The Menifee City Council earlier this month declared the unfinished movie theater at the Krikorian Entertainment Complex on Newport Road a public nuisance and ordered the property owner to demolish the structure and secure the property within 30 days.
“The theater building itself is approximately 5% complete in its construction, and construction activity has been halted for the last four years,” Cheryl Kitzerow, community development director, said. “The structure has been exposed to the elements for the last four years, and with this recommendation staff believes [demolition] is the best next step.”
Additionally, Kitzerow said that the fencing that secures the site has not been maintained leading to multiple reports of graffiti and even a fire on the property. She also said that there has been no effort made by the property owner to reapply for the necessary permits to continue construction after they expired last year.
According to Kitzerow, the city issued its first violation of noncompliance to the property owner in September 2021, approximately 17 months after construction on the project had come to a stop. More than two years later, in October 2023, the city issued a notice of intent to abate the public nuisance, which was appealed by the property owner this past February.
“The hearing officer [for the appeal] declared that the halted construction on that property site does represent a public nuisance,” Kitzerow said. “Subsequent to that determination, staff from multiple departments, as well as a third-party consultant, went out to the site in April of this year to conduct an inspection to further assess issues on the site.”
However, attorney Andrea Contreras said that the property owner has been in conversation with the city in an effort to salvage a project that was heavily impacted by the pandemic, applying for a minor plot plan amendment last year that would allow the retail spaces to be built out before the theater instead of the other way around as originally planned.
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“Because the retail appeared to be more viable, we switched it up,” she said. “We submitted an application for new permits for the retail last August, and we’ve participated actively in that application process. My understanding is that we are close to having permits issued for that center.”
Contreras also argued that while the inspection report identified a number of issues with the building, she did not see anywhere in the report where it said that the theater structure had to be demolished immediately for the health and safety of the community.
“Given that the notice of abatement was issued more than six months ago, I don’t think it’s an emergency right now,” she said.
Additionally, Contreras said that the property owner has received purchase proposals from three viable buyers, one of which is looking to move forward with an entertainment complex using the existing structures as a jumping off point, something she said a required demolition could prevent from coming to fruition.
“They’re ready to hit the ground running,” she said. “If they’re allowed to complete their due diligence, the millions of dollars invested in the existing structures will not have to go to waste, and the city will be able to see a thriving development sooner rather than later.”
Despite concerns that the council’s action could hamper the property owner’s ability to close the deal with the company, the council voted to move forward with the amended resolution.
“We’ve been very patient and understanding knowing that the state did shut him down during Covid,” Councilmember Lesa Sobek said. “We’ve tried to work with him and be patient, but it’s at a point where we’re here tonight.”
A full recording of the meeting can be found here on the city’s YouTube channel.
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