Mead Valley
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Special Note on Implementing the Vision
March Air Reserve Base Airport Influence Area
Rural Village Overlay Study Area
Highway 74 Good Hope Policy Area and Highway 74 Perris Policy Area
Third and Fifth Supervisorial District Design Standards and Guidelines
Mount Palomar Nighttime Lighting
Community and Environmental Transportation Acceptability Process (CETAP) Corridors
Watersheds, Floodplains, and Watercourses
Proposed Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan
LIST OF FIGURES
5: March Air Reserve Base Airport Influence Policy Area
6: Mt. Palomar Nighttime Lighting Policy
LIST OF TABLES
1: Land Use Designations Summary
2: Statistical Summary of Mead Valley Area Plan
3: Adopted Specific Plans in the Mead Valley Area Plan
| The County of Riverside General Plan and Area Plans have been shaped by the RCIP Vision. Following is a summary of the Vision Statement that includes many of the salient points brought forth by the residents of Eastvale as well as the rest of the County of Riverside. The RCIP Vision reflects 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;
• 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. In fact, the customized "Oasis" transit system now operates quite successfully in several cities and communities.
Our Communities and Neighborhoods
Our choices in the kind of community and neighborhood we prefer is 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.
The typical terrain of the Mead Valley planning area.Mead Valley is not just any valley. From virtually any place here, you have a sweeping view of distant mountains and nearby hills. Rock outcroppings accent the hillsides and provide a distinct texture to the landscape. The Cajalco Road Corridor and State Route 74 cross the community in an east-west fashion and Interstate 215, which runs north-south, divides the planning area roughly in half.
The Mead Valley Area Plan guides the evolving physical development and land uses in the unincorporated area west of the City of Perris. It 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 standards and policies for development within the entire unincorporated County territory. The Mead Valley Area Plan, on the other hand, provides customized direction specifically for the Mead Valley area.
The Mead Valley Area Plan doesn't just provide a description of the location, physical characteristics, and special features here. It contains a Land Use Plan, statistical summaries, policies, and accompanying exhibits that allow anyone interested in Mead Valley 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 and the reasons for the more localized policy direction found in this document.
Each section of this plan addresses critical issues facing the 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. In the Location section we explain where the planning area fits with what is around it and how it relates to the cities that are part of it. We go on to describe the physical features in a section that highlights the 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 local levels.
While some of these designations reflect land patterns unique to this area, a number of special policies are still necessary to address specific portions of the Mead Valley planning area The Policy Areas section presents these additional policies. Land use related issues are addressed in the Land Use section. The Area Plan also describes relevant transportation issues in the Circulation section. A variety of routes and modes of travel are envisioned to serve this area. The key to understanding the area's valued open space network is described in the Multipurpose Open Space section. There are natural and man made hazards to consider, and they are spelled out in the Hazards section.
It is important to understand that the incorporated City of Perris is not covered by this area plan. It is governed by its own plan. Nevertheless, city/county coordination is a critical component of this Plan. A key location factor is how this area relates to other planning areas within the vastness of Riverside County. The relationships between cities and County territory can be seen on Figure 1, Location.
The Mead Valley Area is in a pivotal position along Interstate 215 and includes key connections to Interstate 15 to the west. Consequently, it plays an important role in the vast central portion of western Riverside County. The Mead Valley Area Plan seeks to capture and capitalize upon, not only the special qualities of the land, but its strategic location as well.
Unincorporated land is all land within the County that is not within an incorporated city or an Indian Nation. Generally, it is subject to policy direction and under the land use authority of the Board of Supervisors. However, it may also contain state and federal properties that lie outside of the Board's authority.
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 conditions in Mead Valley.
To illustrate how the Vision has shaped the Mead Valley planning area, 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.
Community Centers. This method of concentrating development to achieve community focal points, stimulate a mix of activities, promote economic development, achieve more efficient use of land, and create a transit friendly and walkable environment, is a major device for implementing the Vision. A significant Community Center designation is located where Cajalco Road joins the Interstate 215 Freeway. An Employment Center is envisioned at this location to capitalize on the nearby March Inland Port, surrounding industrial and business park uses, and the convergence of the rail line and the Cajalco corridor. This Community Center would be non-residential in nature.
Business Expansion Center. A major thrust of the Riverside County General Plan is to attract new businesses that can provide jobs for the extensive local labor force that now, in significant numbers, must commute to Orange and Los Angeles Counties. A substantial industrial strip covers almost the entire eastern edge of Mead Valley, which provides outstanding rail and freeway access. This not only leverages the Employment Center immediately adjacent to it, but focuses more intensive activities where multiple transportation modes converge.
Rural character. The land use patterns reflect a strong commitment to the continuation of the cherished rural/semi-rural lifestyle in this part of the County. This contributes as well to the desire for distinct shifts in development character as a means of defining community separators or edges.
It is important to note that the 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 is part of the General Plan Implementation Program.
A view of the Perris Valley and surrounding mountains, looking east.The strategic location of the Mead Valley planning area is clearly evident in Figure 1, Location. The Mead Valley Area Plan is surrounded by the incorporated City of Perris and the nearby Cities of Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, and Moreno Valley. Mead Valley borders on six other area plans: Reche Canyon/Badlands to the north, Lakeview/Nuevo to the east, Harvest Valley/Winchester to the southeast, Sun City/Menifee Valley to the south, Elsinore to the south and southwest, and the Lake Mathews/Woodcrest Area Plan to the west. The March Air Reserve Base is also located north of the planning area.
