City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYO R AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: FEBRUARY 1, 2022
FROM: MAYOR PATRICIA LOCK DAWSON (CHAIR); WARDS: ALL
COUNCILMEMBER ERIN EDWARDS (CO-CHAIR);
COUNCILMEMBER STEVE HEMENWAY (CO-CHAIR)
SUBJECT: SANTA ANA RIVER WO RKING GROUP FINAL REPORT
ISSUE:
The Santa Ana River is the names ake of the City of Riverside, but it has been ignored, unsafe, and underutilized in recent years. What would it look like for the City of Riverside to transform its reach of the Santa Ana River in to a driver for economic growth and a destination to be enjoyed by families for generations?
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
1. Receive and file this report from the Santa Ana River Working Group;
2. Direct the City Manager to:
a. Develop a scope of services for a public outreach process that includes:
i. A survey to identify, the level of community interest for investing in the initiative, interested private residents/groups to help spearhead the initiative; and
ii. A coordination plan with public and pr ivate landowners to identify potential opportunities and development constraints.
b. Explore possible structures for the creation of a community-led group tasked with continuing the work of the Santa Ana River Working Group to ensure longevity of the initiative; and
3. Direct the City Manager to seek potential funding for future project steps that include, but are not limited to:
a. Baseline analysis identifying opport unities and development constraints; b. Feasibility analysis (economic & physica l) including ways to increase and leverage public and private investment;
c. Community engagement plan that includes:
i. Project visioning and def ining the key components of the project, including the project boundaries, that illustrate the vision for the “River District”; and ii. A public awareness campaign in s upport of the Santa Ana Riverside Working Group’s Short-term and Long-term vision;
d. Environmental Impact Report; and
e. Development policy an d regulatory framework.
Very Brief Title of Report ● Page 2
BACKGROUND:
It has been nearly 20 years since the first Santa Ana River Task Force was created, followed by a series of Mayor’s Blue-Ribbon Committees, the establishment of the Santa Ana River Trust, and the adoption/implementation of the Santa Ana River Parkways & Open Space Plan.
While some regional leaders and community members have been inspired by the river for years, in June 2021, Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson creat ed a Working Group (Attachment 5) co-chaired by Ward 1 Councilmember, Erin Edwards and Wa rd 7 Councilmember, Steven Hemenway to determine methods of attracting 1) City Investm ent, 2) Private Investment and 3) Public Awareness.
The Santa Ana River Working Group (Attachment 5) is comprised of dedicated community members and public service professionals who aspi re to put the river back in riverside. The group’s purpose was to identify opportunities for development along the Santa Ana River, provide recommendations on feasible projects, and sugges t strategies for implementation. The group used the Design Thinking process to focus all di scussions: What If, What Is, What Wows, and What Works.
Meeting #1 (Introduction): Discussed the group’s purpose and received an overview of the Design Thinking process.
Meeting #2 (What If): Received presentations from other cities to examine the question of what if we could make the Santa Ana River function like rivers in San Antonio, Napa, Anaheim, and Tempe—detailing developments along their own rivers to discuss possibilities for the City of Riverside.
Meeting #3 (What Is) : Received an overview of current activities, boundaries, and jurisdictions (Attachment 3) along the Santa Ana River and discussed barriers and opportunities for development (Attachment 2).
Barriers were identified such as: homeless encampments, lack of awareness about the river or where to access it, safety concerns that keep people from using existing amenities, a lack of water in the river, regulatory and jurisdictional challenges, insufficient funding for maintenance of existing trail infrastructure, and a lack of amenities such as restrooms and places for recreation.
Opportunities were identified such as: wo rking with Riverside’s many colleges and universities on student-led research projects along the river; linking the river to Downtown Riverside, our existing park system, Hole Lake, and the Innovation District; creating and installing educational and wayfinding sign age; using recycled water to create more recreational activities; preserving natural areas while designating locations for development in the areas of commercial, en tertainment, hospitality, and recreation; and developing a cohesive river experience in partnership with neighboring cities.
Meeting #4 (What Wows): Discussed a short-term and long-term vision for the future of the Santa Ana River such as a healthy, trash-free ecosystem; a playful place full of public art, recreation, and water features; a research and agricultural hub for students and residents; tourist destination with entertainment, bike & boat rentals, a retreat center, and programming for people of all ages and abilities.
