1 City of Rialto Focused General Plan Update
City Council Update
M AY 9 , 2 0 2 3P R E S E N TAT I O N B Y : D U D E K
2 Agenda
01 02
03 04
05 Introduction
Project Overview
Early Findings
Project Schedule
Discussion and Next Steps
3 01 Introduction
4 ▪ Rialto Community Development Department,
Planning Division
⎯ With input across departments
▪ Dudek
⎯ Including Planners who worked on the Climate
Adaptation Plan (adopted 2021)
▪ Support
⎯ Community Advisory Committee (CAC)
⎯ Public Engagement
Project T eam
5 02 Project Overview
Purpose and Regulatory Background
6 Project Overview
▪ The City is doing a Focused General Plan
Update (GPU) for the following elements:
⎯ Land Use
⎯ Safety
⎯ Environmental Justice (New Element)
⎯ Circulation
▪ Timeline: January – September 2023
7 Purpose and Regulatory Background
▪ Cities update their General Plans ~ every 20 – 30 years ▪ Serves as a blueprint for accommodating growth while maintaining community character.
▪ Stay up to date with new regulations.
▪ Helps shape and improve quality of life for residents and businesses. ▪ General Plans are required to have the following elements:
✓ Land Use
✓ Circulation
✓ Housing
✓ Conservation
✓ Open Space
✓ Noise
✓ Safety
✓ Air Quality*
✓ Environmental Justice*
* Optional or Conditionally Required elements
8 ▪ The Land Use Element is being updated to retain
consistency with Housing, Safety, and EJ
Elements.
▪ The Safety Element is required to be updated to
meet certain laws related to climate change
projections, vulnerable populations, and
evacuation. The Climate Adaptation Plan
provided a basis for these requirements.
▪ The CirculationElement is receiving data and
figure updates to reflect current conditions and
revisions to the City’s truck routes.
Purpose and Regulatory Background
9 Purpose and Regulatory Background
▪ The Environmental Justice Element is in response to Senate Bill 1000, which requires local governments to include environmental justice in the General Plan. ▪ Environmental Justice is defined by the State as “The fair treatment of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
▪ Rialto has been applying aspects of EJ for years through:
⎯ Existing General Plan policies
⎯ Existing City Programs such as Healthy Rialto
▪ The new EJ Element aims to:
⎯ Include the voice of Rialto residents
⎯ Provide analysis and background information on the required EJ topics ⎯ Document what has been accomplished, and note opportunities for existing programs ⎯ Identify and address gaps in policy
10 EJ Element Requirements and Pillars
EJ Elements must analyze and develop policies for 6 pillars:
1. Access to Healthy Food
- Grocery Stores
- Farmers Markets
- Community Gardens
2. Promote Exercise
- Access to Parks
- Safe Walking and Biking
3. Reduce Pollution
- Air Pollution
- Hazardous Materials
4. Access to Public Facilities
- Public Transportation
- Libraries and Community Centers
5. Promote Safe and Sanitary Homes
- Proper Maintenance
- Overcrowding
6. Promote Civic Engagement
- Engagement Methods and
Incentives
11 EJ Element Requirements and Pillars
▪ There are other required topics that are addressed in different ways to fit Rialto’s needs
⎯ Prioritizing Disadvantaged Communities
⎯ Per state standards, the majority of Rialto is a disadvantaged community. Where possible, the EJ Element policies will specify areas to prioritize in Rialto based on both the “level of disadvantage” and the specific issue or topic at hand.
⎯ Impacts of Climate Change
⎯ The Safety Element is the main focus to be addressed, along with air pollution, and other overlapping issues covered in the EJ Element.
⎯ Public Health
⎯ Background metrics such as obesity rates are discussed alongside promoting exercise, but all of the pillars of EJ flow into this topic.
12 Public Engagement
▪ Community input is a priority for all General Plan Elements. ▪ Components of ongoing outreach include:
⎯ Community Survey
⎯ Virtual and In-Person Workshops
⎯ Pop-Up engagement at Community Events
⎯ Community Advisory Committee (CAC)
⎯ Public Meetings
⎯ Public Review
13 03 Early Findings
14 Disadvantaged Communities
▪ Disadvantaged Communities
are determined by
CalEnviroScreen, which analyzes
factors including:
⎯ Social
⎯ Economic
⎯ Environmental
15 Land Use & Sanitary Housing
▪ According to the 6th Cycle Housing Element 0.6% of Rialto’s housing stock, or 163 homes, are in need of substantial rehabilitation. The City aims to assist these homes with repairs and renovations via Housing Program 1A.
▪ Overcrowding has been identified as a prominent issue, and is most concentrated in the center of Rialto. Programs, such as the Residential Overlay Zone, aim to increase more
affordable housing options.
16 Pollution
▪ In Rialto, main sources of air pollution occur from
transportation and industrial users that produce ozone
and particulate matter pollutants.
17 Exercise (Parks, Walking, Biking)
▪ Rialto’s Downtown areas received an EPA walkability score of 17 , which is significantly higher than both state and county averages and puts the area in the 96th percentile for the metric.
▪ Northern and southern areas of Rialto are less walkable due to their lower densities and lack of common
destinations
18 Healthy Food
▪ According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, 48.3% of Rialto is within a half-mile of a supermarket.
▪ All census tracts in central Rialto fall into the 90th percentile for supermarket access, with two tracts
achieving 100% access.
▪ Tracts in the northernmost areas of Rialto, however, have significantly lower levels of access to grocery stores.
19 Public Facilities
▪ Rialto has two libraries, a community
center, and a senior center.
▪ The centrally located community
facilities are within disadvantaged
communities and within ¼ mile
walking distance of public transit.
20 Civic Engagement
▪ Historically, the City has provided
engagement opportunities online and in-
person in key public spaces such as parks,
Civic Center, and at the Farmers Market.
▪ Compared to San Bernardino County at
large, Rialto’s population is generally
younger and more racially and ethnically
diverse.
▪ It is important to offer age-appropriate,
family-oriented, and multilingual
engagement opportunities to maximize
participation and effectiveness.
21 Hazards Assessed
▪ Flooding, Wildfire, Seismic Hazards, Extreme Heat, Hazardous Materials and Emergency Preparedness and Response
22 04 Project Schedule
23 Overall Project Schedule
24 Engagement Schedule
25 05
Discussion and Next
Steps
26 Thank you! For more information:
Siri Champion
Community Development, Planning
Division
909-820-8072
[email protected]
www.yourrialto.com