Highgrove
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Special Note on Implementing the Vision
Highgrove Community Policy Area
City of Riverside Sphere of Influence
March Air Reserve Base Influence Area
Community and Environmental Transportation Acceptability Process (CETAP) Corridors
Proposed Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan
LIST OF FIGURES
5: March Air Reserve Base Airport Influence Policy Area
LIST OF TABLES
1: Land Use Designations Summary
2: Statistical Summary of the Highgrove Area Plan
3: Adopted Specific Plans in Highgrove Area Plan
| The County of Riverside General Plan and Area Plans have been steered by the RCIP Vision. The following is a summary of the Vision Statement that includes many of the salient points brought forth by the residents of the Highgrove area, as well as the rest of the County of Riverside. The RCIP Vision was written to reflect the County of Riverside in the year 2020. So "fast forward" yourself to 2020 and here is what it will be like. |
"Riverside County is a family of special communities in a remarkable environmental setting."
It is now the year 2020. This year (incidentally, also a common reference to clear vision), is an appropriate time to check our community vision. Twenty years have passed since we took an entirely new look at how the County of Riverside was evolving. Based on what we saw, we set bold new directions for the future. As we now look around and move through the County, the results are notable. They could happen only in response to universal values strongly held by the people. Some of those values are:
• Real dedication to a sense of community;
• Appreciation for the diversity of our people and places within this expansive landscape;
• Belief in the value of participation by our people in shaping their communities;
• Confidence in the future and faith that our long term commitments will pay off;
• Willingness to innovate and learn from our experience;
• Dedication to the preservation of the environmental features that frame our communities;
• Respect for our differences and willingness to work toward their resolution;
• Commitment to quality development in partnership with those who help build our communities; and
• The value of collaboration by our elected officials in conducting public business.
Those values and the plans they inspired have brought us a long way. True, much remains to be done. But our energies and resources are being invested in a unified direction, based on the common ground we have affirmed many times during the last 20 years. Perhaps our achievements will help you understand why we believe we are on the right path.
Population Growth
The almost doubling of our population in only 20 years has been a challenge, but we have met it by focusing that growth in areas that are well served by public facilities and services or where they can readily be provided. Major transportation corridors serve our communities and nearby open space preserves help define them. Our growth focus is on quality, not quantity. That allows the numbers to work for us and not against us. We enjoy an unprecedented clarity regarding what areas must not be developed and which ones should be developed. The resulting pattern of growth concentrates development in key areas rather than spreading it uniformly throughout the County. Land is used more efficiently, communities operate at more of a human scale, and transit systems to supplement the automobile are more feasible.
Our Communities and Neighborhoods
Our choices in the kind of community and neighborhood you prefer are almost unlimited here. From sophisticated urban villages to quality suburban neighborhoods to spacious rural enclaves, we have them all. If you are like most of us, you appreciate the quality schools and their programs that are the centerpiece of many of our neighborhoods. Not only have our older communities matured gracefully, but we boast several new communities as well. They prove that quality of life comes in many different forms.
Housing
We challenge you to seek a form of housing or a range in price that does not exist here. Our housing choices, from rural retreat to suburban neighborhood to exclusive custom estate are as broad as the demand for housing requires. Choices include entry level housing for first time buyers, apartments serving those not now in the buying market, seniors' housing, and world class golf communities. You will also find "smart" housing with the latest in built-in technology as well as refurbished historic units. The County of Riverside continues to draw people who are looking for a blend of quality and value.
Transportation
It is no secret that the distances in this vast County can be a bit daunting. Yet, our transportation system has kept pace amazingly well with the growth in population, employment and tourism and their demands for mobility. We are perhaps proudest of the new and expanded transportation corridors that connect growth centers throughout the County. They do more than provide a way for people and goods to get where they need to be. Several major corridors have built-in expansion capability to accommodate varied forms of transit. These same corridors are designed with a high regard for the environment in mind, including providing for critical wildlife crossings so that our open spaces can sustain their habitat value.
Conservation and Open Space Resources
The often-impassioned conflicts regarding what lands to permanently preserve as open space are virtually resolved. The effort to consider our environmental resources, recreation needs, habitat systems, and visual heritage as one comprehensive, multi-purpose open space system has resulted in an unprecedented commitment to their preservation. In addition, these spaces help to form distinctive edges to many of our communities or clusters of communities. What is equally satisfying is that they were acquired in a variety of creative and equitable ways.
Air Quality
It may be hard to believe, but our air quality has actually improved slightly despite the phenomenal growth that has occurred in the region. Most of that growth, of course, has been in adjacent counties and we continue to import their pollutants. We are on the verge of a breakthrough in technical advances to reduce smog from cars and trucks. Not only that, but our expanded supply of jobs reduces the need for people here to commute as far as in the past.
Jobs and Economy
In proportion to population, our job growth is spectacular. Not only is our supply of jobs beyond any previously projected level, it has become quite diversified. Clusters of new industries have brought with them an array of jobs that attract skilled labor and executives alike. We are particularly enthusiastic about the linkages between our diversified business community and our educational system. Extensive vocational training programs, coordinated with businesses, are a constant source of opportunities for youth and those in our labor force who seek further improvement.
Agricultural Lands
Long a major foundation of our economy and our culture, agriculture remains a thriving part of the County of Riverside. While we have lost some agriculture to other forms of development, other lands have been brought into agricultural production. We are still a major agricultural force in California and compete successfully in the global agricultural market.
Educational System
Quality education, from pre-school through graduate programs, marks the County of Riverside as a place where educational priorities are firmly established. A myriad of partnerships involving private enterprise and cooperative programs between local governments and school districts are in place, making the educational system an integral part of our communities.
Plan Integration
The coordinated planning for multi-purpose open space systems, community based land use patterns, and a diversified transportation system has paid off handsomely. Integration of these major components of community building has resulted in a degree of certainty and clarity of direction not commonly achieved in the face of such dynamic change.
Financial Realities
From the very beginning, our vision included the practical consideration of how we would pay for the qualities our expectations demanded. Creative, yet practical financing programs provide the necessary leverage to achieve a high percentage of our aspirations expressed in the updated RCIP.
Intergovernmental Cooperation
As a result of the necessary coordination between the County, the cities and other governmental agencies brought about through the RCIP, a high degree of intergovernmental cooperation and even partnership is now commonplace. This way of doing public business has become a tradition and the County of Riverside is renowned for its many model intergovernmental programs.
A "sphere of influence" is the area outside of and adjacent to a city's border that the city has identified as a future logical extension of its jurisdiction. While the County of Riverside has land use authority over city sphere areas, development in these areas may directly affect circulation, service provision, and community character within the cities.
The Highgrove area is a very distinct and special environment. From virtually any place here, you have a sweeping view of distant mountains and nearby mountains and hills. Rock outcroppings within the Box Springs Mountains accent the hillsides and provide a distinct texture to the landscape. The citrus groves of Highgrove and the lush riparian nature of Springbrook Wash also contribute to the unique character of the area.
A word must be stated regarding the titles used in this area plan. This area plan name refers in large part to one distinct community; Highgrove, located west and east of Interstate 215, in the northerly portion of this planning area. The remaining areas south of the Highgrove community, including the entire University City neighborhood and portions of the Box Springs Mountains, are also included in this area plan. The entire Highgrove planning area also falls within the City of Riverside's Sphere-of-Influence.
This is not a stand-alone document, but rather an extension of the County of Riverside General Plan and Vision Statement. The County of Riverside Vision Statement details the physical, environmental, and economic characteristics that the County aspires to achieve by the year 2020. Using the Vision Statement as the primary foundation, the County of Riverside General Plan establishes policies to guide development and conservation within the entire unincorporated County territory, while the Area Plan provides policy direction specifically for Highgrove.
In addition to a description of the location, physical characteristics, and special features here, the Area Plan contains a Land Use Plan, statistical summaries, policies, and accompanying exhibits that allow anyone interested in the continued prosperity of this distinctive area to understand the physical, environmental, and regulatory characteristics that make this such a unique area. Background information also provides insights that help in understanding the issues that require special focus here and the reasons for the more localized policy direction found in this document.
