Hemet · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Hemet public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Warehouse and logistics standards ordinance
With the two-year warehouse moratorium expiring December 10, the city drafted strict new rules: tiered approvals, 100-200 foot home setbacks, truck routing bans on residential streets, noise and lighting limits, and community benefit requirements. Residents want community workshops and worry about pollution, truck traffic, and losing the valley's character.
Business license exemption for places of worship
Churches no longer have to register for a city business license, though zoning, building, fire, and safety rules still fully apply. A voluntary registration list may be maintained for community outreach.
Food truck enforcement and regulations
Restaurant owners say food trucks have cut their sales 40-50% and packed the chamber to oppose the Weston Park event plan. The council heard them: no food trucks in any future version, and staff was also asked to bring back an ordinance restricting food trucks citywide.
Youth Council bylaws and e-bike safety
The Youth Council adopted strict new bylaws — attendance rules and a no-drinking/smoking/vaping standard — and is drafting e-bike safety ordinances after recent local incidents.
Planning Commission appointment and structure
Crystal Doyle Michel fills the Seat 3 vacancy. Council members raised questions about district representation and whether the two at-large seats should be reduced.
Naming the community garden for Mayor Krupa
The city wants to name its new CDBG-funded community garden at 143 South Juanita Street after Mayor Linda Krupa, who has served since 2010 and championed the project. Several local organizations sent letters of support; one resident questioned why another long-serving community figure wasn't considered. The council makes the final call on October 27.
2025 Building and Fire Code Adoption
Council members raised fire dangers from e-commerce robotics lithium batteries and cold storage buildings, citing fires in Escondido, Ontario, and Redlands. The council asked the fire department for a briefing on capabilities and possible code changes before Tuesday's vote.
Proposition 45 and CEQA streamlining
The November ballot measure would let eligible projects — housing, water, clean energy, and more — use a faster environmental review track with firm deadlines and shorter public comment periods. The city keeps final approval authority but would need to update procedures if it passes.
Ramona Creek drainage dispute and extension of time
The city added new stormwater conditions (106–111) to the Ramona Creek project after losing a $4.7 million grant, and the applicant is pushing back. Flooding at Myers and Devonshire during recent storms makes this a real neighborhood issue. Both sides will meet before the November 17 hearing.
Rancho Diamante development agreement and west Hemet growth
A resident asked publicly where annexation stands after LAFCO voided the petition and a fiscal analysis projected an $18 million-plus deficit. The council did not answer on the record.
Three-minute limit on public comment
New rules let the mayor cap total comment time on an item and bar speakers from pooling their minutes with neighbors. Supporters say it stops repetitive three-hour comment periods; opponents call it censorship that erodes public trust.
Library solar project (Building Better Round 2)
The library's solar and generator project is finishing its design phase, with $448,000 spent so far under a state grant. SoCal Gas found a way to avoid costly gas line replacement.
Public computer time limits
With only 12 public computers, staff worry that giving college students extra time would create lines. The current limit is 90 minutes a day for everyone, plus free all-day Wi-Fi. A revised policy will come back later.
Library food and drink policy
The library needs rules about what food and drinks patrons can bring in after incidents like pizza being brought in and trash left in bathroom cans. The draft allows lidded drinks and contained snacks only. Members want clearer examples of banned foods before approving.
Measure Q accountability and citizen oversight
The city council placed Measure Q on the November ballot — an extra 1% (one penny per dollar) sales tax for the city's general fund. The library currently gets about 3% of the city budget and could see more if it passes. Info sessions are set for September 26 and October 15 at the library.
Domestic violence housing — Navarre Group
The Navarre Group, the first domestic violence housing and restoration organization in the Hemet/San Jacinto Valley, invited the council to its November 20 opening event at Golden Era Golf Course.
Wells 15/16 water treatment and TCP contamination
Two wells offline since 2018 for TCP contamination are getting a $7.5 million treatment plant, now with $1.8 million more for pre-filtration and well rehabilitation. Funded by ratepayers and a contamination settlement — no general fund hit.
Unfreezing frozen police positions with Measure U funds
Hemet's police and fire numbers look better than last year — homicides down 40%, robberies down 26%, and response times improved — thanks to Measure U staffing and new fire apparatus. A cold case unit and drone-as-first-responder program were also launched.
Truck routes and road damage
Hemet's 271 miles of roads score a 63 out of 100 — below the national average — with over 20% in the worst condition category. Keeping roads from getting worse would cost about $13 million a year; the city budgets $5 million. Commissioners flagged this as a case for directing Measure Q funds toward streets.
Warehouse and logistics development standards
The two-year warehouse moratorium expires December 10, and state law forces the city to adopt new industrial standards first. The draft ordinance creates tiers, buffers from homes, truck route rules, air filtration requirements, and community benefit agreements for big warehouses — but residents say they got only 24 hours' notice and want tiers two and three stripped out or delayed.
Alcohol sales at gas stations — consistency and fairness
The city's 2013 rules allow three Type 20 alcohol licenses per C-2 census tract, but five exist in this one — and commissioners say most tracts citywide are over the limit. They want the City Council to revisit the standard before every new application turns into a fight.
Stalled Monteego Bay Apartments and neighbor impacts
A neighboring senior apartment manager says the Montego project has blown past its 18-month extension without breaking ground, and residents weren't properly notified of the original hearing.
Children's program capacity at the library
About 570 people joined summer reading and 93 finished, despite heat-related closures. The library also reached roughly 100 kids through off-site lunch programs and wants to become a meal site next summer.
Adult literacy grant funding
The state approved the library's adult literacy grant — about $27,000 covering most of the literacy coordinator's salary plus supplies and books. Free literacy help continues for adult learners.
