DATE: 09/04/2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Office of the City Manager Department
2024-32
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
RESOLUTION 2024-095 AFFIRMING COUNCIL’S SUPPORT OF THE RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT’S BOND MEASURE CC IN THE COMING
ELECTION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report seeks Council approval of Resolution 2024-095, affirming its support of the Riverside Community College District’s Bond Measure CC placement on the November 5, 2024, ballot.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The City Council approve Resolution 2024-095, supporting Riverside Community College District’s (RCCD) Bond Measure CC placement on the November 5, 2024, ballot.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Norco College is one of three community colleges within the Riverside Community College District (RCCD) and has experienced substantial growth since its establishment in 1991. Initially serving a modest student population, the college now enrolls approximately 18,000 students and has consequently seen an increase in staff and faculty. The campus is on 141 acres in the Norco Hills and accessible via a single road.
This situation poses challenges for future growth expansion and raises significant safety concerns due to its limited access and population concentration.
The current location's topography and access constraints have led to RCCD’s decision to place bond Measure CC on the November 5, 2024, election to seek additional facilities to serve better the educational needs of Norco College, Corona citizens, and surrounding communities. The proposed Bond Measure CC is a critical investment in the future of RCCD and Norco College and aims to address the challenges outlined in this report.
Funding from the Measure CC bond will be allocated towards purchasing 9.61 acres of land at the intersection of Parkridge and Main in the City of Corona. This new location will significantly improve access for residents of Corona and allow Norco College to expand its programs and facilities to meet the educational demands of the community better. The new site will not only provide Corona residents with a more convenient, local option for higher education; it will also support the long-term growth and development of Norco College, ensuring it continues to serve as a vital educational resource for the region.
ANALYSIS:
During the August 21, 2024, City Council meeting, Riverside Community College District’s Trustee Bill Hedrick and Norco College President Dr. Monica Green presented on Bond Measure CC and requested that the City Council support it. City Council instructed staff to draft and bring forward a resolution affirming the Council’s support of the bond measure. Therefore, this report asks that the Council approve Resolution 2024-095, supporting Riverside Community College District’s (RCCD) placement of Bond Measure CC on the upcoming California State election ballot.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this recommended action.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action seeks the approval of the Council to approve Resolution 2024-095, supporting RCCD’s placement of bond Measure CC on the November 5, 2024, ballot, and there is no possibility that approving the recommended action will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: AMINAH MEARS, DPA, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER REVIEWED BY: BRETT CHANNING, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Resolution 2024-095