Each section of the Area Plan addresses critical issues facing the Highgrove area. Perhaps a description of these sections will help in understanding the organization of the Area Plan as well as appreciating the comprehensive nature of the planning process that led to it. The Location section explains where the Area Plan fits with what is around it and how it relates to the cities that impact it. Physical features are described in a section that highlights the planning area's communities, surrounding environment and natural resources. This leads naturally to the Land Use Plan section, which describes the land use system guiding development at both the countywide and area plan levels.
While a number of these designations reflect the unique features found only in the Highgrove area, a number of special policies are still necessary to address unique situations. The Policy Areas section presents these policies. Land use related issues are addressed in the Land Use section. The plan also describes relevant transportation issues, routes, and modes of transportation in the Circulation section. The key to understanding our valued open space network is described in the Multipurpose Open Space section. There are, of course, both natural and man made hazards to consider, and they are spelled out in the Hazards section.
A Special Note on Implementing the Vision
The preface to this area plan is a summary version of the Riverside County Vision. That summary is, in turn, simply an overview of a much more extensive and detailed Vision of Riverside County two decades or more into the future. This area plan, as part of the Riverside County General Plan, is one of the major devices for making the Vision a reality.
No two area plans are the same. Each represents a unique portion of the incredibly diverse place known as Riverside County While many share certain common features, each of the plans reflects the special characteristics that define its area's unique identity. These features include not only physical qualities, but also the particular boundaries used to define them, the stage of development they have reached, the dynamics of change expected to affect them, and the numerous decisions that shape development and conservation in each locale. That is why the Vision cannot and should not be reflected uniformly.
Policies at the General Plan and area plan levels implement the Riverside County Vision in a range of subject areas as diverse as the scope of the Vision itself. The land use pattern contained in this area plan is a further expression of the Vision as it is shaped to fit the terrain and the conditions in the Highgrove area.
To illustrate how the Vision has shaped this area plan, the following highlights reflect certain strategies that link the Vision to the land. This is not a comprehensive enumeration; rather, it emphasizes a few of the most powerful and physically tangible examples.
Open Space Resources. The rolling hillside terrain, rock outcroppings, and riparian corridors of the Highgrove area define the character of this region. The Box Springs Mountains and Springbrook Wash are prime examples of the area's prominent open space and rural character. They also serve as important habitat preservation areas for several species. The plan preserves the character of the Box Springs Mountains with the application of the Open Space Conservation designation, and applies specific policy guidance for the preservation of Springbrook Wash.
Data in this area plan is current as of October 7, 2003. Any General Plan amendments approved subsequent to that date are not reflected in this area plan and must be supported by their own environmental documentation. A process for incorporating any applicable portion of these amendments into this area plan will be part of the General Plan Implementation Program.
Highgrove's northwestern location in western Riverside County is evident on Figure 1, Location. In fact, it borders on two other area plans: the Jurupa Area Plan to the west and the Reche Canyon/Badlands Area Plan to the east. Figure 1 locates each of the unique communities within the Highgrove area, along with the adjacent City of Riverside to the south and Cities of Colton and Grand Terrace (in San Bernardino County) to the north. In fact, the Highgrove area stretches south along the western side of the Box Springs Mountains almost to the confluence of Interstate 215 and State Route 60. To the west, the Highgrove Area Plan includes an unincorporated enclave along North Main Street.
The Riverside County Vision builds heavily on the value of its remarkable environmental setting. That theme applies here as well. The Highgrove setting is especially situated to capture distant mountain views in almost every direction. That quality is evident in the functions and features that are unique to Highgrove and found in this section, as can be seen on Figure 2, Physical Features. The hills, mountains, and watercourses that frame this area also serve to contain urban development in the more developable portions of the landscape. The Box Springs Mountains provide a habitat for many native species, while the more distant mountains provide a scenic backdrop.
The Highgrove area is a wonderfully distinct place. From the lush riparian corridor of the Springbrook Wash, to the slightly undulating flatlands and citrus fields of Highgrove, to the dramatic rolling terrain and rugged outcroppings of the Box Springs Mountains, this area is truly a wondrous and diverse haven for nature and a special location for human habitation.
Located in the central portion of the planning area, the Box Springs Mountains are the area's most prominent natural feature, with its rugged terrain and rock outcroppings. The mountains are part of the larger Box Springs Reserve, a mountainous 1,155-acre reserve extending to the City of Moreno Valley. The reserve is characterized by rock outcroppings, sage scrub, chaparral, and grassland areas, and serves as habitat for several species of plants and animals. It is owned and managed by the Riverside County Regional Park and Open Space District.
Springbrook Wash is a prominent riparian corridor, roughly paralleling the southern edge of the community of Highgrove. It enjoys a wide variety of plant and animal life and, because of its linear nature, is an important linkage in the habitat system.
A Community of Interest (COI) is a study area designated by LAFCO within unincorporated territory that may be annexed to one or more cities or special districts, incorporated as a new city, or designated as an Unincorporated Community (UC) within two years of status obtainment.
Designation of an area as a UC may require removal from a municipal sphere of influence since the two designations are mutually exclusive.
Unique Communities
The community of Highgrove is located north of the City of Riverside and south of the San Bernardino County line in northwest Riverside County. The community encompasses 2,250 acres of uniquely mixed land uses east of Interstate 215, ranging from a well-established urban core with commercial, industrial, civic and residential uses in its western portion, to larger-lot and equestrian-oriented residential uses and citrus groves to the east. Center Street serves as the community's primary thoroughfare, with the Burlington Northern - Santa Fe (BNSF) and Union Pacific (UP) railroad lines also as prominent transportation facilities. West of Interstate 215, Highgrove encompasses another 204 acres, consisting mostly of medium density and very low density, single-family detached residential uses, with some scattered commercial and industrial uses and mobile home parks along La Cadena Drive.
Encompassing approximately 93 acres, the primarily residential community of University City lies westerly of Interstate 215/State Route 60, adjacent to the City of Riverside.
The Highgrove Land Use Plan focuses on preserving the unique features in the Planning Area and, at the same time, accommodating future growth. To accomplish this, more detailed land use designations are applied than for the countywide General Plan.
The Highgrove Land Use Plan, Figure 3, depicts the geographic distribution of land uses within this area plan. The Plan is organized around 30 area plan land use designations and 5 overlays. These area plan land uses derive from, and provide more detailed direction than, the five General Plan Foundation Component land uses: Open Space, Agriculture, Rural, Rural Community, and Community Development. Table 1, Land Use Designations Summary, outlines the development intensity, density, typical allowable land uses, and general characteristics for each of the area plan land use designations within each Foundation Component. The General Plan Land Use Element contains more detailed descriptions and policies for the Foundation Components and each of the area plan land use designations.
Proposed uses represent a full spectrum of designations that relate the natural characteristics of the land and economic potential to a range of permitted uses. Many factors led to the designation of land use patterns. Among the most influential were the Riverside County Vision and Planning Principles, both of which focused, in part, on preferred patterns of development within the County; the Community and Environmental Transportation Acceptability Process (CETAP) that focused on major transportation corridors; the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) that focused on opportunities and strategies for significant open space and habitat preservation; established patterns of existing uses and parcel configurations; current zoning; and the oral and written testimony of County residents, property owners, and representatives of cities, Indian tribes, and organizations at the many Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors hearings. The result of these considerations is shown in Figure 3, which portrays the location and extent of proposed land uses. Table 2, Statistical Summary of the Highgrove Area Plan, provides a summary of the projected development capacity of the plan if all uses are built as proposed. This table includes dwelling unit, population, and employment capacities.
"Each of our rural areas and communities has a special character that distinguishes them from urban areas and from each other. They benefit from some conveniences such as small-scale local commercial services and all-weather access roads, yet maintain an unhurried, uncrowded lifestyle."