A view of Perris Valley from the Gavilan Hills.The Riverside County Vision builds heavily on the value of its remarkable environmental setting. That theme is certainly applicable here. Mead Valley is especially situated to capture mountain views in almost every direction. That quality is evident in the functions, setting, and features that are unique to Mead Valley. These features can be seen on Figure 2, Physical Features, and are described in greater detail in the following section.
The Mead Valley planning area contains a wide variation in physical terrain, including flat valley floors, gentle foothills, and steep hillsides. This area lies entirely within the larger Perris Valley, which is framed by the Gavilan Hills to the west, and the Lakeview Mountains across the valley to the east. The eastern flank of Mead Valley is generally flat, sloping gently upward toward the Gavilan Hills, which form a portion of the planning area's western boundary.
The unincorporated portion of this planning area is basically divided into northern and southern halves, defined by the foothills of the Gavilan Hills and the Motte-Rimrock Reserve. The northern half contains Cajalco Creek and a portion of the Colorado River Aqueduct. In fact, the terrain here is similar in character to the largely developed part of the valley occupied by the City of Perris to the east. Except for a few rolling hills and gentle slopes, the southern half of the County territory is considerably more rugged, containing a series of steep peaks and valleys. Steele Peak, in the southwestern corner of the planning area, provides one of the area's most distinctive features.
The Gavilan Hills within Mead Valley.Located in the western portion of the planning area, the Gavilan Hills stretch north to south from Temecula to Corona. They contribute to the area's most spectacular terrain before dropping precipitously down into Temescal Canyon and Lake Elsinore to the west. In fact, they constitute a natural and spectacular edge between the Mead Valley planning area and other communities to the west.
Located in the southwestern portion of the planning area in the Gavilan Hills is Steele Peak. Steele Peak, at 2,529 feet, is the tallest peak in the planning area and serves as a major landmark for the community.
A view of the outstanding open space in the Motte-Rimrock Reserve.The Motte-Rimrock Reserve encompasses a rocky plateau above the City of Perris. The Reserve protects important archaeological sites, including an unexcavated ceremonial site and well-preserved pictographs. The Reserve environment is rich in coastal sage scrub, riparian grassland, and chaparral, and contains six seasonal springs that enrich the diversity of plant species found here. Animal life prospers as well, this being a home to the Stephen's Kangaroo Rat, a federally protected endangered species.
The rural and equestrian oriented community of Good Hope is located in the southwestern portion of the planning area among distinctive rock outcroppings, just east of Steele Peak. Currently, State Route 74 carves a swath through this otherwise remote community, serving scattered commercial and industrial development. State Route 74 will be realigned from its present location to follow the alignment of Ethanac Road, which forms the southern boundary of the planning area.
Cajalco Road is the anchor for the community of Mead Valley. As a major link between Interstates 215 and 15, this important east/west corridor provides the opportunity for the commercial uses along Cajalco Road to assume a more prominent role in the future. South of Cajalco Road is a mixture of equestrian homes, which are set among rolling hills and large stands of Eucalyptus. The sense of community here is reinforced by a community center and a fire station. The area north of Cajalco Road is predominantly a grid-like pattern of half-acre and larger residential lots, the centerpiece of which is a local school.
Old Elsinore Road runs north-south through a narrow valley formed by the Gavilan Hills and the Motte-Rimrock Reserve. The road is lined by rural residential uses set on larger lots that can accommodate equestrian activities.
The entrance to the Oakwood Business Park.In stark contrast to most of the rest of the Mead Valley area, a large property west of Interstate 215 has been prepared for the development of a business park. The Oakwood Business Park property has the strategic location and the infrastructure in place to create a successful employment center. Roads have been paved, utilities provided, and entrance signs have been placed throughout the property. The proximity to Interstate 215, the parallel rail lines, the Cajalco Road corridor, and March Air Reserve Base all contribute to the economic potential of this key property. That accounts for the designation of a community center here, with an emphasis on employment uses.
A sphere of influence is the area outside of and adjacent to a city's border that has been identified by the County Local Agency Formation Commission as a future logical extension of the city's jurisdiction. While the County of Riverside has land use authority over city sphere areas, development in these areas directly affects circulation, service provision, and community character within the cities.
The City of Perris, incorporated in 1911, occupies the entire eastern part of the planning area. Perris' Sphere of Influence encompasses all of the unincorporated lands within the Mead Valley planning area. The City's perception of the sphere area is generally consistent with its predominantly rural, equestrian character maintained through the land use plan.
The Land Use Plan focuses on preserving the rural community character of this area and, at the same time, accommodates future growth. To accomplish this, more detailed land use designations are applied than for the countywide General Plan.
The Mead Valley Land Use Plan, Figure 3, depicts the geographic distribution of land uses within this planning area. The Area 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.
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 and organizations at the many Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors hearings. A constant theme through which all of these factors were viewed was the desire to reinforce the Riverside County Vision and its related planning principles wherever possible. The result of these considerations is shown in Figure 3, Land Use Plan, which portrays the location and extent of proposed land uses. Table 2, Statistical Summary of Mead Valley 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.
"The extensive heritage of rural living continues to be accommodated in areas committed to that lifestyle, and its sustainability is reinforced by strong open space and urban development commitment provided for in the RCIP Vision."
