameron Gregg was absent.

Pallet fires in the news

Before and during the meeting, residents and council members mentioned recent pallet fires in Fontana and Los Angeles.

On Thursday, Bird discussed a pallet fire that was reported on Wednesday in San Bernardino.

Fire crews battled the pallet fire in the 2700 block of Yucca Avenue Near Interstate 215 , said San Bernardino County Fire spokesman Eric Sherwin. The fire burned north of I-210 and southeast of I-215 and I-15 Freeway junction.

Several vehicles were destroyed, including an auto carrier with three vehicles, including a semi-truck and a pick-up truck, fire authorities said. No injuries were reported, and no structures were damaged.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Hesperia sets moratorium on wooden pallet yards as residents' concerns mount