-RCIP Vision
The primary purpose of the Land Use Plan is to preserve the small-town nature of the Highgrove area. Slope, habitat and other natural constraints limit opportunities to provide substantial areas for population or employment growth. Conservation of habitat, preservation of existing communities, and provision of areas for orderly expansion of the Highgrove community are the primary objectives of this Land Use Plan.
West of Interstate 215, in the vicinity of Main Street, the Land Use Plan designates the land as Light Industrial. Very Low Density Residential, Medium Density Residential, Commercial Retail, and Light Industrial lands are designated immediately west of Interstate 215 in keeping with the area's existing patterns of development. Two existing mobile home parks are assigned densities reflecting the existing uses.
The portion of Highgrove located immediately east of Interstate 215 contains a mix of urban uses, including Medium Density, Medium High Density, High Density, and Highest Density Residential, Commercial Retail, and Light Industrial uses. The eastern half of this area is designated Medium Density Residential and Low Density Residential.
The central portion of the planning area, south of Highgrove, contains Open Space-Conservation areas associated with the Box Springs Mountains Park, along with Rural Mountainous, Rural Residential, and Very Low Density Residential uses. In the southern portion of the planning area, a mix of urban uses is planned in close proximity to State Route 60, including a range of residential, employment-generating, and public land uses. Much of this southern area is located within the boundaries of Specific Plan No. 250 (Gateway Center).
| Table 2 Statistical Summary of the Highgrove Area Plan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Land Use Designationsa,b | ||||
| Land Use Designation | Acreage | Dwelling Units | Population | Employment |
| Agriculture Foundation Component | ||||
| Agriculture (AG) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Agriculture Total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rural Foundation Component | ||||
| Rural Residential (RR) | 40 | 6 | 18 | NA |
| Rural Mountainous (RM) | 590 | 30 | 89 | NA |
| Rural Desert (RD) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Rural Total | 630 | 36 | 107 | 0 |
| Rural Community Foundation Component | ||||
| Estate Density Residential (RC-EDR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Very Low Density Residential (RC-VLDR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Low Density Residential (RC-LDR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Rural Community Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Open Space Foundation Component | ||||
| Open Space-Conservation (OS-C) | 1,190 | NA | NA | NA |
| Open Space-Conservation Habitat (OS-CH) | 0 | NA | NA | NA |
| Open Space-Water (OS-W) | 22 | NA | NA | NA |
| Open Space-Recreation (OS-R) | 299 | NA | NA | 45 |
| Open Space-Rural (OS-RUR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Open Space-Mineral Resources (OS-MIN) | 0 | NA | NA | 0 |
| Open Space Total | 1,511 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
| Community Development Foundation Component | ||||
| Estate Density Residential (EDR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Very Low Density Residential (VLDR) | 97 | 49 | 146 | NA |
| Low Density Residential (LDR) | 265 | 318 | 958 | NA |
| Medium Density Residential (MDR) | 1,173 | 4,104 | 12,353 | NA |
| Medium High Density Residential (MHDR) | 5 | 30 | 90 | NA |
| High Density Residential (HDR) | 21 | 231 | 695 | NA |
| Very High Density Residential (VHDR) | 17 | 286 | 860 | NA |
| Highest Density Residential (HHDR) | 2 | 45 | 135 | NA |
| Commercial Retail (CR)c | 142 | 298 | 898 | 854 |
| Commercial Tourist (CT) | 0 | NA | NA | 0 |
| Commercial Office (CO) | 5 | NA | NA | 190 |
| Light Industrial (LI) | 306 | NA | NA | 3,935 |
| Heavy Industrial (HI) | 0 | NA | NA | 0 |
| Business Park (BP) | 39 | NA | NA | 635 |
| Public Facilities (PF) | 49 | NA | NA | 13 |
| Community Center (CC) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Community Development Total | 2,121 | 5,361 | 16,135 | 5,627 |
| Other Land Uses, Overlays and Policy Areasd | ||||
| Rural Community-Estate Density Residential 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Glen Eden Policy Area | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Medium Density Residential (2-4 du/ac) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Vista Santa Rosa Policy Area | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Rural Village Overlay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rural Village Overlay Study Area | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Community Center Overlay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Community Retail Overlay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other, Overlays and Policy Areas Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BUILDOUT PROJECTIONS TOTAL | 4,264 | 5,397 | 16,242 | 5,672 |
| Other | ||||
| City | 0 | |||
| Indian Lands | 0 | |||
| Freeways | 129 | |||
| Other Total | 129 | |||
| AREA PLAN TOTAL ACRES | 4,393 | |||
| Overlays and Policy Areas The following provides the acreages for each Overlay and/or Policy Area within the Area Plan. Overlays and Policy Areas are districts that contain unique standards tailored to a local geographic area. In some instances, these Overlays and Policy Areas alter the allowable uses and maximum densities/intensities within the particular district. In these cases, the buildout potential resulting from the application of the Overlays and Policy Areas has been accounted for in the Base Land Use Designations above. Please see the Area Plan for a description of the unique features contained within each Overlay or Policy Area. | ||||
| Acreage | ||||
| Overlays | ||||
| Mixed Use Planning Area | 0 | |||
| Community Development Overlay | 0 | |||
| Specific Community Development Designation Overlays and Policy Areas | ||||
| Not applicable | ||||
| Total | 0 | |||
| NOTES: a. Statistics reflect the midpoint for the theoretical range of build-out projections. Reference Appendix E of the General Plan for assumptions and methodology. b. Overlay figures reflect the additional dwelling units, population and employment permissible under this category. c. It is assumed that Commercial Retail designation will buildout at 40% Commercial Retail and 60% Medium Density Residential. d. The acreage for the Overlays and Policy Areas have not been included in the acreage totals to avoid double counting. | ||||
A Policy Area is a portion of an area plan that contains special or unique characteristics that merit detailed attention and focused policies. The location and boundaries of these areas are shown on Figure 4, Policy Areas, and are described in detail below.
Two Policy Areas have been designated within the Highgrove area. These are the Highgrove Community Policy Area and the March Airport-Influence Policy Area. Many of these policies derive from citizen involvement over a period of years in planning for the future of this area. In some ways, these policies are even more critical to the sustained character of Highgrove than some of the basic land use policies because they reflect deeply held beliefs about the kind of place this is and should remain. Their boundaries, shown on Figure 4, Policy Areas, are approximate and may be interpreted more precisely as decisions are called for in these areas. This flexibility, then, calls for considerable sensitivity in determining where conditions related to the policies actually exist, once a focused analysis is undertaken on a proposed project.
Highgrove Community Policy Area
Prior to commencement of the Riverside County Integrated Project (RCIP) process in 1999, the County had embarked on an update of the Highgrove Community Plan. After an extensive period of outreach and plan preparation, the County adopted the Highgrove Community Plan in December 1999. Rather than duplicate efforts for the Highgrove area as part of the RCIP, the County chose to incorporate the goals, issue statements, and policies as written in the Community Plan, within the Highgrove Area Plan document except as necessary to reflect the subsequent adoption of Specific Plan No. 323 (Spring Mountain Ranch). Some minor changes have been made to reflect consistency with the County's General Plan and updated area plan land use designation system, though the essence and intent of the policy direction in the original Highgrove Community Plan remains. Policies pertaining specifically to Highgrove apply to the area denoted as the "Highgrove Community Policy Area" on Figure 4.
The Highgrove Community Policy Area applies to approximately 2,454 acres of unincorporated land located immediately south of the San Bernardino County line. The Highgrove area stretches eastward to the Box Springs Mountains and southward to the incorporated limits of the City of Riverside.
Community Concerns
The major concerns of Highgrove residents relate to the changing character of the community. Long a rural community whose economic focus was citrus production, Highgrove is today a community split between residents who want to keep the area rural, those who have sought to make more urban facilities and amenities available to residents to promote Highgrove's potential, and others who recognize that changes will occur to Highgrove, but are concerned about the effect of the changes on their lifestyles.