-RCIP Vision
Land Use Concept
The Mead Valley land use plan provides for a predominantly rural community character with an equestrian focus. This is reflected by the Very Low Density Residential and Low Density Residential land use designations within the Rural Community Foundation Component and Rural Residential designation within the Rural Foundation Component that dominate the planning area.
Pockets of open space, including the Motte-Rimrock Reserve and Steele Peak, are designated as Open Space Conservation Habitat to preserve their scenic and natural qualities.
A Rural Village Overlay is designated along a portion of the present alignment of State Route 74, which is located in the southern portion of the planning area. The Rural Village would serve as a focal point for the surrounding Good Hope community. This special overlay designation allows for a mixture of local serving commercial and small-scale industrial/service commercial uses, with limited residential development at a higher density than the underlying land use. The Land Use Element provides a further description of this land use designation and its intent.
Mobility within the open space system is not ignored, either. Multi-use trails are conceptually located throughout the planning area, providing the framework for future trail improvements and connections. Thus, there is a strong relationship in the Area Plan between land uses and associated transportation and mobility systems, no matter what the intensity of uses may be.
For more information on Community Center types, please refer to the Land Use Policies within this area plan and the Land Use Designations section of the General Plan Land Use Element.
To help provide a focus for this entire section of the County, the Community Center designation is applied at the intersection of Cajalco Road and Interstate 215. This designation is intended to function as a major employment center, rather than a typical "downtown," reinforced by a mixture of industrial, office, and business park uses in close proximity. The strategic location of this center, described in previous sections of this plan, offers a compelling reason to focus attention on such a valuable economic resource. The concept draws heavily on the thinking involved in establishing the Oakwood Business Park and reinforces industrial development east of Harvill Avenue and designates Business Park uses west of Harvill Avenue. The Business Park uses on the west side of Harvill Avenue provide a buffer for residential uses to the west.
The Employment Center envisioned here would provide region-wide services with a mixture of business park, office, and retail commercial uses. Typical employment uses within the Employment Center would include research and development firms, manufacturing, private and public research institutions, academic institutions, medical facilities, and support commercial uses.
The Community Center designation at this location does not provide for residential uses, except for existing residential uses, caretaker's residences as permitted by zoning, and new residences on existing lots that are zoned for residential use.
| Table 2 Statistical Summary of Mead Valley Area Plan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Land Use Designationsa,b | ||||
| Land Use Designation | Acreage | Dwelling Units | Population | Employment |
| Agriculture Foundation Component | ||||
| Agriculture (AG) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Agriculture Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rural Foundation Component | ||||
| Rural Residential (RR) | 5,523 | 828 | 2,493 | NA |
| Rural Mountainous (RM) | 715 | 36 | 108 | NA |
| Rural Desert (RD) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Rural Total | 6,238 | 864 | 2,601 | 0 |
| Rural Community Foundation Component | ||||
| Estate Density Residential (RC-EDR) | 79 | 28 | 84 | NA |
| Very Low Density Residential (RC-VLDR) | 8,093 | 4,047 | 12,180 | NA |
| Low Density Residential (RC-LDR) | 1,031 | 1,237 | 3,723 | NA |
| Rural Community Total | 9,203 | 5,312 | 15,987 | 0 |
| Open Space Foundation Component | ||||
| Open Space-Conservation (OS-C) | 46 | NA | NA | NA |
| Open Space-Conservation Habitat (OS-CH) | 1,428 | NA | NA | NA |
| Open Space-Water (OS-W) | 0 | NA | NA | NA |
| Open Space-Recreation (OS-R) | 15 | NA | NA | 2 |
| Open Space-Rural (OS-RUR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Open Space-Mineral Resources (OS-MIN) | 0 | NA | NA | 0 |
| Open Space Total | 1,489 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Community Development Foundation Component | ||||
| Estate Density Residential (EDR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Very Low Density Residential (VLDR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Low Density Residential (LDR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Medium Density Residential (MDR) | 414 | 1,449 | 4,361 | NA |
| Medium High Density Residential (MHDR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| High Density Residential (HDR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Very High Density Residential (VHDR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Highest Density Residential (HHDR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Commercial Retail (CR)c | 110 | 231 | 697 | 662 |
| Commercial Tourist (CT) | 0 | NA | NA | 0 |
| Commercial Office (CO) | 0 | NA | NA | 0 |
| Light Industrial (LI) | 479 | NA | NA | 6,154 |
| Heavy Industrial (HI) | 0 | NA | NA | 0 |
| Business Park (BP) | 793 | NA | NA | 12,960 |
| Public Facilities (PF) | 300 | NA | NA | 81 |
| Community Center (CC) | 327 | 0 | 0 | 8,617 |
| Community Development Total | 2,423 | 1,680 | 5,058 | 28,474 |
| 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 | 265 | 71 | 214 | 60 |
| Community Center Overlay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Community Retail Overlay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other, Overlays and Policy Areas Total | 265 | 71 | 214 | 60 |
| BUILDOUT PROJECTIONS TOTAL | 19,353 | 7,927 | 23,860 | 28,536 |
| Other | ||||
| City | 20,431 | |||
| Indian Lands | 0 | |||
| Freeways | 0 | |||
| Other Total | 20,431 | |||
| AREA PLAN TOTAL ACRES | 39,784 | |||
| 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 | ||||
| Highway 74 Perris | 65 | |||
| Highway 74 Good Hope | 120 | |||
| Cajalco Wood | 155 | |||
| Total | 340 | |||
| 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. | ||||
Not all areas within an area plan are the same. Distinctiveness can and should be achieved to respect certain localized characteristics. This is a primary means of avoiding the uniformity that so often plagues conventional suburban development. A policy area is a portion of a planning area that contains special or unique characteristics that merit detailed attention and focused policies. The location and boundaries are shown on Figure 4, Policy Areas, and are described in detail below.
