After two years of deliberation a new City of Vernon Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance was approved by the City Council and became effective on January 16, 2008. Now the “2009 Issue” no longer will complicate owning property in Vernon. Industrial real estate brokers and prospective property buyers can now feel relieved regarding this issue.
However, not all is well in the Exclusively Industrial city. City officials are considering an increase in the Special Parcel Tax which was intended to support the improvement and maintenance of city streets. As the city’s businesses slowly changed from manufacturing to warehousing and distribution over the past few decades, the city sought increased revenues to address the infrastructure crumbling under the heavy truck traffic. Originally implemented in 1998, the tax applied to properties containing non-refrigerated warehouse uses, truck and freight terminal uses and other distribution uses.