Development has intensified the conflict between orange cultivation and homes, an argument that makes continued citrus farming difficult. Recent increases in the cost of irrigation water have convinced many growers that citrus cultivation is no longer economically feasible. Many local landowners have sought to remove their agricultural land holdings from the Highgrove Agricultural Preserve #1 in order to render them eligible for development. If development moves eastward, agriculture would no longer be Highgrove's predominant lifestyle and economic focal point.
Recreational Facilities
The Highgrove community has had no local parks that directly serve it. Riverside County's Regional Parks and Open Space District implements a 3-acre-per-thousand residents standard through Riverside County Ordinance No. 460 (Division of Land), which would call for 9 acres of local parks to serve the 1,990 resident population.
County Service Area 126 (CSA 126), consistent with its mission to provide street lighting, parks and recreation, and police services, has taken steps to address this need. Construction of a local park is now complete on an approximately five-acre site behind the Younglove Community Center. Park improvements include two baseball fields, a soccer field, basketball courts, an inline hockey or tennis court, two separate play areas for young children, two pocket picnic areas with barbecue grills, a loop fitness trail, a snack bar and restrooms in the middle of the project, and a small additional parking lot along Main Street. Highgrove's local park was dedicated on October 16, 1999.
Pigeon Pass Road has been removed from the General Plan as a collector road connecting Highgrove to Moreno Valley. However, this road may be appropriate for designation as a scenic recreational and transportation corridor. If Pigeon Pass westerly of the mountains was formally closed off near the closed Highgrove Landfill site, this portion could be equipped with recreational amenities such as pedestrian, bike and equestrian trails. These amenities would not only enrich recreational opportunities in and of themselves, but could also provide links to recreational opportunities at Box Springs Mountains Park southerly of the community policy area and in the adjacent cities of Riverside and Grand Terrace.
Business Development
The western urban core of the Highgrove study area begins near the intersection of Center Street and Iowa Avenue. This main portal into the Highgrove community has regional access via Interstate 215. In the neighboring Cities of Grand Terrace and Riverside, light industrial uses predominate along this Interstate 215 corridor. The area contains a mixture of new businesses and older commercial developments on small, odd-shaped parcels.
Commercial and industrial uses are considered the most appropriate uses for property convenient to regional access and possessing job creation potential. For productive redevelopment to occur in the western area, parcels would need to be assembled into larger holdings. However, there are pockets of residential neighborhoods that can be identified and preserved at least in the near term. Given that several of these enclaves could also offer favorable locations for commercial or industrial development (such as along Iowa Avenue south of Center Street), potential problems could arise from the unmitigated impacts of new commercial or industrial developments near existing residential uses. The Area Plan includes policies to support future development applications that would build the community's economic base and promote self-sufficiency, but the plan also requires protection of remaining residential uses nearby.
Vehicular Traffic Flow
The Highgrove study area is roughly rectangular in shape, and the Box Springs Mountains to the east pose a substantial obstacle to vehicular circulation. Traffic generated within this area has traditionally collected onto Center Street, then dispersed to the greater region along Iowa Avenue or Interstate 215. Center Street from Mount Vernon Avenue westward (a General Plan designated secondary) is the only internal street that provides through access from east to west through the entire community.
However, this access is often impeded by frequent passage through the area of freight trains along the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe (BNSF) and Union Pacific (UP) lines. The lack of grade separations along Center Street near these rail crossings demands that traffic wait for trains, sometimes on both lines, to pass through the area. Waits can seem interminable at scheduled stops to off-load raw materials or pick up finished product from local manufacturing plants. The BNSF line has installed rubber planking sections to permit smooth vehicular travel over its tracks when trains are not present. The UP line has programmed similar improvements for street crossings.
The City of Riverside's Hunter Park Specific Plan proposes only installation of safety devices and some street widenings as future crossing improvements along the UP line. The basic cost of building a bridge to complete a grade separation can exceed $10 million, and can approach $15-20 million if extensive utilities and business relocations are necessary. A Center Street grade separation could qualify as a public improvement that the Economic Development Agency (EDA) could undertake with redevelopment monies, if adequate funding is available. Also, if the Highgrove area's residential densities substantially increase, Highgrove's competitive position to win future federal and state grants for such work will improve. But a more likely near-term strategy to benefit Highgrove residents is for Riverside County to partner with the City of Riverside in funding a grade separation along Columbia Avenue. The City of Riverside added the grade separation to its five-year Capital Improvements Program in April, 1999, in order to seek a funding source and construct the improvement within the next twenty years.
Sewer Service
Highgrove is not currently sewered. For many years, the area's rural uses at low density have been satisfactorily served by septic tanks. As the area transitions to a predominantly suburban residential community, development applicants will only be able to provide residential lots smaller than one acre if sanitary sewer service is extended. Current state Water Quality Control Board regulations to implement water quality standards for the Santa Ana River Basin require that residential lots smaller than ½ acre be connected to a public sanitary sewer system. The City of Riverside maintains a policy that lots smaller than one acre be connected.
Also, much of the existing community would rather connect to a public sewer system than replace or rehabilitate aging septic systems. Such replacement or rehabilitation will be necessary soon as septic systems installed 30 to 40 years ago reach the end of their design life. One major variable influencing how quickly Highgrove is sewered is how the cost of doing so will be allocated.
The City of Riverside currently provides water to the western Highgrove urban core and to residential customers as far east as Walker Avenue. The City of Riverside's official policy is to provide sewer service only to customers within its corporate boundaries. The City of Riverside could potentially provide sewer service to Highgrove, if the City Council approved an arrangement to do so. Riverside County and the City of Riverside have discussed sewer service provision to Highgrove, but no agreement had been announced at this writing.
The remaining current residential uses south of Spring Street and east of Michigan Avenue have potable water service through the Riverside Highland Water Company, a mutual water company headquartered in Colton. Riverside Highland has historically served the area for irrigation water to the groves, and has expanded its domestic service system to cover most of the tract home development that has occurred in Highgrove since the 1970s. Riverside Highland's Board of Directors has approved sewer service extension as an addition to the range of services provided by the company.
Transportation Corridors
To promote a richer quality of life, the Highgrove community will have to exploit more of its transportation assets in a coordinated way to allow for multiple modes of travel.
Improvements to intersections at Center Street and Main Street along Iowa Avenue, which are associated with the Interstate 215 widening project, will not be implemented until after 2010. Improving the freeway from State Route 60 as far as Orange Show Road in San Bernardino County has been under consideration for some time. The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS), and the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) have tried to assemble a joint scope of work and a shared funding arrangement to complete this highway construction. The project is still on hold at this time, and so too are the local intersection improvements that could benefit Highgrove.
As previously noted, the BNSF and UP lines are actively used to transport freight through Highgrove within the western urban core. Also, MetroLink operates passenger trains over the westerly branch of the BNSF line from San Bernardino to the downtown Riverside station and on to points in western Riverside and Orange Counties. The BNSF line proceeding southward through Highgrove could be utilized to provide service to Perris and other southern Riverside County locations. The proposed San Jacinto branch line could utilize a Tier II station site in Highgrove as a transfer or staging point for needed equipment or employees.
Parcels easterly of the BNSF line could be appropriate for siting a transit station or accompanying service uses to support passengers or crew. Residential redevelopment up to Very High Density Residential (VHDR-20 dwelling units per acre) would exploit the transit access for those who desire it and could create a greater localized demand in Highgrove for goods and services. Appropriate projects would seek to combine residential and nonresidential elements into a mixed land use pattern that could serve both the transit customer and the Highgrove resident.
The Riverside County Transportation Commission has obtained the San Jacinto branch line and will make decisions about necessary station locations as that process unfolds. Planning policies to guide development oriented toward a Tier II transit station can be found under "Urban Residential Development Policies".
Highgrove could utilize a multi-modal concept along the California Avenue corridor. California Avenue becomes Northgate Street within the City of Riverside. In implementing the Hunter Park Specific Plan, the City has proposed to vacate the right-of-way of Northgate Street southerly of Palmyrita Avenue. This right-of-way would be replaced by "the North-South Connector". This connector road, to be located between the existing Union Pacific rail line and the Gage Canal, would connect Palmyrita Avenue and Columbia Avenue, the main through street for the Hunter Park area.