An aerial view of part of March Air Museum.Five policy areas have been designated within Mead Valley. In some ways, these policies are even more critical to the sustained character of the Mead Valley planning area 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.
The Cajalco Wood Policy Area consists of approximately 1,020 acres located within the Lake Mathews/Woodcrest and Mead Valley Area Plans, both northerly and southerly of Cajalco Road, easterly of Wood Road and westerly of Alexander Street. The Policy Area includes the entire site of Specific Plan No. 229 (H.B. Ranches), along with an additional 80 acres to the southwest of the adopted Specific Plan. The Policy Area is located within an area characterized by rural community equestrian lifestyles. Over 180 acres in the southerly portion of the Policy Area are within Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (WRC MSHCP) criteria areas and warrant conservation. Additionally, the future development of this Policy Area will likely be affected by the development of the east-west CETAP transportation corridor, as the segment of Cajalco Road bisecting the project is envisioned as the preferred corridor as of the date of adoption of this General Plan. The character of the surrounding area will be further affected by construction of a high school to the north of this Policy Area. Given these factors, the County of Riverside has determined that consideration should be given to allowing clustered development within this Policy Area, including lot sizes smaller than 20,000 square feet, provided that the development furthers the rural community character of the area and provides infrastructure to enhance the equestrian lifestyle.
MVAP = Mead Valley Area Plan Policy
Policies:
MVAP 1.1 Notwithstanding the Rural Community foundation component designation of Specific Plan No. 229 and adjacent lands within this Policy Area and any provisions in the Land Use Element providing for a minimum lot size of one-half acre within this foundation component, the minimum area of new residential lots established within this Policy Area may be reduced to 12,000 square feet without need for a general plan amendment under the following circumstances:
• New lots smaller than 20,000 square feet in area shall only be permitted within the boundaries of an adopted Specific Plan.
• The number of residential lots within the boundaries of the Specific Plan as originally adopted shall not be increased above the level originally approved (1,421 dwelling units).
• Lots along the northerly edge of the Policy Area shall be no less than 20,000 square feet in area.
• Approximately one-third of the residential lots shall have a minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet, and in no case shall a residential lot be less than 12,000 square feet in area.
• The keeping of horses in accordance with the provisions of the County of Riverside regarding setbacks of animal-keeping uses from adjoining property lines, residences, and public rights-of-way shall not be prohibited on lots at least 20,000 square feet in area located southerly of Cajalco Road.
• An equestrian under-crossing shall be provided under Cajalco Road.
• The development shall provide trails in conformance with the County's regional trails plan and the Circulation and Trails Maps of the Lake Mathews/Woodcrest and Mead Valley Area Plans.
• Dwelling units may be transferred from the portion of the Policy Area within the WRC MSHCP criteria areas to portions of the Policy Area outside such areas, provided that the overall limit on number of dwelling units is not exceeded and the minimum lot size requirements specified herein are retained.
• A small equestrian park and a north-south trail connecting to the trail system in the surrounding community shall be provided on the most southerly 80 acres of the Policy Area. The remainder of the 80 acres shall be conserved in conformance with WRC MSHCP policies.
MVAP 1.2 Notwithstanding the Rural Community foundation component of the Policy Area except for the area depicted as Commercial Retail located at the northeast corner of Cajalco Road and Wood Road and any provisions in the Land Use Element that would otherwise prohibit the establishment of Commercial Retail designations at new locations within Rural Community Specific Plans, the Commercial Retail designation may be relocated to any other location along the ultimate right-of-way of Cajalco Road or the future east-west transportation corridor provided that the total acreage of the Commercial Retail designation is not increased beyond the existing designated area of 15 acres.
March Air Reserve Base Airport Influence Area
The former March Air Force Base is located immediately north of the planning area and has a significant impact on development in the Mead Valley 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 active cargo and military airport. The boundary of the March Air Reserve Base Airport Influence Area is shown in 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:
MVAP 2.1 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.
Rural Village Overlay Study Area
A Rural Village Overlay Study Area has been identified on the Mead Valley Area Plan map for the portion of the community of Good Hope along State Highway Route 74. Following the adoption of the General Plan, this area will be studied in greater detail in conjunction with the County's consistency zoning program. Additional analysis will include a review of the pattern of existing land uses, lot sizes, topography, and available infrastructure, in order to determine appropriate designations and areas that would be considered for commercial uses, small-scale industrial uses, or residential development intensities higher than those levels depicted on the Area Plan map. As necessary, the County may initiate a general plan amendment to establish the final Rural Village Overlay boundaries, which may be larger or smaller than the Study Area depicted on the Area Plan map.
