A nonprofit with a history of environmental lawsuits in the Central Valley sued the city of Reedley and the landowner for a plan to develop ag land into industrial use.

Just outside Reedley city limits, farmer Keven Lai wants to develop 42.5 acres of land, said Rodney Horton, community development director at the city of Reedley.

Lai still doesn’t have a plan for the land or a developer, Horton said, but if it is allowed to become part of the city, the industrial zoning it falls under could bring 650 jobs. Reedley’s zoning also allows for mixed-use development, which could mean housing.

But now, Corona-based Golden State Environmental Justice Alliance has sued the city and the developer for not doing a full environmental review.

The Golden State Alliance has also sued the city of Fresno and Tulare County for industrial projects. The nonprofit did not respond to requests for comment.

“Having a job center that could potentially employ up to 650 people, that’s pretty big for our city,” Horton said. “It dampened the mood quite a bit because we did our due diligence in making sure we studied every aspect of the project and its potential impacts on the environment. And we have a group that’s not even based out of the Central Valley. They don’t understand how to spell Reedley.”

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Job Center Means Local Employment: Horton

Reedley has long looked at the parcel of land on East Huntsman Avenue as a growth area for the city, Horton said.

As part of its 2014 General Plan, the city conducted environmental studies on the impacts of converting the land to industrial use.

The master plan calls for 19 office or light industrial buildings on 16.4 acres of the parcel.

After development, businesses could employ 650 people, according to the plan. The city’s light industrial zoning also allows for mixed-use. Just north of the project site, the city has an 80-unit mixed-use development with affordable housing attached on land zoned industrial.

Fresno County has zoned the land for agricultural use. Before development can occur, the land must be annexed by the city. The Fresno Local Agency Formation Commission is reviewing an application for annexation.

Having another job center would be a boon for Reedley, Horton said. Some residents travel as far as Bakersfield or Madera for work, he said. The city’s major employers include Reedley City College, packing houses, and retail centers.

Horton told GV Wire that people often ask him why distribution centers go to other cities.

“I think our folks would want to have those kind of jobs located here in Reedley so they’re not traveling as far as possible to get to their employment centers,” Horton said.

Project Did Not Sufficiently Study Enviro Impacts: Lawsuit

The lawsuit from the Golden State Alliance alleges that the city and landowner should have done an environmental impact report to examine project’s impacts on air, soil, and traffic.

The lawsuit also states that the city’s study —a mitigated negative declaration — did not sufficiently address those issues.

“An EIR must be prepared to include a cumulative analysis discussion here to demonstrate the impact of the proposed project in a cumulative setting,” the lawsuit states. “The MND does not discuss or analyze the project’s compliance.”

It also claims that a warehouse could increase air pollution. Air quality would disproportionately affect Hispanic communities in Reedley, the lawsuit states. It also calls for landscape plans and a detailed site plan to fully analyze the project’s impacts.

Lawsuit Low on Nonprofit’s Radar: Horton

The city’s study of the land in 2014 meant the project didn’t need a full review, Horton said. Lai paid $140,000 for the mitigated negative declaration.

Horton also said the city’s general plan accounted for industrial development along Huntsman Avenue.

“It was a full and thorough study,” Horton said. “So for us to go to an EIR, it just was not necessary.”

That MND put requirements on the developer such as redoing the bridge over Traver Creek.

While a full EIR would have cost just below $200,000, Horton said, another factor is the possible years-long process of an EIR.

In March 2024, the group also sued the city of Fresno and major developer Scannell for — among other things — not incorporating union labor into its nearly 1-million-square-foot project. Scannell did a full EIR ahead of the project.

The Fresno City Council approved the EIR 5-2. The group also sued Tulare County for the Akers Business Park Project in 2023. A judge dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice later that year, according to a Tulare County spokesperson.

“This group, as I understand, has been able to shake down developers for money,” Horton said.

But without a developer planned, Horton said there is no hurry on the landowner’s side. He has made plans for the 2025 farming harvest, Horton said.

The city had a settlement conference with Golden State Alliance in November 2024 but hasn’t received a formal list of requests. Horton speculates that the lawsuit is low on the group’s radar.

The group has not challenged the annexation. Thus, that process can go forward.