Completing California Avenue northerly of Citrus Street would thus connect the Light Industrial-designated parcels in Highgrove to the Hunter Park area. The Highgrove parcels would not be able to tie into a meaningful pedestrian network along California Avenue/Northgate Avenue, since this corridor is not a pedestrian portal for the Hunter Park Specific Plan. But bicycle trails along California Avenue to Palmyrita Avenue could conceivably connect the residential areas east of Mount Vernon Avenue with Highgrove's proposed Light Industrial-designated parcels along California Avenue. Such a connection could help reduce vehicle trips on Center Street.
Natural Features Protection
For years, with the permission of local citrus grove owners, local residents have utilized grove access roads to take walks, to ride horses, or to ride bicycles. As agricultural holdings are sold to development interests, such privileges are expected to be drastically curtailed. Highgrove residents have stated the desire to continue to access open space areas in the future. As formerly open areas are converted to urban uses over time, the challenge of siting recreational trails to serve the myriad needs of the community will only increase. This is especially true as landowners submit development applications to build in or along the major open space areas adjacent to Highgrove: the Box Springs Mountains and Springbrook Wash.
In addition to serving as the primary drainage channel for stormwater runoff from the Highgrove study area to the Santa Ana River, Springbrook Wash also provides wildlife habitat and opportunities for wildlife movement. Riversidean Sage Scrub vegetation, as well as riparian vegetative communities, have been identified as likely to occur along the banks of Springbrook Wash. Riversidean Sage Scrub vegetation also has been indicated on lands designated as Rural Mountainous in this Plan. Hilly or steeply sloping lands in Riverside County and other southern California counties are prime areas for the occurrence of coastal sage scrub vegetation. Certain protected wildlife species, including the coastal California Gnatcatcher, can inhabit coastal sage scrub vegetation.
The Area Plan includes policy language to ensure that future development applications would implement appropriate mitigation measures for wildlife habitat reduction that they cause. Also, plan policies prevent any undue alteration of Springbrook Wash during the site preparation process. Furthermore, easements acquired during the development review process to implement regional multi-purpose trails, as depicted in the Trails and Bikeways Plan, will provide Highgrove residents future access to these natural features in as unspoiled condition as is practicable.
Based on the above community concerns and issues, the following goals apply to the Highgrove community:
a. To encourage a varied future pattern of development that will promote greater economic self-sufficiency in Highgrove.
b. To identify existing and future residential areas with land use and zoning designations that will discourage incompatible development, encourage reinvestment in homes and businesses, and support property values.
c. To enhance the Highgrove community's ability to respond to changing future development conditions through flexible planning policies.
d. To recommend future infrastructure improvements necessary to provide for adequate public facilities and services for the Highgrove Community Policy Area.
e. To help sustain Highgrove's rural character as the community develops in the future.
f. To safeguard the Box Springs Mountains and Springbrook Wash from development impacts that would diminish their value as fish and wildlife habitat or as natural areas for public enjoyment.
The predominant current residential density between Michigan Avenue and Mount Vernon Avenue is ½ -acre size lots, the traditional maximum allowable density in the absence of sewer service. The undeveloped areas further east of Mount Vernon Avenue are mostly bordered by Rural Mountainous designated lands to the north and to the south.
It is not the intent of this plan to rule out future nonresidential development of unincorporated area parcels adjacent to the Hunter Park industrial area. Industrial, warehouse, or office uses are considered the most appropriate uses for property located with regional access and possessing job creation potential complementary to that of the Hunter Park area. In the future, developers assembling such parcels would need to provide focused studies addressing traffic, sewer service provision, and, as applicable, flooding issues, and would require the approval of a General Plan amendment. A project proponent can also request a future General Plan amendment for commercial uses, given evidence of sufficient demand to support it. Local serving commercial uses at an appropriate location could be a possible adjunct to a major future residential area.
HAP = Highgrove Area Plan Policy
Policies:
HAP 1.1 Development applications shall incorporate to the maximum extent feasible elements of the existing orange groves as a design feature. The intent is to provide visual and other buffering that will sustain the traditional rural sense of place that has long defined Highgrove.
HAP 1.2 Development applications shall include strategies for minimizing vehicle trips generated within a project's boundaries.
a. Wherever possible, the developer shall provide on-site amenities which will provide pedestrian, equestrian or bicycling options for making local trips of up to 2 miles one-way distance.
b. The developer shall link these amenities to scenic recreational and transportation corridors in an effort to connect to known existing and planned area trip generators.
c. In order to implement scenic recreational and transportation corridors and any regional trails proposed to connect thereto, development applicants shall provide easements for public access along a project's perimeter or within or along areas of the project otherwise traversed by rights-of-way dedicated to the public use.
d. Designate the following as scenic recreational and transportation corridors:
(1) Pigeon Pass Road, from Mount Vernon Avenue to its terminus in the vicinity of the closed Highgrove Landfill.
e. Development applications that incorporate designated scenic recreational and transportation corridors within their project boundaries shall construct or cause to be constructed the following recreational and transportation amenities for the use and enjoyment of the general public, according to current applicable Riverside County standards:
(1) A combination Class I bikeway and jogging trail.
(2) An equestrian path.
(3) Adequate vegetative or other buffering features between the above facilities to increase their attractiveness, to promote privacy, and to reduce any potential conflicts between uses.
HAP 1.3 Development applications that propose more intense residential uses than otherwise allowed within the Highgrove Area Plan Land Use Plan, must satisfy the following, in addition to those policies specified under the appropriate residential density category above:
a. If a project area is greater than 40 acres in size, then a specific plan application must be submitted.
b. Near natural open space amenities like the Box Springs Mountains and the Springbrook Wash, clustering of dwelling units shall be encouraged to promote protection of scenic values and provision of recreational open space. The minimum lot size to be allowed in a cluster development shall be 7,200 square feet.
HAP 1.4 Development applications for commercial or industrial projects at locations designated for residential uses within the Highgrove Area Plan Land Use Plan must satisfy the following requirements, in addition to those specified under the "Commercial" or "Industrial" policies described in the Local Land Use Policies section.
a. The project shall be buffered with landscaping, berms, additional setbacks or other features necessary to reduce the impacts on adjacent residential uses.
b. Approval of a General Plan amendment is required.
Administrative
Policies:
HAP 2.1 The Land Use Plan associated with the Highgrove Area Plan determines the location, extent, density, and intensity of land uses.
HAP 2.2 The Highgrove Area Plan constitutes a portion of the Riverside County General Plan. In addition to the Highgrove Community Policy Area, all countywide policies, objectives, programs, and standards in the Riverside County General Plan apply in the determination of General Plan consistency for a land use development proposal.
HAP 2.3 Prior to approval of any proposed amendments that would permit more intense usage of a specific site, findings must be made that:
a. The existing level of public facilities and services available to serve the project is adequate for the more intense land use, or there is a reasonable assurance that an adequate level of services will be available in the near future; and
b. The proposed land use designation is compatible with surrounding land uses and land use designations, and will not create future land use incompatibilities.
HAP 2.4 Continue collaborative jurisdictional efforts with surrounding jurisdictions for the long-range planning of the Highgrove community.
Design and Environmental
Policies:
HAP 3.1 Any building constructed within the Hazardous Fire Area shall be constructed with fire retardant roofing material as described in the Uniform Building Code and shall comply with the special construction provisions contained in the Riverside County Fire Code Standards (Ordinance 787). Any wood shingles or shakes shall have a Class B (or better) rating and shall be approved by the Riverside County Fire Department prior to installation.
HAP 3.2 The installation of water efficient fixtures and drought tolerant landscaping and the use of reclaimed water for landscaping, dust control, and other uses not involving human consumption are encouraged as means of conserving water in the area.
HAP 3.3 Review development applications for projects along the Springbrook Wash to ensure that they complement the wash's function as a natural open space, wildlife, and recreation corridor.
