My Open Letter to Banning City Council

Dear Members of the City Council,

I write to you with urgency and with clarity: please reconsider your approval of the Sunset Crossroads project.

Because this decision does not exist on paper—it will be lived, every single day, by the people in this community.

It will be lived in the constant movement of semi-trucks—dozens per hour, at all hours—passing through the roads our families rely on.

It will be lived in the air our children breathe, as pollution increases in neighborhoods that were never meant to carry this kind of industrial burden.

It will be lived in the noise that does not turn off, disrupting sleep, peace, and the basic rhythm of daily life.

It will be lived in the loss of safety, the strain on infrastructure, and the irreversible shift in what this community feels like to call home.

These are not possibilities. These are outcomes.

And once they begin, they cannot simply be undone.

What is most difficult is that many residents have been trying to express this—clearly, consistently, and with care—and still feel that their voices have not been meaningfully reflected in this decision.

This is where leadership matters most.

Not when decisions are easy—but when they carry real consequence, and there is still a moment to pause.

You still have that moment.

A reconsideration does not erase progress—it ensures that progress is responsible. That it is aligned. That it does not come at the direct expense of the people you were elected to serve.

Because at its core, this is not just about a project.

It is about whether this council is willing to protect the health, safety, and quality of life of its residents when it matters most.

I am asking you to pause.

To listen again.

And to choose this community.

Please reconsider taking these final actions, to approve these ordinances.

This is the last chance to speak up for our community.  

 SHOW UP & SPEAK

April 14th 5:00 PM

Council Chambers

99 E. Ramsey Street, Banning, CA 92220