Very Brief Title of Report ● Page 3
Meeting #5 (What Works) : Discussed what projects seem the most feasible and appropriate. Through this, we finalized the following Short-term and Long-term vision for the development of the City of Riverside’s reach of the Santa Ana River:
Short-term
A modern visitor/cultural cent er that honors the history of the area, is respectful of Indigenous history, and connects the downtown entertainment district with the Santa Ana River.
Long-term
An innovative built environm ent—integrated with the natural setting—that is a nod to the City of Riverside’s story (Attachment 1) and facilitates the development of an audacious destination for commerce, retail, hospitality, and recreation along the Santa Ana River.
Meeting #6 (Review Recommendations) : Developed a report outline and recommendations for council consideration.
DISCUSSION:
To address gaps, the Working Group (Attachment 5) proposes the following foundational considerations to accomplish next steps:
Solidify the story: Revitalizing the river is personal. It’s the origin and namesake for Riversiders.
Any future developments along the river will be link ed to the City’s identity and, therefore, must strongly evoke “who we are and where we’re going”. To ensure that the City is attracting the right kind of development and amenities, there must be clarity about the river’s story – past, present, and future. Stories about the river, rooted in Riverside’s rich history of agriculture, its current use of recreation through hiking and biking, and its future use considering climate resiliency, improved recreational opportunity, and untapped economic potential.
Next steps include sharing the story (Attachment 1) drafted by this group within the wider community for feedback, engaging with Riverside communities to determine which stories of the river are of greatest interest, and working with a local firm to build the brand of Riverside’s Santa Ana River (See “The Conversation about the river starts now.”)
Strong stakeholder support and structure over time is critical: Development along the river cannot be solely a City project. A community group (or groups) must step up to build momentum around a shared vision and to show cohesive le adership. The Working Group (Attachment 5) heard from several cities with thriving rivers who noted that a project to revitalize a river takes years—possibly decades. So, it is important that the vision is led by a community or stakeholder group and not tied to any one elected official to ensures the vision and its leadership remain consistent over time. An example of such a group is Friends of the L.A. River.
Next steps include hosting a kick-off event to broaden the conversation an d share the ideas of this Working Group (Attachment 5). The meeting would give insight into the possibility of identifying a community-led group, with strong support from local government entities, chambers of commerce, educational institutions, philanthropic organizations, artists, and other stakeholders.
Membership of the group would have to be strategically designed, ensuring many entry points for community members over time.
Very Brief Title of Report ● Page 4
The conversation about the river starts now: While some Riversiders have fond memories of playing in and around the Santa Ana River as children, many Riversiders today don’t realize that there is a river in the City of Riverside. To build up to a completed project, Riversiders need to be (re)introduced to their river and inspired to see beyon d what exists today. This can start in small and playful ways, such as pop-up restaurants or art installations. Smorgasburg in Los Angeles is an example of an event that reimagines and re vitalizes a neighborhood by making it fun and showing residents what can be. Pop ups should be “Instagramable” and help create the brand for Riverside’s reach of the Santa Ana River.
Next steps include partnering with local artist s and restaurants, explori ng the potential of the Armory in Fairmount Park as a pop-up space, planning events to highlight our parks and trail system along the river, exploring satellite events su ch as “Festival of Lights in the Park,” and creating a communications campai gn around our river—led by a local firm—to build the brand both within and outside of the City of Riverside. A year-round calendar of programming could be created to build momentum and dr ive engagement around key moments of the year (i.e., Earth Day.)
Determine early on the right balance between public and private use: The community must be clear about its values and economic goals for the river. Private development can create extraordinary opportunities for an enhanced public experience of the river, and it will be important not to lose sight of the river as a public space for residents and tourists alike.
Next steps include community engagement to determine the balance of public and private use.
Current engagement opportunities in the River-side gateway project (already underway) is one vehicle to provide insight into this balance. Wider community engagement will be necessary along the length of the river, both within City limits and with our r egional partners. To achieve this audacious vision, we must be intentional about incl uding leadership in the cities surrounding the river (Jurupa Valley, Eastvale, Norco, Colton, and Corona) in this discussion.