HAP 3.4 Roads crossing drainage channels shall provide for proper drainage.
HAP 3.5 The Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District shall review developments proposed within areas subject to flooding, including the Springbrook Wash. Land use types and intensities permitted shall recognize and mitigate local flooding problems.
HAP 3.6 Developments proposed in areas near identified flood hazard areas, which could substantially increase surface runoff or provide substantial additional sources of polluted runoff, shall be reviewed by the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. Land use types and intensities permitted shall recognize and mitigate surface runoff quality or quantity problems.
HAP 3.7 Development adjacent to the Springbrook Wash shall be limited to the bluffs overlooking the wash itself. A development application proposing any alteration of the wash's banks must obtain prior approval of the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District.
HAP 3.8 Development projects within the Highgrove Community Policy Area shall implement best management practices for urban pollutant runoff as prescribed by the Santa Ana Regional Drainage Area Management Plan (SAR-DAMP) and its supplements.
Recreational Trails
Policies:
HAP 4.1 The Riverside County General Plan's Regional Trails Map and the Highgrove Area Plan trails maps depict conceptual trail alignments. The precise alignment of a trail shall be based on the physical characteristics of the area. Where practical, trails have been aligned along road rights-of-way and flood control and utility easements.
HAP 4.2 Trails will be developed in accordance with current Riverside County design criteria, standards, and practices. Function, safety, and scenic quality are the main criteria for their location and design.
HAP 4.3 In order to implement any non-motorized regional multipurpose trails represented in these policies, trail routes will need to be acquired. The County's Regional Park and Open Space District will be responsible for the development and maintenance of such trails. Proposed new non-motorized regional multi-purpose trails for Highgrove include the following:
a. Along Spring Street, from Michigan Avenue easterly to near the easterly terminus of its publicly dedicated right of way, turning northerly to connect to Center Street near its easterly terminus, and continuing generally easterly to the Box Springs Mountains. (Implementation of this facility and its continuation along Center Street on the opposite side of the Box Springs Mountains could eventually permit a connection to Reche Canyon Road, already designated a regional multi-purpose trail in the Riverside County Comprehensive General Plan.)
b. From the Box Springs Mountains, at a point of connection with the facility cited in the policy above, continuing generally southerly, crossing Pigeon Pass Road, and connecting to Box Springs Mountain Park.
c. Along Mount Vernon Avenue, from Main Street to its intersection with Pigeon Pass Road.
d. From the Gage Canal, within or along the Springbrook Wash to Mount Vernon Avenue, continuing through or along the wash to a point of connection with the current terminus of Serpentine Road.
HAP 4.4 Proposed new bike trails for Highgrove include the following:
a. A Class II facility on Center Street, from Iowa Avenue to Michigan Avenue. (Implementation of this facility is important to pursuing an eventual connection to the Santa Ana River.)
b. A Class II facility on Mount Vernon Avenue, from Main Street to Palmyrita Avenue.
c. A Class II facility on California Avenue, from Center Street to the City of Riverside's incorporated limits.
d. A Class II facility on Iowa Avenue, from Main Street to the City of Riverside's incorporated limits.
e. A Class II facility on Main Street, from Michigan Avenue to Mount Vernon Avenue.
f. A Class II facility on Michigan Avenue, from Main Street to Spring Street.
g. A Class II facility on Spring Street, from Michigan Avenue to Mount Vernon Avenue.
HAP 4.5 Diamond-shaped warning signs indicating "Warning: Horse Crossing" or depicting the equivalent international graphic symbol shall be installed where practicable at locations where regional or community trails as described in these policies cross public roads with relatively high amounts of traffic. Priority should be given to Center Street, Pigeon Pass Road, and roadways with more than two striped lanes. At signalized intersections, special equestrian push buttons (located at heights usable by persons riding on horseback) will be considered and installed where appropriate. As resources permit, consideration should be given to the placement of signs along those public rights-of-way identified as regional or community trail alignments alerting motorists to the possible presence of equestrian, bicycle, and pedestrian (i.e., non-motorized) traffic.
Highgrove is a varied community consisting of three discernible parts, looking from west to east: a higher density mix of housing and mostly local-serving commercial development; suburban ranch style homes on, generally, half-acre lots; and rural lands.
Urban Residential Development
Highgrove's western urban core stretches from La Cadena Drive to California Avenue. Within it is located the existing concentration of High Density Residential (HDR), Medium High Density Residential (MHDR), and Medium Density Residential (MDR).
Very High Density Residential (VHDR) includes apartment development, ranging from 14 to 20 dwelling units per acre. VHDR is not specifically allocated for any location within the Highgrove Community Policy Area. However, one existing trailer park is identified as Highest Density Residential.
HDR includes four-plex residential and apartment development, ranging from 8 to 14 dwelling units per acre.
A multiple family residential lot in HDR and MHDR must be at least 7,200 square feet in size and must contain at least 2,500 square feet per individual dwelling unit permitted.
MHDR allows densities ranging from 5 to 8 dwelling units per acre. The single family residential lot sizes permitted in this category range from as large as approximately 7,200 square feet down to about 5,000 square feet. This category also allows attached single family development and mobile home parks.
MDR allows densities ranging from 2 to 5 dwelling units per acre. The single family residential lot sizes permitted in this category range from as large as approximately 20,000 square feet down to about 7,200 square feet.
The Highgrove community is not served by a community or district sewer system, and, therefore, does not currently meet the qualifications for additional urban density development (densities greater than 2 dwelling units/acre) as specified in the Riverside County General Plan. Nonetheless, infill development east of Garfield Avenue will increase residential densities available to support the extension of sewer service to the community. The MDR densities would contribute to a land-use transition from job-creating uses that should be encouraged to locate alongside the Union Pacific rail line.
The following policies shall apply to all new development in HDR, MHDR, and MDR designations:
Policies:
HAP 5.1 Additional VHDR, HDR, or MHDR residential uses shall be located within Highgrove's western urban core. VHDR uses shall be allowed only as a component of a transit-oriented mixed-use development as specified in the policy below. HDR or MHDR uses shall be allowed either as a component of a transit-oriented mixed-use development as specified in the policy below; or on parcels with appropriate existing zoning whose development applications can satisfy all other applicable policies below.
HAP 5.2 Provide amenity features in conjunction with all VHDR, HDR, and MHDR developments. This may include a local park, jogging trail, or other open space feature for the use and enjoyment of residents.
HAP 5.3 VHDR, HDR, MHDR, and MDR developments located adjacent to lower density residential uses shall provide transitional buffers, such as larger lot sizes along the boundary, setbacks similar to those of the adjoining rural development, block walls, landscaped berms, or a wall combined with landscaping to enhance its appearance.
HAP 5.4 MDR developments shall provide open space, neighborhood parks, or recreational areas to serve the needs of their residents.
HAP 5.5 All MDR, MHDR, HDR, VHDR, HHDR land uses require a full range of public services, as described in the Land Use Element of the Riverside County General Plan, including adequate and available circulation, water service from the City of Riverside Water Utilities OR Riverside Highland Water Company's distribution system (as applicable), sewage collection, and utilities including electricity and telephone (and, usually, natural gas and cable television) service.
HAP 5.6 All subdivisions proposing development at MDR, MHDR, HDR, VHDR, and HHDR densities must be part of improvement districts of water and sewer districts which are authorized to provide water and sewer service, or must provide evidence of an agreement with another entity for provision of sewer service. Commitments for water and sewer service must be confirmed by the entities responsible for providing these services. Adequate and available water supply and sewage treatment capacities must exist at the time of construction to meet the demands of the proposed project.
