By Breeana Greenberg
Amazon has scrapped its plans for a delivery facility within the Rancho San Clemente Business Park, according to city officials.
Deputy Community Development Director Adam Atamian announced during a Dec. 22 Planning Commission meeting that Amazon’s proposed delivery facility plans, dubbed Project Summer, had been officially withdrawn.
Project Summer “is not going to be placed on any future agendas or worked on by staff; it is basically off of our plate at this point,” Atamian said.
According to the city’s website, updated in August, the project was still in the early stages of the review process.
The project looked to develop two vacant lots, totaling 20.38 acres at Calle Cordillera and Calle Sombra in the Rancho San Clemente Business Park. Greenlaw Partners LLC, the Irvine-based real estate firm that’s listed as the project applicant, proposed construction of a roughly 105,000 square-foot “e-commerce delivery station with a delivery van queueing area and parking storage for fleet automobiles and vans,” according to the city’s website.
While the project has been withdrawn, Amazon or Greenlaw Partners could submit new plans in the future.
“I will say that it does not mean that they cannot reapply in the future,” Atamian said. “I think based on a number of factors, they decided to withdraw the application, because it’s what’s in their best interest.”
Atamian added that since a potential project could come back, commissioners should keep their opinions on the project to themselves.
“We have absolutely no indication that they would reapply, but in the case that that occurs, I just want to make sure that our Commission, they have not weighed in on something that could affect the future.”
In an emailed statement from Amazon on Thursday, Dec. 23, the company said it’s constantly exploring new locations, and that it “weighs a variety of factors” while determining sites on which to develop.
“It is common for us to explore multiple locations simultaneously and adjust based on our operational needs,” the company said in the email. “While we have decided not to pursue the site in San Clemente, we continue to assess opportunities to invest and grow across the region. We appreciate the time and attention committed by the City, as well as local community leaders and officials.”
Breeana Greenberg is the city reporter for the Dana Point Times. She graduated from Chapman University with a bachelor of arts degree in English. Before joining Picket Fence Media, she worked as a freelance reporter with the Laguna Beach Independent. Breeana can be reached by email at bgreenberg@picketfencemedia.com