Focus on key areas: Flowing for 11 miles through the Cit y of Riverside alone, the Santa Ana River remains a mystery for many residents: how to access it, w hat recreational opportunities already exist, and determining its great potential. To bring the Working Group’s vision to life, it would be advantageous to focus on key areas of the river bottom/trail where development and tourism would have the most impact and be easiest to realize.
Next steps include mapping the most accessible ent ry points; allowing people to drive to these locations. Once people are there, ensuring that educational and wayfinding signs direct visitors to local attractions and share information about t he natural and built envi ronment—connecting the river to Riverside’s story.
In the longer term, we must work to create a “there” there. Seek input from community members and developers about how to bri ng these areas to life. The Working Group (Attachment 5) suggests focusing on areas of the river surrounding Fairmount Park and Mount Rubidoux, looking particularly at the area where the City of Riverside owns both sides of the river, in addition to Hole Lake. Additionally, strong consideration should be given for the creation of an Assessment District and/or the possibility of a collaborative and regional rezoning initiative along the river.
Bringing water to the river is one important way to increase playfulness, economic activity, and visibility: There is a strong interest in using the river as a destination location and economic engine, programmed by residents and tourists, wit h activities that could include kayaking, canoeing, and swimming. As it is likely cost prohibitive to wet the entire length and width of the river (and as there are environmental and regulatory constraints) smaller areas and connections Very Brief Title of Report ● Page 5
can be explored to “engineer a river” and create a fun river experience.
Next steps include determining areas such as the Springbrook Wash, Hole Lake, or smaller tributaries that might be appropriate and feasible to wet year-round. For areas of the river that will remain dry, begin thinking of them as destinations in their own right. For example, could an area like North Hill become a destination bluff?
To “put the river back in Riversi de,” the river must feel safe: While not the focus of this Working Group (Attachment 5), safety concerns along the river must be addressed immediately to ensure that the Group’s short- and long-term visions are achieved. This must happen at both a city and regional level.
Next steps include continuing the work of the District 2 Homeless Collaborative and the Santa Ana River Encampment Outreach Plan, in addition to regular patrol by Riverside’s public safety teams.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
Strategic Priority and Goal
Arts, Culture and Recreation, Goal 1.1 – Strengthen Riverside’s portfolio of arts, culture, recreation, senior, and lifelong learning programs and amenities through expanded community partnerships, shared use opportunities, and fund development.
Arts, Culture and Recreation, Goal 1.2 – Enhance equitable access to arts, culture and recreational service offerings and facilities.
Arts, Culture and Recreation, Goal 1.3 – Improve parks, recreational amenities, open space, and trail development, and fulfill critical lifecycle and facility maintenance needs.
Arts, Culture and Recreation, Goal 1.4 – Prioritize safety at parks, trails, arts, cultural and recreational facilities.
Action 1.4.3 – Modify Safety Survey, analyze and prioritize safety results to address the public’s perception of safety at all arts, culture, entertainment and recreation events, programs, trails and facilities, including the Santa Ana River.
Community Well-Being, Goal 2.3 – Strengthen neighborhood identities and improve community health and the physical environment through amenities and programs that foster an increased sense of community and enhanced feelings of pride and belonging citywide.
Economic Opportunity, Goal 3.1 – Facilitate partnerships and programs to develop, attract and retain innovative business sectors.
Economic Opportunity, Goal 3.3 – Cultivate a business climate that welcomes innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment.
Environmental Stewardship, Goal 4.2 – Sustainably manage local water resources to maximize reliability and advance water reuse to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable water to our community.
Environmental Stewardship, Goal 4.5 – Maintain and conserve 30% of Riverside’s natural Very Brief Title of Report ● Page 6
lands in green space including, but not limited to, agricultural lands and urban forests in order to protect and restore Riverside’s rich biodiversity and accelerate the natural removal of carbon, furthering our community’s climate resilience.
Action 4.5.1 – Pursue a variety of funding sources & partnership opportunities to preserve, protect and enliven the natural resource of the Santa Ana River through habitat and species conservation, advancement of ‘One Water One Riverside’, fire prevention engagement, regional collaboration with County and neighboring cities, homeless outreach, and investment in programming & placemaking at trailhead locations.
Action 4.5.2 – Deploy innovative access management techniques and policies along the Santa Ana River Trail and other open spaces to reduce damage to local ecosystems.