HAP 5.7 Development applications for transit-oriented mixed use development projects must satisfy the requirements of the VHDR, HDR, MHDR, MDR, Commercial or Industrial policies of this Plan, according to the uses incorporated within the project. In addition, such applications must satisfy the following requirements:
a. The project shall be located within one-half mile of a future Highgrove transit station site.
b. The project shall aggressively promote alternatives to vehicular traffic, by project design and amenities that encourage pedestrian and bicycle patronage.
c. The project's residential component shall have a maximum residential density of 20 dwelling units per acre (VHDR). In its design and construction, this residential component shall implement measures appropriate to mitigate exterior noise and interior noise at levels consistent with its proximity to railroad rights-of-way or other significant noise sources.
d. The project shall include a retail component that is centrally located, serves transit employees/passengers, the project's inhabitants, and potentially the greater Highgrove community.
e. Approval of a specific plan application is required.
Rural Density Residential Development
The suburban residential ranch style homes in Highgrove occur roughly between Michigan Avenue and Mount Vernon Avenue, providing shelter for people who enjoy aspects of a rural lifestyle with the convenience of close proximity to urban amenities. Within this suburban area is located the existing concentration of Low Density Residential (LDR). LDR allows residential development at densities ranging from one to two dwelling units per acre. The single family residential lot sizes permitted in this category range from as large as approximately one acre down to about ½ acre.
The following policies shall apply to all new development in LDR, VLDR, EDR and RR designations:
Policies:
HAP 6.1 Adequate and available water resources must exist to meet the demands of the proposed land use. Water service shall be provided by the water distribution system of the Riverside Highland Water Company or by private wells. If private wells are to be utilized, water quality testing will be required by Riverside County.
HAP 6.2 If sewer service is not available, subsurface sewage disposal systems may be utilized. Adequate soil percolation conditions must exist to meet the demands of the proposed land use. The preparation of a soils feasibility report which adequately evaluates soil percolation and/or a special feasibility boring report will be required in order for the County of Riverside to evaluate the adequacy of on-site soils for installation of subsurface sewage disposal systems.
Commercial
Policies:
HAP 7.1 All commercial land uses must comply with the siting and access criteria for commercial uses included in the Land Use and Circulation Elements.
HAP 7.2 Commercial development requires a fall range of public services, including adequate and available circulation (including location on a paved road), community water service, sewage disposal, and utilities. Use of subsurface sewage disposal systems may be authorized by the County of Riverside; however, commercial facilities may be required to be connected to a community (District) sewer system if the County of Riverside determines that such connection is necessary to provide for the public life and property.
HAP 7.3 The use of common driveways for ingress and egress shall be encouraged where feasible along the property lines of parcels planned for commercial development.
HAP 7.4 Commercial land uses shall be designed to ensure compatibility with adjacent land uses.
Industrial
Policies:
HAP 8.1 All new industrial land uses must comply with the siting and access criteria for industrial uses included in the Land Use and Circulation Elements.
HAP 8.2 Industrial development shall be compatible with adjacent land uses. To achieve compatibility, industrial development projects may be required to include mitigation measures necessary to avoid or minimize project impacts on adjacent uses. Such mitigation may include muffler systems, insulation, block walls, berms, landscaping, additional setbacks and/or wall and landscaping combinations, or other requirements recommended in conjunction with any project-related noise and environmental studies.
HAP 8.3 Night lighting is permitted for security purposes in industrial areas; however, such lighting shall be hooded and directed to avoid glare and direct illumination of adjacent properties. Night lighting shall comply with any applicable provisions of the Ordinance of the County of Riverside Regulating Light Pollution (Ordinance 655).
HAP 8.4 Development applications for industrial projects that are adjacent to Highgrove Elementary School or presumably near enough to impact it must satisfy the following requirements:
a. Vehicular access shall be limited to General Plan roadways. No access to adjacent local streets shall be permitted.
b. No off-site parking along adjacent local streets shall be permitted.
c. Adequate pedestrian safety measures shall be incorporated into the development design.
d. An acoustical study shall be commissioned to identify any project impacts and appropriate mitigation measures to be implemented.
e. Adequate perimeter boundary treatments to enhance security and to promote attractive views of the project shall be provided.
HAP 8.5 Development applications for industrial projects that are adjacent to residentially developed parcels must satisfy the following requirements:
a. Vehicular access shall be limited to General Plan roadways. No access to adjacent local street segments primarily serving existing residential uses shall be permitted.
b. No off-site parking along adjacent local street segments primarily serving existing residential uses shall be permitted.
c. Any portion of the project's perimeter that is adjacent to existing residential uses shall be buffered with landscaping, berms, additional setbacks or other features necessary to reduce the visual or other impacts on those residential uses.
d. Adequate pedestrian safety measures shall be incorporated into the development design.
e. Project proponents shall commission noise and other appropriate environmental studies of impacts when a project site is adjacent to existing residential uses, or when the nature of the use proposed creates a presumption of such impacts.
HAP 8.6 Development applications for industrial projects located easterly of the Union Pacific rail line and southerly from Center Street shall provide for the construction of Industrial Collector roadways to provide access from such developments to Center Street and/or other higher classification roadways. Particular attention shall be given to the development of an Industrial Collector generally along the alignment of California Avenue between Center Street and the City of Riverside.
Rural Mountainous Areas
Policies:
HAP 9.1 Allowable land uses shall be as specified for Rural Mountainous in the Land Use Element of the Riverside County General Plan.
HAP 9.2 The minimum size for any new lot which falls entirely within the Rural Mountainous designation is 10 acres. In considering the division of properties smaller than 20 acres in area located partially within and partially outside the Rural Mountainous designation, the County of Riverside may approve creation of lots smaller than 10 acres in area which are partially within and partially outside the Mountainous Areas designation, provided that the building pad and access driveway for each such lot are located entirely outside the Rural Mountainous designation and entirely outside areas of 25% or greater slopes.
HAP 9.3 Any development proposal located within or partially within the Rural Mountainous designation must provide a slope analysis and a comprehensive soils report and percolation study in order to determine appropriate lot sizes, grading requirements, and locations of building pads, driveways, and access roads. Development applications located on the edge of the designation may be accompanied by more detailed topographic data to further define the 25% slope line.
Open Space-Conservation Areas
Policies:
HAP 10.1 Primary allowable land uses shall be open space and recreational uses. Limited resource development is permitted if allowed by park authorities.
City of Riverside Sphere of Influence
This Area Plan includes properties within the sphere of influence of the City of Riverside. Areas within this sphere of influence shall be subject to the following policies in addition to those policies that are applicable area-wide:
HAP 11.1 Sanitary sewer service shall be provided to any new lots smaller than one acre in gross area tentatively approved through tract map or parcel map applications following the adoption of this General Plan. If sewer service is not available, a 1-acre minimum lot size shall be required.
HAP 11.2 The County shall work with representatives of the City of Riverside to provide for the establishment of development standards comparable to those required by the City. Such development standards may include, but are not necessarily limited to, design standards, density, street widths, setbacks, landscaping (including reverse frontage landscaping), residential lot development (including subdivision design and grading), parking, and undergrounding of utilities.
HAP 11.3 The County shall implement standards to provide that new development occurring in unincorporated areas will "pay its own way". The County will establish programs that will be continuing obligations of the County (utilizing Community Facilities Districts, County Service Areas, or other ongoing funding mechanisms subject to the requirements of Proposition 218) to provide for community parks, recreation programs, and libraries. The use of homeowners' associations will be limited to services or facilities serving only that specific group of property owners.
HAP 11.4 Development applications subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) located within the City of Riverside sphere of influence shall be forwarded to the City for review. If the development application requires zoning that would be inconsistent with the City's General Plan, a meeting shall be arranged among City staff, County staff, and the applicant to jointly review the subject development application, in order to develop a joint set of conditions/ requirements.
