REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 17, 2026
FROM
MIGUEL FIGUEROA, Director, Land Use Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Iron Planet Surplus Military Equipment Storage and Virtual Online Auctions Facility Policy Plan Amendment, Zoning Amendment, and Conditional Use Permit
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Conduct a public hearing to consider Project No. 2023-00094 consisting of a Policy Plan Amendment, Zoning Amendment, and Conditional Use Permit for a 164-acre parcel.
2. Adopt the Negative Declaration.
3. Adopt the findings recommended by the Planning Commission in support of the Policy Plan Amendment, Zoning Amendment, and Conditional Use Permit.
4. Adopt the Resolution amending the Land Use Category designation from Resource Land Management to Commercial on 153.97 acres of a 164-acre parcel, included as part of the Fourth Cycle 2026 Policy Plan Land Use Element Amendment.
5. Consider proposed ordinance amending the Land Use Zoning District designation from Resource Conservation to Highway Commercial on 153.97 acres of a 164-acre parcel.
6. Make Alterations, if necessary, to the proposed ordinance.
7. Approve introduction of the proposed ordinance.
• An Ordinance of San Bernardino County, State of California, to amend San Bernardino County Land Use Zoning District Map EI01A.
8. ADOPT ORDINANCE.
9. Approve the Conditional Use Permit to establish and operate a surplus military equipment storage and virtual online auctions facility on 50.13 acres of the 164-acre parcel, subject to the Conditions of Approval.
10. Direct the Land Use Services Department to file a Notice of Determination in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
• Applicant: Iron Planet, Inc.
• Community: Yermo
• Location: 34550 Outer Highway 15
(Presenter: Paul Gonzales, Planning Chief, 387-4110)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote and Fulfill the Countywide Vision.
Create, Maintain and Grow Employment Opportunities and Economic Value in the County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Adequate appropriation and revenue to complete this action have been included in the Land Use Services Department (LUS), Planning Division 2026-27 budget. All costs of processing this application are paid for by the Applicant.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
This item consists of a request for a Policy Plan Amendment, Zoning Amendment, and Conditional Use Permit for the establishment and operation of the proposed Iron Planet Surplus Military Equipment Resale Facility Project as follows:
• Policy Plan Amendment from Resource Land Management to Commercial on 153.97 acres of a 164-acre parcel.
• Zoning Amendment from Resource Conservation to Highway Commercial on 153.97 acres of a 164-acre parcel.
• Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the establishment and operation of a surplus military equipment storage and virtual online auctions facility on 50.13 acres of the 164-acre parcel (collectively the Project).
Pursuant to Development Code Section 82.01.020(c)(3)(F), “[t]he CH (Highway Commercial) land use zoning district provides sites for retail trade and personal services, lodging services, office and professional services, recreation and entertainment services, wholesaling and warehousing, contract/construction services, transportation services, open lot services, and similar and compatible uses.” Correspondingly, pursuant to Section 82.05.040(b), Table 82-11, of the Development Code, “Motor Vehicle Storage” are permitted within the Highway Commercial (CH) zoning district subject to the approval of a Conditional Use Permit. The virtual online auctions function of the operation is ancillary to vehicle storage. In compliance with the storage screening and buffering requirement, the conditions of approval include the requirement to provide an eight (8) foot high solid screen along the western property line facing Old Yermo Road and provide an eight (8) foot high solid screen with evergreen trees along the southern property line facing Outer Highway 15, which match the existing tree type and spacing. A detailed analysis of the Project from a planning and land use perspective is included within the Planning Commission Staff Report and is attached as a supporting document to this item.
The applicant currently operates heavy equipment sales, auto sales, and military surplus warehouse facilities at various locations throughout San Bernardino County and Southern California. In the future, the applicant intends to relocate and consolidate these existing operations at the Project site. The proposed Policy Plan and Zoning Amendments would provide the land use framework to accommodate the potential consolidation of these operations at a single location. However, these future operations are not part of the current project consideration and would require separate land use applications and applicable entitlements, subject to County review and approval.
The potential environmental impacts from the Project have been analyzed with the preparation of an Initial Study/Negative Declaration (IS/ND). The IS/ND was circulated for public review from July 18, 2024, through August 18, 2024, with no comments received. Following circulation, the Project was revised to add the Policy Plan Amendment and Zoning Amendment. LUS subsequently prepared an addendum to supplement the original IS/ND by evaluating the potential impacts associated with the Policy Plan Amendment and Zoning Amendment and their reasonably foreseeable environmental effects (Revised IS/ND).
The Revised IS/ND concludes that the Project would not result in a significant environmental effect or require mitigation. Because the revisions do not result in a new potentially significant environmental effect, a substantial increase in the severity of a previously identified effect, or new mitigation necessary to reduce an effect to less than significant, LUS determined that recirculation is not required under CEQA Guidelines section 15073.5. Accordingly, the original circulated IS/ND, as supplemented by the Revised IS/ND, supports adoption of the Negative Declaration. A copy of the IS/ND and Revised IS/ND are attached as a supporting document to this item.
The Development Code requires a recommendation from the San Bernardino County Planning Commission (Planning Commission) for final action by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on the Policy Plan Amendment and Zoning Amendment. At the Planning Commission hearing on September 17, 2026, there were no in-person public comments. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the Project by a vote of 5-0. The Planning Commission’s recommendation and proposed findings are similarly included within the Planning Commission Staff Report and attached as a supporting document to this item.
PROCUREMENT
Not Applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Jason Searles, Supervising Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 27, 2026; County Finance and Administration (Lizveth Varela, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on October 30, 2026.