Policies:
MVAP 3.1 Commercial uses, small-scale industrial uses (including mini-storage facilities), and residential uses at densities higher than those levels depicted on the Area Plan may be approved within the Rural Village Overlay Study Area for Good Hope. Additionally, existing commercial and industrial uses may be relocated to this Rural Village Overlay Study Area as necessary in conjunction with the widening of State Highway Route 74.
Highway 74 Good Hope Policy Area and Highway 74 Perris Policy Area
The County of Riverside is working with the Regional Transportation Commission and CALTRANS to widen State Highway Route 74 extending from the City of Perris to the City of Lake Elsinore. In conjunction with this widening, it may be necessary to relocate certain commercial and industrial uses.
Policies:
MVAP 4.1 Existing commercial and industrial uses may be relocated to any location within the Highway 74 Good Hope Policy Area, the Highway 74 Perris Policy Area, or the Rural Village Overlay Policy Area, as necessary in conjunction with the widening of State Highway Route 74.
The authority for preparation of Specific Plans is found in the California Government Code, Sections 65450 through 65457.
Specific Plans
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. 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 Mead Valley planning area are listed in Table 3, Adopted Specific Plans in the Mead Valley Area Plan. Each of these specific plans is determined to be a Community Development Specific Plan.
| Table 3 Adopted Specific Plans in the Mead Valley Area Plan1 | |
|---|---|
| Specific Plan | Specific Plan # |
| H.B. Ranches** | 229 |
| A Street* | 100 |
| * For alignment and design of Harvill Road only. This specific plan does not provide land use information. **Only a portion of this specific plan is within Mead Valley. 1 Source: County of Riverside 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 Mead Valley, additional policy guidance is 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. The Local Land Use Section provides policies to address these issues. 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. The intent is to enhance and/or preserve the identity and character of this unique area.
Community Center Guidelines have been prepared to aid in the physical development of vibrant community centers in Riverside County. These guidelines are intended to be illustrative in nature, establishing a general framework for design while allowing great flexibility and innovation in their application. Their purpose is to ensure that community centers develop into the diverse and dynamic urban places they are intended to be. These guidelines will serve as the basis for the creation of specified Cc
community center implementation tools such as zoning classifications and Specific Plan design guidelines.
The Community Center Guidelines are located in Appendix J of the General Plan.
Community Centers
The Mead Valley Area Plan Land Use Plan identifies one community center within the planning area, offering a unique mix of employment, commercial, and public uses. The Employment Center envisioned here would provide region-wide services with a mixture of business park, office, and retail commercial uses. In order to promote the compact mixing of uses intended for this community center, voluntary incentives may be necessary to promote this more efficient form of land development.
Policies:
MVAP 5.1 Require that the area designated as Community Center be designed and developed as one Specific Plan of Land Use.
MVAP 5.2 Provide incentives, such as density bonuses and regulatory concessions to property owners and developers, to facilitate the development of a community center as designated on the Mead Valley Area Plan Land Use Plan, Figure 3.
MVAP 5.3 Ensure that community center development adheres to those policies listed in the Community Centers Area Plan Land Use Designation section of the Land Use Element.
Third and Fifth Supervisorial District Design Standards and Guidelines
In July 2001, the County adopted a set of design guidelines applicable to new development within the Third and Fifth Supervisorial District. The Development Design Standards and Guidelines for the Third and Fifth Supervisorial Districts are for use by property owners and design professionals submitting development applications to the County Planning Department. The guidelines have been adopted to advance several specific development goals of the Third and Fifth Districts. These goals include: ensuring that the building of new homes is interesting and varied in appearance; utilizing building materials that promote a look of quality development now and in the future; encouraging efficient land use while promoting high quality communities; incorporating conveniently located parks, trails and open space into designs; and encouraging commercial and industrial developers to utilize designs and materials that evoke a sense of quality and permanence.
Policies:
Light pollution occurs when too much artificial illumination enters the night sky and reflects off of airborne water droplets and dust particles causing a condition known as skyglow. It occurs when glare from improperly aimed and unshielded light fixtures cause uninvited illumination to cross property lines.
MVAP 6.1 Development within those portions of this Area Plan in the Fifth Supervisorial District shall adhere to development standards established in the Development Design Standards and Guidelines for the Third and Fifth Supervisorial District.
Mount Palomar Nighttime Lighting
The Mount Palomar Observatory, located in San Diego County, requires unique nighttime lighting standards so that the night sky can be viewed clearly. The following policies are intended to limit light leakage and spillage that may obstruct or hinder the Observatory's view. Please see Figure 6, Mt. Palomar Nighttime Lighting Policy, for areas that may be impacted by these standards.
Policies:
MVAP 7.1 Adhere to the lighting requirements specified in County Ordinance No. 655 for standards that are intended to limit light leakage and spillage that may interfere with the operations of the Mount Palomar Observatory.
Figure 6: Mt. Palomar Nighttime Lighting Policy
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, aircraft, 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 by a number of transportation options.
"Innovative designs allow for increased density in key locations, such as near transit stations, with associated benefits. In these and other neighborhoods as well, walking, bicycling, and transit systems are attractive alternatives to driving for many residents."
- 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 new mobility systems is to accommodate the transportation demands created by future growth and to provide mobility options that help reduce the need to utilize the automobile. The circulation system is designed to fit into the fabric of the land use patterns and accommodate the open space systems.