March Air Reserve Base Influence Area
The former March Air Force Base is located southwest of the Highgrove area and has a significant impact on development in the southern portion of the Highgrove area. This facility was established in 1918 and was in continual military use until 1993. In 1996, the land was converted from an operational Air Force Base to an Active Duty Reserve Base. A four party Joint Powers Authority (JPA), comprised of the County of Riverside and the Cities of Moreno Valley, Perris and Riverside, now governs the facility. The JPA plans to transform a portion of the base into a highly active inland port, known as the March Inland Port. The March Air Reserve Base encompasses 6,500 acres of land including an active cargo and military airport. The boundary of the March Air Reserve Base Airport Influence Area is shown on Figure 4, Policy Areas. There are a number of safety zones associated with the Airport Influence Area. These safety zones are shown in Figure 5, March Air Reserve Base Airport Influence Policy Area. Properties within these zones are subject to regulations governing such issues as development intensity, density, height of structures, and noise. These land use restrictions are fully set forth in Appendix L and are summarized in Table 4, Land Use Compatibility Guidelines for Airport Safety Zones for March, Flabob, Bermuda Dunes, Chino, and Skylark Airports. For more information on these zones and additional airport policies, refer to Appendix L and the Land Use, Circulation, Safety, and Noise Elements of the Riverside County General Plan.
Policies:
HAP 12.1 To provide for the orderly development of March Air Reserve Base and the surrounding area, comply with the March JPA General Plan as fully set forth in Appendix L and as summarized in Table 4, as well as any applicable policies related to airports in the Land Use, Circulation, Safety, and Noise Elements of the Riverside County General Plan.
The authority for preparation of Specific Plans is found in the California Government Code, Sections 65450 through 65457.
Specific plans are highly customized policy or regulatory tools that provide a bridge between the General Plan and individual development projects in a more area-specific manner than is possible with community-wide zoning ordinances. The specific plan is a tool that provides land use and development standards that are tailored to respond to special conditions and aspirations unique to the area being proposed for development and conservation. These tools are a means of addressing detailed concerns that conventional zoning cannot do.
Specific plans are identified in this section as Policy Areas because detailed study and development direction is provided in each plan. Policies related to any listed specific plan can be reviewed at the Riverside County Planning Department. The two specific plans located in the Highgrove planning area are listed in Table 3, Adopted Specific Plans in Highgrove Area Plan. Each of these specific plans is determined to be a Community Development Specific Plan.
| Table 3 Adopted Specific Plans in Highgrove Area Plan1 | |
|---|---|
| Specific Plan | Specific Plan # |
| Gateway Center | 250 |
| Spring Mountain Ranch | 323 |
| 1 Source: Riverside County Planning Department. | |
| Table 4 Land Use Compatibility Guidelines for Airport Safety Zones for March, Flabob, Bermuda Dunes, Chino, and Skylark Airports1,2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety Zone | Maximum Population Density | Maximum Coverage by Structures | Land Use |
| Area I | 03 | 03 | No significant obstructions4 No petroleum or explosives No above-grade powerlines |
| Area II | Uses in Structures:5 25 persons/ac. OR 150 persons/bldg. (see text in the source document for the Comprehensive Land Use Plan for explanation) Uses not in structures: 50 persons/ac. Residential 2.5 Acre minimum lots Uses in Structures:5 75 persons/ac. or 300 persons/bldg. (see text in the source document for the Comprehensive Land Use Plan for explanation) |
25% of net area 50% of gross area or 65% of net area whichever is greater |
No residential No hotels, motels No restaurants, bars No schools, hospitals, government services No concert halls, auditoriums No stadiums, arenas No public utility stations, plants No Public communications facilities No uses involving, as the primary activity, manufacture, storage, or distribution of explosives or flammable materials.6 |
| Area III | Not Applicable | 50% of gross area or 65% of net area whichever is greater | Discourage schools, auditoriums, amphitheaters, stadiums Discourage uses involving, as the primary activity, manufacture, storage, or distribution of explosives or flammable materials.6 |
| 1. The following uses shall be prohibited in all airport safety zones: a. Any use which would direct a steady light or flashing light of red, white, green, or amber colors associated with airport operations toward an aircraft engaged in an initial straight climb following takeoff or toward an aircraft engaged in a straight final approach toward a landing at an airport, other than an FAA-approved navigational signal light or visual approach slope indicator. b. Any use which would cause sunlight to be reflected towards an aircraft engaged in an initial straight climb following takeoff or towards an aircraft engaged in a straight final approach towards a landing at an airport. c. Any use which would generate smoke or water vapor or which would attract large concentrations of birds, or which may otherwise affect safe air navigation within the area. d. Any use which would generate electrical interference that may be detrimental to the operation of aircraft and /or aircraft instrumentation. 2. Avigation easements shall be secured through dedication for all land uses permitted in any safety zones. 3. No structures permitted in ETZ or ISZ. 4. Significant obstructions include but are not limited to large trees, heavy fences and walls, tall and steep berms and retaining walls, non-fragible street light and sign standards, billboards. 5. A structure includes fully enclosed buildings and other facilities involving fixed seating and enclosures limiting the mobility of people, such as sports stadiums, outdoor arenas, and amphitheaters. 6. This does not apply to service stations involving retail sale of motor vehicle fuel if fuel storage tanks are installed underground. Source: Extracted from Riverside County Airport Land Use Commission Comprehensive Land Use Plan | |||
Figure 5: March Air Reserve Base Airport Influence Policy Area
While the General Plan Land Use Element and Area Plan Land Use Map guide future development patterns in the Highgrove area, additional policy guidance is often necessary to address local land use issues that are unique to the area or that require special policies that go above and beyond those identified in the General Plan. These policies may reinforce County regulatory provisions, preserve special lands or historic structures, require or encourage particular design features or guidelines, or restrict certain activities, among others. The intent is to enhance and/or preserve the identity, character, and features of this unique area. The Local Land Use Policies section provides a host of policies to address those land use issues relating specifically to the Highgrove planning area.
With increasing growth and development pressures facing many unincorporated areas in western Riverside County, the County has previously identified the need to establish a set of specific design criteria for development in this area and throughout the Fifth Supervisorial District to ensure that quality development occurs in this portion of the County. In 2001, the County prepared and adopted the Design Standards and Guidelines for Development in the Third and Fifth Supervisorial Districts.
Policies:
HAP 13.1 Require development to adhere to standards detailed in the Design Standards and Guidelines for Development in the Third and Fifth Supervisorial Districts.
The circulation system is vital to the prosperity of a community. It provides for the movement of goods and people within and outside of the community and includes motorized and non-motorized travel modes such as bicycles, trains, airplanes, automobiles and trucks. In Riverside County, the circulation system is also intended to accommodate a pattern of concentrated growth, providing both a regional and local linkage system between unique communities. This system is multi-modal, which means that it provides numerous alternatives to the automobile, such as transit, pedestrian systems, and bicycle facilities so that Riverside County citizens and visitors can access the region and move around within it by a number of transportation options. Internal circulation is particularly critical in this County because of the immense distances in a place of such expanse. Therefore, connecting to the backbone system of freeways and major transportation corridors within Riverside County is a very high priority.
"Investment in and expansion of the existing freeway and arterial street networks continue to be a critical part of our comprehensive transportation system development."
- RCIP Vision
As stated in the Vision and the Land Use Element, the County is moving away from a growth pattern of random sprawl toward a pattern of concentrated growth and increased job creation. The intent of the new growth patterns and the new mobility systems is to accommodate the transportation demands created by existing development and future growth and to provide mobility options that help reduce the need to utilize the automobile–at least to avoid the need to use it exclusively for trips of virtually all lengths. The circulation system is designed to fit into the fabric of the land use patterns, provide mobility commensurate with the demand generated by those land uses, and relate sensitively to designated open space systems where both access and preservation are necessary components of the same space.
While the following section describes the circulation system as it relates to the Highgrove area, it is important to note that the programs and policies are supplemental to and coordinated with the policies of the General Plan Circulation Element. In other words, the circulation system of the Highgrove area is tied to the countywide system and long range direction. As such, successful implementation of the policies in this Area Plan will help to create an interconnected and efficient circulation system for the entire County. The key point here is that the entire countywide circulation network of routes (which, of course, includes components within the cities as well as the unincorporated area) is a single system and must be respected even though it will be built in increments.
Vehicular Circulation
The vehicular circulation system in the Highgrove area is anchored by Interstate 215 and State Route 60. A system of major and secondary arterials, collector and local roads serve both regional and local needs. Some of the