A group of Oceanside residents is pushing back against a plan to build a large warehouse near the Oceanside Airport.
The Eddie Jones Warehouse, Manufacturing & Distribution Facility project consists of development of a new 566,905-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility on Eddie Jones Way and Benet Road.
The warehouse would include 114 semitruck loading bays and 60 large truck parking stalls.
Darrin Selnick lives near the proposed site and is part of a group of residents against the project.
“We're not a 'no' group. We’re not a ‘Hey, we don't want anything here.’ But we want something that works for the residents, the city, and the developers," Selnick said.
The group has dubbed themselves the blue crew and they say all they've heard so far is what works for the developer.
“A giant warehouse that’s 24/7, noisy. Light, 114 trucks coming in and out of the neighborhood,” Selnick said.
Gene O'Neal thinks that the amount of the trucks along with traffic from other approved projects in the area, will create a traffic danger.
"Nobody who lives in this area north of the river will be able to get in and out of our homes. Let alone, in an emergency trying to get emergency services in or out, or to evacuate people," O'Neal said.
Developers for the site are only building the warehouse. The operators of the facility have not been identified, which is another point of concern for Oceanside resident, Debra Wanamaker.
"The one thing that hasn't been stated is the future. The developer cannot tell us who is going to be moving it yet. He's building this building and assumes somebody will come," she said.
The site's proximity to recreational activities like a bike trail and skate park, drew local high schoolers to comment about the environmental impact the project would have during the city’s council meeting.
"This will cause an obscene amount of pollution to not only the air, to everyone around there, and the San Luis Rey River that is right behind it," said Phoenix Graven, an Oceanside High School student.
"We really want to protect our land and our beaches and our oceans that Oceanside has that makes it a beautiful and significant town unlike any other industrial town," said another Oceanside High School student, Jake Cook.
A developer representative was present at the meeting and said the project is still under city review and more public meetings will be held for community outreach.
"We agree that community engagement is an important part of the process. I have been taking notes on all of the comments from this evening and will be sure to share them with the design team," Molly Walters, the developer representative said.
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