Infrastructure, Mobility & Connectivity, Goal 6.2 – Maintain, protect, and improve assets and infrastructure within the City’s built environment to ensure and enhance reliability, resiliency, sustainability, and facilitate connectivity.
Infrastructure, Mobility & Connectivity, Goal 6.3 – Identify and pursue new and unique funding opportunities to develop, operate, maintain, and renew infrastructure and programs that meet the community’s needs.
Cross-Cutting Threads
Community Trust – The development of the Santa Ana River will be a community-led vision.
Equity – There will be a variety of opportunities to ensure every member of the community has equal access to share in developments along the river.
Fiscal Responsibility – Developments along the river will rely on public-private partnerships and private sector investment.
Innovation – The long-term vision for the river includes an innovative built environment that will set us apart from other cities.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Developments along the river will consist of mindful planning that celebrates and protects existing ecosystems by providing educational opportunities to the public.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There will be a fiscal and personnel impact associated with this report; however, both need to be determined as related to the workplan (Action 1.4.3, Action 4.5.1, and Action 4.5.2).
Concurs with:
_________________________ ___________________________ Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson Erin Edwards, Councilmember W a r d 1
Very Brief Title of Report ● Page 7
______________________________
Steve Hemenway, Councilmember
Ward 7
Prepared by: Jake Orta, A ssistant to the Mayor
Approved by: Rafael Guzman, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
The Story of the River (Attachment 1)
Santa Ana River Working Group (Attachment 2)
Maps Presentation (Attachment 3)
SAR Fact Sheet (Attachment 4)
Mayor’s Santa Ana River Working Group Membership (Attachment 5)
ATTACHMENT 1
The story of our river
Water is the origin: of life itself and also of our region. A gathering place since its very beginning, the Santa Ana River brings us together, connects us to our long history of agriculture, and creates strong and vibrant communities from crest to coast.
Once home to the region’s first inhabitants, the Santa Ana River connects vibrant economic pillars throughout the City of Riverside. An open and inclusive public space, its amenities draw inspiration from inland valley Indigenous culture and history, as well as local natural habitats, while linking us to the urban core of Riverside’s Downtown and the beating heart of the Innovation District.
Our river carries us forward as a center of art, culture, and community. From open air markets, a place for a quite evening walk, recreation opportunities, and a retreat center, the river keeps us strong—inside and out. Take in a daily concert or other cultural event, stroll amongst the sculpture gardens, and don’t forget to make reservations at your favorite river-side restaurant.
Or pick up your picnic basket to enjoy a meal under sheltering trees.
The Santa Ana River: The backbone of our region. The core of our community. The strength of our city."
ATTACHMENT 2
Working Group Input
Opportunities
▪ Diverse area to work with
▪ Research projects
▪ Recycled water
▪ Create a river linking downtown to:
o Hallmark parks, golf course(s), Innovation District, etc. ▪ Linking hole lake to the SAR
▪ Celebrate and preserve natural area
o Development Diversification: certain sections for commercial, certain sections for entertainment, certain sections for preservation, etc. ▪ Recreational opportunities
o Have an integrated system to build off of in order to promote healthy lifestyles (wellness)
o River tours!
o Bird watching
▪ Regional connectivity and partnerships
o Work with surrounding cities that have SAR in their jurisdiction Challenges
▪ What have you been hearing why folks don’t visit the river? • Homeless Encampments
• People just don’t know; are not aware
o “What river?”
• Lack of restrooms/amenities
• Access points; don’t know where to access the river safely o Some don’t even know the river IS accessible; just drive by it • Lack of water in river
• Negative connotation to river bottom
• No relationship to the built environment
▪ Environmental regulatory challenges
▪ Minimal infrastructure in place to support development o No existing development that facilitates our ideas
▪ Insufficient funding for operating and maintaining
▪ NIMBYs
▪ No destinations/things on the river that invite recreation and engagement ▪ Nothing that shouts, “THE RIVER IS HERE” near major highways; not having a place or thing that directs people to the river
▪ Intergovernmental affairs/jurisdictional boundaries
▪ Elevation difference
▪ Missing regulatory driver
▪ Lack of vision for development by some
▪ Some want tangible visuals, not just data and numbers What would you like to see?
o The ability to access the river at different points, depending on what it is you want to do (eat, drink, recreational activities. Etc.)
