For City Council Meeting September 22, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Tanya Williams, City Manager
AUTHOR: Yazdan Emrani, Director of Public Works
Title
Request City Council to: (1) Approve a Joint Use Agreement with Southern California Edison Related to the Precise Plan of Design 2023-0041, Located at the Southwest Corner of Locust Avenue and Lowell Street; and (2) Authorize the City Manager or Their Designee to Execute all Related Documents.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council:
1) Approve a joint use agreement with Southern California Edison (SCE) related to the Precise Plan of Design (PPD) 2023-0041; and
2) Authorize the City Manager or their designee to execute all related documents.
BACKGROUND
On January 27, 2026, the City of Rialto City Council conditionally approved Precise Plan of Design (PPD) 2023-0041 for the development of a 664,859 square-foot industrial warehouse building on approximately 38.89 acres (APN: 0239-192-23) located at the southwest corner of Locust Avenue and Lowell Street within the General Manufacturing (I-GM) Land Use District of the Rialto Airport Specific Plan. This development is required to construct public improvements, including pavement reconstruction, landscaping and irrigation, sidewalks, streetlights, curb and gutter, and undergrounding of overhead utilities. A copy of the City Council staff report is included as Attachment 1.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
The Developer/Owner, IV5 Locust Gateway LLC, requests that the City Council approve an SCE Joint Use Agreement (JUA) to satisfy the project’s condition of approval for undergrounding overhead utilities along the project frontage. Preparation of plans and specifications for the Locust Avenue and Lowell Street improvements is complete, permitted, and contracted, subject to final utility coordination and relocation requirements. City staff, along with the Developer/Owner’s staff, have been coordinating with the utility companies regarding the relocation of the impacted utilities. During discussions with SCE, it was determined that a portion of SCE’s infrastructure will be undergrounded and placed within the City’s Right of Way. Any SCE facility relocations, removals, or new installations will be paid for by the Developer/Owner. Please refer to the Utility Design plans, which are included as Attachment 2.
The location of SCE’s infrastructure is within SCE’s existing easement areas with prior rights. The new locations will be within the public right-of-way where the City has prior rights. As such, the JUA was created to maintain SCE’s status quo and is included as Attachment 3.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
An Environmental Impact Report (EIR), reviewed under Environmental Assessment Review No. 2023-0051, was prepared to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The EIR was approved by the City Council on January 27, 2026, and is on file with the Planning Division.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The project is consistent with the following goals of the Land Use Element of the Rialto General Plan:
Goal 2-16: Improve the architectural and design quality of development in Rialto.
Goal 2-19: Encourage neighborhood preservation, stabilization, and property maintenance.
Goal 2-21: Ensure high-quality planned developments in Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the agreement and approved it as to form.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
The proposed action will not affect the Operating Budget. All costs associated with the relocation, removal, or new installation of SCE facilities will be paid by the Developer.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
The proposed action will not affect the Capital Improvement Budget. All costs associated with the relocation, removal, or new installation of SCE facilities will be paid by the Developer.
Licensing
Before execution of any issued On-Site or Off-Site Construction Permits, the Subdivider secured a business license application and paid a Business License tax at the Contractor's rate, as well as Administration and State fees for his contractors performing any improvements, and shall renew accordingly.
ATTACHMENTS
1. City Council Staff Report of January 27, 2026
2. SCE Final Utility Design Plans
3. SCE Joint Use Agreement