No-fines library policy
The library is now officially a no-fines library — overdue books won't rack up late fees. This removes a barrier for families and encourages more people to use the library.
Autumn Kickoff combined community event
The city is combining Choctober, the Fire Open House, and the police trunk event into one big Autumn Kickoff on October 10 — saving overtime and setup money and avoiding competing with other local events.
Rising animal control costs and possible regional joint venture
Mayor Pro Tem Males proposed Hemet create its own animal control and partner with Beaumont and neighboring cities through a JPA, potentially cutting the roughly $1.5 million the city pays the county to under $1 million.
Motel transient occupancy tax audits
A new state law lets the city get Airbnb/VRBO data directly — staff estimate roughly a hotel's worth of short-term rentals operate in Hemet — so operators can be forced to get permits and pay the same lodging taxes as hotels.
SAFER grant extension saves general fund $1.2 million
The federal SAFER grant funding fire positions was extended through February 28, 2027, lifting about $1.2 million off the general fund deficit; the general fund will cover those positions from March through June 2027.
Blighted roofless building on Florida Avenue
A committee member raised a longstanding complaint about a dangerous, roofless building on Florida Avenue near State Street, warning of homeless encampments and liability. Staff said the matter is in litigation and promised a follow-up.
Liability insurance premium surge
Hemet's liability insurance premiums have jumped about 579% since 2022-23, with claims costs rising from $1 million to a projected $3 million. A cheaper renewal option came in $500,000 under budget, and a second option could save another $945,000 but carries more risk; the council will decide.
London Spires Mobile Home Community rent increase review
Hemet's rent review commission for mobile home parks finally has members — the panel that hears tenant and park-owner rent disputes sat empty since 2009. A former commissioner warned the ordinance makes it hard for tenants to petition and it has never upheld a grievance.
SB 330 limits on local housing control
State law caps hearings at five for housing projects and locks in zoning once a preliminary application is filed — sharply limiting the commission's discretion and exposing the city to lawsuits if it denies housing.
Homelessness and quality-of-life enforcement (Aero team)
The seven-member Aero team clears encampments daily, enforces trespass laws, and connects people to rehab and housing resources. Commissioners discussed tying Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design standards into future development approvals.
New Tyler permitting software launch
The city is replacing its 20-year-old permit system with Tyler software going live July 27, 2026, enabling online applications for the first time. Commissioners worried about the 10-year, $2.6 million contract and cybersecurity at launch.
Real Time Information Center and police camera network
The police department's ARIC uses 68 license plate readers, surveillance trailers, and business partnership cameras to help catch suspects in real time. Businesses can join free while grant-funded slots remain.
Sheriff's Department Contract Rate Increase
Get ready for your city to potentially shell out more cash for sheriff's deputies. The county just greenlit a nearly 9% price bump for police services, and it's hitting your wallet retroactively from last July.
Trash Collection Fee Increases
Get ready for a slight bump in your trash bill. The county's looking at a small increase to cover rising costs, so if you use services like Burrtec or Waste Management, expect to pay a little more.
$10 Million Budget Gap
The city manager told the council Hemet must solve a roughly $10 million budget shortfall by the end of June. Every idea in the workshop has to be affordable or cost-neutral, and positions may be frozen or cut.
Charter city / prevailing wage
Mayor Pro Tem Males wants to tackle prevailing wage costs, which he says nearly quadrupled street costs per mile. The city attorney explained the only path is becoming a charter city, which requires a voter-approved charter and public outreach.
Weekly street sweeping transition
A goal born at last year's workshop — weekly street sweeping instead of monthly — has grown into contract amendments with CR&R, new signage, AI-assisted code enforcement photography, and a new parking enforcement hire, spilling into a second year.
City communication and transparency
The top-voted cluster of workshop ideas was communication: progress reports on the website, scrolling info screens at City Hall and the library, brief social media updates, and better letting the public — and even the Planning Commission — know what the city is doing.
Emergency preparedness and community resource center
Council member Howard-Clark pitched a community resource center for PSP outages and public safety events, noting Southern California Edison can pay up to $1,500 a day for indoor facilities. Others added an emergency OES group so residents know where to go in a disaster.
Senior center
Council members again raised bringing back a senior center, estimated at $500,000 a year to operate. Staff suggested a hybrid model using volunteers and possibly one staff person to cut costs.
Road Closure
Big news for Hemet drivers: that Warren Road and Mustang Way closure is over! It was shut down briefly due to a hazard, but thankfully, it's all clear now. Just a little reminder to keep your eyes peeled out there.
McSweeney Farms flood zone homes
Twenty-one homes remain in a floodplain because the Cactus Valley Channel and State Street crossing were never finished. Richmond American will now cover flood insurance for ten years instead of indefinitely — after that, homeowners are on their own.
TUMF transportation fee inflation adjustment
New development fees for regional roads will rise with construction costs each year, capped at 5%. Critics note fees get passed to homebuyers, but staff countered Hemet is receiving TUMF-backed funding for Esplanade, Warren Road and the Highway 79 realignment.
Weston Park revitalization
A roughly $8.5 million redesign of the century-old downtown park — splash pad, pickleball, inclusive playground, amphitheater space — cleared council to keep a state grant application alive. Council chose a mobile stage to save money.
Weed abatement and wildfire risk
About 400 overgrown parcels get abatement notices starting April 15, with a May 31 deadline. Council wants to explore a height-based rule so enforcement isn't stuck waiting for calendar cycles amid growing wildfire danger.
CDBG funding for housing and homelessness services
Hemet's $924,303 federal community development grant for 2026-27 was approved, funding nonprofits like High Expectations Development Corporation that house homeless families.