While the following section describes the circulation system as it relates to the Mead Valley Area Plan, 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 planning area is tied to the countywide system and its 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 vehicular circulation system that supports the Land Use Plan for Mead Valley is shown on Figure 7, Circulation. The vehicular circulation system in Mead Valley is anchored by Interstate 215, State Route 74, and Cajalco Road. Major and secondary arterials and collector roads branch off from these major roadways and serve local uses. State Route 74 will be re-aligned to follow Ethanac Road due east from its present intersection with State Route 74, past Interstate 215, to reconnect with State Route 74 in Romoland.
Policies:
MVAP 8.1 Design and develop the vehicular roadway system per Figure 7, Circulation, and in accordance with the Functional Classifications and Standards section in the General Plan Circulation Element.
MVAP 8.2 Maintain the County's roadway Level of Service standards as described in the Level of Service section of the General Plan Circulation Element.
The Burlington Northern-Santa Fe rail line runs northwest to southeast through the planning area. This line provides freight transport service between the Hemet/San Jacinto area, March Inland Port, and points northwest. This line could potentially provide a viable regional transportation option for residents, employees, and visitors to the area.
Policies:
MVAP 9.1 Maintain and enhance existing railroad facilities in accordance with the Rail System section of the General Plan Circulation Element.
MVAP 9.2 Work with AMTRAK and MetroLink to accommodate passenger rail service along this line, with a possible station in the Community Center located at Cajalco Road and Interstate 215.
A sign that could be used to identify trails throughout the planning area.The County of Riverside contains bicycle, pedestrian, and multi-purpose trails that traverse urban, rural, and natural areas. These trails accommodate hikers, bicyclists, equestrian users, and others as an integral part of the County's circulation system. The trails serve both as a means of connecting the unique communities and activity centers throughout the County and as an effective alternate mode of transportation. In addition to transportation, the trail system also serves as a community amenity by providing recreation and leisure opportunities as well as separations between communities.
As shown on Figure 8, Trails and Bikeway System, an extensive trails system, which mainly follows the vehicular roadway circulation routes, is planned in Mead Valley. The trail system in the planning area must accommodate a range of equestrian, pedestrian, and bicycle users.
Policies:
MVAP 10.1 Maintain and improve the trails and bikeways system to reflect Figure 8, Trails and Bikeway System, and as discussed in the Multipurpose Recreational Trails Section of the General Plan Circulation Element.
MVAP 10.2 Install diamond-shaped warning signs indicating "Warning: Trail Crossing" or depicting the equivalent international graphic symbol at locations where regional or community trails cross public roads with high amounts of traffic, such as Cajalco Road.
Figure 8: Trails and Bikeway System
Scenic Highways provide the motorist with views of distinctive natural characteristics that are not typical of other areas in the County. The intent of these policies is to conserve significant scenic resources along scenic highways for future generations and to manage development along these corridors so as to not detract from the area's natural characteristics.
As shown on Figure 9, Scenic Highways, there is one State Eligible Scenic Highway in Mead Valley: State Route 74 as it connects with Interstate 215 in the southern portion of the planning area. State Route 74 is of regional significance because it provides a link between Orange and Riverside Counties through the Santa Ana Mountains and eventually through the San Jacinto Mountains as the famous Palms to Pines Scenic Highway. In the planning area, State Route 74 passes by Steele Peak and the San Jacinto River.
Policies:
MVAP 11.1 Protect the scenic highways in the Mead Valley planning area from change that would diminish the aesthetic value of adjacent properties in accordance with the Scenic Corridors sections of the General Plan Land Use, Multipurpose Open Space, and Circulation Elements.
The Transit Oasis is a concept to improve transportation options in Riverside County by providing an integrated system of local serving, rubber-tired transit that is linked with a regional transportation system, such as MetroLink or express buses. In the Transit Oasis concept, rubber-tired transit vehicles operate on a single prioritized or dedicated lane in a one-way, continuous loop. The Transit Oasis is designed to fit into community centers, which provide the types of densities and concentrated development patterns that can allow this concept to become a reality.
The Transit Oasis concept may be accommodated in the Community Center within the Mead Valley Area Plan. The Transit Oasis would provide local serving transit to the businesses in and adjacent to the community center. The Transit Oasis would also provide connections to the CETAP Corridor along Cajalco Road and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe branch line.
Policies:
MVAP 12.1 Support the development and implementation of the Transit Oasis in the Community Center within the Mead Valley Area Plan in accordance with the General Plan Circulation Element.
Community and Environmental Transportation Acceptability Process (CETAP) Corridors
The population and employment of Riverside County are expected to significantly increase over the next twenty years. The Community and Environmental Transportation Acceptability Process (CETAP) was established to evaluate the need and the opportunities for the development of new or expanded transportation corridors in western Riverside County to accommodate the increased growth and preserve quality of life. These transportation corridors include a range of transportation options such as highways or transit, and are developed with careful consideration for potential impacts to habitat requirements, land use plans, and public infrastructure. CETAP has identified three priority corridors for the movement of people and goods: Banning/ Beaumont to Temecula, Hemet to Corona/Lake Elsinore, and Moreno Valley to San Bernardino County.
The Hemet to Corona/Lake Elsinore CETAP Corridor passes through Mead Valley along Cajalco Road. This corridor could accommodate a number of transportation options, including vehicular traffic and high occupancy vehicle lanes.
Policies:
MVAP 13.1 Accommodate the Hemet to Corona/Lake Elsinore CETAP Corridor in accordance with the General Plan Circulation Element.