o Large/visible amount of water to arouse the curiosity or interest of passerby’s o Groups of people enjoying recreational activities on the river – we want to see the energy
o A healthy ecosystem that is trash free
o Unique touch points along the river that help tell Riverside’s story o A gondola from downtown to the river
o Educational signage along with wayfinding
o Active and passive learning experiences
o A hospitality destination filled with economic drivers for the region (food, drinks, entertainment, etc.)
o Tourist attraction(s) (open-space, concerts, etc.)
o SAR Reach 3 branding associated with built environment and City branding o Environmental benefit (engineered storm water collection) o Research components to educate children about environment and indigenous history
Imagine no boundaries: What would a vibrant river/waterfront destination in Riverside look like?
o A clean environment with no homelessness in sight
o Open water feature to be connected to downtown
o There is an obvious flow that attracts visitors from downtown to the river and vice versa
o A high degree of programming so that there is always something to do for all ages and interests
o Some commercial development (hotel, conference center, retreat center, visitors center)
o Entertainment venue(s) with lights along the river that allow visitors to visit at night
o Agri tourism focused element for community to enjoy and connect to the natural environment (demonstrations, community garden, edible tourist trail, etc.) o Economically viable ecosystem that doesn’t cost a lot to maintain - sustainable tourism concepts
o Create an ecosystem for market-based decisions (destinations, experiences, easy access)
o Innovative – take waterfront notion to another level (local art installations, bike tours, other)
o Authenticity is key – experience needs to be authentic and native to the land o A visitor/cultural center like the National Parks Visitor Center o A safe environment for families to visit – safe location, well patrolled, well lit, etc.
o A focus on supporting homegrown, local businesses, that hire local which will bring opportunities to buy local/something true to Riverside o Element of cooling – Climate Resilient – Water Features o Better utilization of undeveloped area of Ryan Bonaminio Park
FACT SHEET: SANTA ANA RIVER
QUICK FACTS
SANTA ANA RIVER BY THE NUMBERS
HISTORIC TIMELINE
The Santa Ana River flows
nearly 100 miles from San
Bernardino Mountains to
the coast near
Huntington Beach.
The Santa Ana River
flows along the City of
Riverside for 11 miles.
11 09
There are 9 Santa Ana
River Gateway projects
that the City is set to
begin the planning and
design phase on in 2021.
100 $65M
Amount dedicated to
the Santa Ana River by
the state.
The Santa Ana River
Task Force was
established to provide
a vision for the river
for Riverside
A series of Blue-
Ribbon Committees
met in various cities to
discuss support for the
SART&P throughout
watershed
Proposition 84 passed
= $45M available for
projects to expand
and improve the Santa
Ana River Trail &
Parkway (SART&P)
Santa Ana River Trust,
a non-profit, was
established to focus
on river revitalization
Santa Ana River
Conservancy Program
(SARCON) created
within the State
Coastal Conservancy
via legislation
Santa Ana River
Parkway & Open
Space Plan planning
process initiated by
Technical Advisory
Committee
MOU signed
establishing the Santa
Ana River Trail and
Parkway Partnership,
Regional Coalition
The Santa Ana River
Task Force provided
an updated vision and
recommendations for
Riverside
The State Coastal
Conservancy approves
the Santa Ana River
Parkway & Open
Space Plan
Voters approved
Proposition 68, which
allocated $16M to the
Santa Ana River
Conservancy Program
(SARCON)
Projects from the
Santa Ana River
Parkway & Open
Space Plan began to
take shape
On May 21, 2019,
Riverside City Council
adopted a resolution
authorizing the
submission of a grant
application to the
California Coastal
Conservancy
On December 26, 2019, the
City of Riverside entered into
a grant agreement with the
California Coastal
Conservancy for the Riverside
Gateway Project Suite Design
and CEQA project in the
amount of $1,960,000
Riverside City Council
approved an agreement
with MLA Green, Inc. to
begin the planning and
design phase of the River-
side Gateway Project
Suite of 9 projects
Riverside Mayor Patricia
Lock Dawson convenes
Santa Ana River Economic
Development Working
Group to determine
additional development
opportunities along the
Santa Ana River
2003 2005 2006 2006 2009 2011
2014 2016 2018 2018 2019
2019 2019 2021 2021
The Santa Ana River is the largest watershed in Southern California and is divided geographically into upper and lower watersheds that are delineated by the 60-year-old Prado Dam; a flood control facility located on the river where it cuts through the Santa Ana Mountains section of the Coast Range. Altogether, the Santa Ana River spans 3 counties (Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino) and connects 17 cities.