"The open space system and the methods for its acquisition, maintenance, and operation are calibrated to its many functions: visual relief, natural resources protection, habitat preservation, passive and active recreation, protection from natural hazards, and various combinations of these purposes. This is what is meant by a multipurpose open space system."
- RCIP Vision
The Mead Valley planning area contains a variety of open spaces that serve a multitude of functions, hence the open space label of "multi-purpose." The point is that open space is really a part of the public infrastructure and should have the capability of serving a variety of needs and diversity of users. The pattern of hills, valleys and slopes provides open space, habitat, and recreation spaces alike. These open spaces encompass a variety of habitats including riparian corridors, oak woodlands and chaparral habitats. Examples include features such as Steele Peak, the Gavilan Hills, Cajalco Creek, the San Jacinto River and the Motte-Rimrock Reserve. In particular, the San Jacinto River–a major riparian corridor–flows through the southern portion of this planning area, and many native and narrow endemic species thrive on the habitat this river provides.
The Multipurpose Open Space section is a critical component of the character of the County of Riverside and the Area Plan. Preserving the scenic background and the natural resources of the Mead Valley planning area gives meaning to the "remarkable environmental setting" portion of the overall Riverside County Vision. Not only that, these open spaces also help define the edges of and separation between communities (such as Mead Valley and Good Hope), which is another important aspect of the Vision.
A watershed is the entire region drained by a waterway that drains into a lake or reservoir. It is the total area above a given point on a stream that contributes water to the flow at that point, and the topographic dividing line from which surface streams flow in two different directions. Clearly, watersheds are not just water. A single watershed may include combinations of forests, deserts, and/or grasslands.
Local Open Space Policies
Watersheds, Floodplains, and Watercourses
The Mead Valley planning area is part of the Santa Ana River watershed, which includes Cajalco Creek and the San Jacinto River. The San Jacinto River drains southwest toward Canyon Lake through the City of Perris. These watercourses provide corridors through developed land and link open spaces together. This allows wildlife to move from one open space to another without crossing developed land. The following policies preserve and protect these important watersheds.
Policies:
MVAP 14.1 Protect the Santa Ana River watershed, its tributaries, and surrounding habitats, and provide flood protection through adherence to the Watershed Management Section of the Multipurpose Open Space Element.
The Mead Valley planning area contains significant oak woodland areas that provide habitat and contribute to the character of the area. These oak woodlands can be found especially in the Gavilan Hills and in the Motte-Rimrock Reserve. It is necessary to protect these natural resources to preserve their function in a rich natural habitat, as well as preserving the quality of the rural environment that characterizes this area.
Policies:
MVAP 15.1 Protect viable oak woodlands through adherence to the Oak Tree Management Guidelines adopted by Riverside County.
Proposed Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan
For further information on the MSHCP please see the Multipurpose Open Space Elementof the General Plan.
The Wildlife Agencies include The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG).
Regional resource planning to protect individual species such as the Stephens Kangaroo Rat has occurred in Riverside County for many years. Privately owned reserves and publicly owned land have served as habitat for many different species. This method of land and wildlife preservation proved to be piecemeal and disjointed, resulting in islands of reserve land without corridors for species migration and access. To address these issues of wildlife health and habitat sustainability, the proposed Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) has been developed by the County. This Plan has been adopted by the County and, as of October 7, 2003, awaits approval by other jurisdictions and the Wildlife Agencies. The MSHCP comprises a reserve system that encompasses core habitats, habitat linkages, and wildlife corridors outside of existing reserve areas and existing private and public reserve lands into a single comprehensive plan that can accommodate the needs of species and habitat in the present and future.
The Endangered Species Act prohibits the "taking" of endangered species. Taking is defined as "to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect" listed species. The Wildlife Agencies have authority to regulate this "take" of threatened and endangered species. The intent of the proposed MSHCP is for the Wildlife Agencies to grant a "take authorization" for otherwise lawful actions that may incidentally "take" or "harm" species outside of reserve areas, in exchange for supporting assembly of a coordinated reserve system. Therefore, the proposed Western Riverside County MSHCP will allow the County to "take" plant and animal species within identified areas through the local land use planning process. In addition to the conservation and management duties assigned to the County, a property-owner-initiated habitat evaluation and acquisition negotiation process has also been developed. This process is intended to apply to property that may be needed for inclusion in the MSHCP Reserve or subjected to other MSHCP criteria.
The following sensitive, threatened and endangered species may be found within this area plan:
• Quino checkerspot butterfly
• Payson's jewelflower
• long-spined spineflower
• Munz's onion
• many-stemmed dudleya
• thread-leaved brodiaea
• bobcat
• Stephen's kangaroo rat
• granite spiny lizard
• orange-throated whiptail
• California gnatcatcher
• Bell's sage sparrow
• peninsular spineflower
• Parry's spineflower
The habitat requirements of the sensitive and listed species, combined with sound habitat management practices, have shaped the following policies. These policies provide general conservation direction.
Policies:
MVAP 16.1 Conserve existing intact upland habitat blocks between the Steele Peak Reserve and a portion of the Lake Mathews/Estelle Mountain Reserve located in the Lake Mathews/Woodcrest Area Plan to the west, and between Motte-Rimrock Reserve and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands north/northeast of the Steele Peak Reserve, focusing on conservation of coastal sage scrub and annual grassland habitat.
MVAP 16.2 Conserve clay soils in southern needlegrass grasslands and sandy-granitic soils within chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitats capable of supporting Payson's jewelflower and long-spined spineflower, known to exist within the planning area.
MVAP 16.3 Conserve existing populations of the California gnatcatcher and Bell's sage sparrow in the Mead Valley planning area, including locations at Steele Peak Reserve and undeveloped lands to the north of this reserve and along its eastern fringes.
MVAP 16.4 Provide for a connection of intact habitat between the North Peak Conservation Bank (located within the Elsinore planning area), the Steele Peak Reserve, and the Lake Mathews/Estelle Mountain Reserve (located within the Lake Mathews/Woodcrest Area Plan).
MVAP 16.5 Conserve vernal pool complexes supporting thread-leaved brodiaea known to exist within Mead Valley.
Portions of this planning area may be subject to hazards such as flooding, seismic occurrences, and wildland fire. These hazards are depicted on the hazards maps, Figure 10 to Figure 14. These hazards are located throughout the planning area at varying degrees of risk and danger. Some hazards must be avoided entirely, while the potential impacts of others can be mitigated by special building techniques. The following policies provide additional direction for relevant issues specific to the Mead Valley planning area.
Since 1965, eleven Gubernatorial and Presidential flood disaster declarations have been declared for Riverside County. State law generally makes local government agencies responsible for flood control in California.
Local Hazard Policies
As shown on Figure 10, Flood Hazards, there are some flood prone portions of the planning area. Only the areas adjacent to Cajalco Creek are part of the 100-year floodplain in unincorporated territory. Most of the floodplains are concentrated in the lower, flatter lands within the City of Perris. Many techniques may be used to address the danger of flooding, such as limiting development in floodplains, altering the water channels, using special building techniques, elevating foundations and structures, and enforcing setbacks. The following policies address those hazards associated with flooding and dam inundation.
Policies:
MVAP 17.1 Protect life and property from the hazards of flood events through adherence to the Flood and Inundation Hazards section of the General Plan Safety Element.
MVAP 17.2 Adhere to the flood proofing, flood protection requirements, and Flood Management Review requirements of Riverside County.
Fire Fact:
Santa Ana winds create a special hazard. Named by the early settlers at Santa Ana, these hot, dry winds enhance the fire danger throughout southern California.
MVAP 17.3 Require that proposed development projects that are subject to flood hazards, surface ponding, high erosion potential or sheet flow be submitted to the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District for review.
Due to its rural and somewhat mountainous nature and to some of the flora, such as the oak woodlands and chaparral habitat, the western part of this planning area is subject to a risk of fire hazards. The highest danger of wildfires can be found in the most rugged terrain. Methods to address this hazard include such techniques as not building in high-risk areas, creating setbacks that buffer development from hazard areas, maintaining brush clearance to reduce potential fuel, establishing low fuel landscaping, and applying special building techniques. In still other cases, safety-oriented organizations such as Fire Safe can provide assistance in educating the public and promoting practices that contribute to improved public safety. Refer to Figure 11, Wildfire Susceptibility, to see the locations of wildfire zones within Mead Valley.
Policies:
Liquefaction occurs primarily in saturated, loose, fine to medium-grained soils in areas where the groundwater table is within about 50 feet of the surface. Shaking causes the soils to lose strength and behave as liquid. Excess water pressure is vented upward through fissures and soil cracks and a water-soil slurry bubbles onto the ground surface. The resulting features are known as "sand boils," "sand blows" or "sand volcanoes." Liquefaction-related effects include loss of bearing strength, ground oscillations, lateral spreading, and flow failures or slumping.
MVAP 18.1 Protect life and property from wildfire hazards through adherence to the Fire Hazards section of the General Plan Safety Element.
Compared to many other portions of southern California, localized seismic hazard potential here is relatively slight. There are two very small faults that pose little threat in the southwestern portion of the planning area, both of which are located near Steele Peak. There are however, more remote faults, such as the San Andreas and San Jacinto Faults, that pose significant seismic threat to life and property here. Threats from seismic events include ground shaking, fault rupture, liquefaction, and landslides. The use of specialized building techniques, enforcement of setbacks from local faults, and sound grading practices will help to mitigate potentially dangerous circumstances. Refer to Figure 12, Seismic Hazards, for the location of faults within the planning area.
Policies:
MVAP 19.1 Protect life and property from seismic related incidents through adherence to the Seismic Hazards section of the General Plan Safety Element.
The Mead Valley planning area is home to the Gavilan Hills, which contain a considerable number of steep slopes. Special development standards are required in rugged terrain to prevent erosion and landslides, preserve significant views, and minimize grading and scarring. The following policies are intended to ensure the safety of life and property while protecting the character within the especially valuable resource areas that steep slopes typically occupy. Figure 13, Steep Slope, reveals the slope conditions applicable to the planning area. Also refer to Figure 14, Slope Instability, for areas of possible landslide.
Policies:
MVAP 20.1 Identify ridgelines that provide a significant visual resource for the Mead Valley planning area through adherence to the policies within the Hillside Development and Slope section of the General Plan Land Use Element.
MVAP 20.2 Protect life and property through adherence to the Hillside Development and Slope policies of the General Plan Land Use Element and the Slope and Instability Section of the General Plan Safety Element.
Figure 11: Wildfire Susceptibility