Improvement goals center on increasing recreational opportunities, educational use, public access, water quality protection, enhancement of wildlife habitat, as well as serving as a gateway to the Santa Ana River and creating a recreational destination within the City of Riverside.
ATTACHMENT 4
ATTACHMENT 5
Santa Ana River Working Group Membership
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, Chair
Councilmember Erin Edwards, Co-Chair
Councilmember Steve Hemenway, Co-Chair
Chani Beeman
Todd Corbin
Michelle Decker
Ron Ellis
Pamela Galera
Rebeccah Goldware
Joyce Jong
Randy McDaniel
Rob Moran
Don Morris
Jeff Mosher
Jake Orta, Staff
Michael Plinski
Teresa Rosales, Staff
Special Thanks
Donna Kennedy, City of Tempe, Arizona
Julie Lucido, City of Napa, California
Steven Schauer, San Antonio River Authority
Brian Myers, Nuquest Ventures, LLC (oc V!BE)
1/20/2022
1 RiversideCA.gov
1 RiversideCA.gov
City Council Meeting
February 1, 2022
SANTA ANA RIVER WORKING GROUP
FINAL REPORT
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson (Chair)
Councilmember Erin Edwards (Co-Chair)
Councilmember Steve Hemenway (Co-Chair)
RiversideCA.gov
2 JUNE 3 JULY 1 AUGUST 12 SEPTEMBER 9 OCTOBER 7 DECEMBER 1 The Santa
Ana River
Working
Group
convened
for first
time
Discussed
what’s
possible for
our reach of
the Santa
Ana River
Reviewed
current
activities,
boundaries,
and
jurisdictions
Brainstormed
possibilities
for
development
along the river
Discussed
what
projects
seemed the
most
feasible
Compiled
information,
feedback, and
recommendations
to be presented
to City Council
1 2
1/20/2022
2 RiversideCA.gov
3 Tempe Towne Lake 1970 Tempe Town Lake 1970 San Antonio Riverwalk Tempe Towne Lake Now Napa Riverwalk RiversideCA.gov
4 “A modern visitor/cultural center that
honors the history of the area, is respectful
of Indigenous history, and connects the
downtown entertainment district with the
Santa Ana River.”
SHORT-TERM VISION
3 4
1/20/2022
3 RiversideCA.gov
5 Environmental Nature Center, Newport Beach, California RiversideCA.gov
6 Big Bear Lake Visitors Center, Big Bear Lake, California 5 6
1/20/2022
4 RiversideCA.gov
7 “An innovative built environment—integrated
with the natural setting—that is a nod to the
City of Riverside’s story and facilitates the
development of an audacious destination for
commerce, retail, hospitality, and recreation
along the Santa Ana River.”
LONG-TERM VISION
RiversideCA.gov
8 Redding, California
7 8
1/20/2022
5 RiversideCA.gov
9 RiversideCA.gov
10 • The conversation about the river starts now
• Strong community and stakeholder support
and structure over time is critical
• Determine the right balance between public
and private use
DISCUSSION
9 10
1/20/2022
6 RiversideCA.gov
11 • We must solidify the story of the river
• Focus on key areas
• Bringing water to the river is one important
way to increase playfulness, economic
activity, and visibility
• To “put the river back in Riverside,” the river
must feel safe
Key Takeaways
RiversideCA.gov
12 Envision Riverside 2025 Strategic Plan Priorities
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
Cross-Cutting Threads
11 12
1/20/2022
7 RiversideCA.gov
13 That the City Council:
1. Receive and file this report from the Santa Ana River Working Group;
2. Direct the City Manager to:
a. Develop a scope of services for a public outreach process that includes:
i. A survey to identify, the level of community interest for investing in the initiative, interested private residents/groups to help spearhead the initiative; and
ii. A coordination plan with public and private landowners to identify potential opportunities and development constraints.
RECOMMENDATIONS
RiversideCA.gov
14 That the City Council:
2. (continued)
b. Explore possible structures for the creation of a community-led group tasked with continuing the work of the Santa Ana River Working Group to ensure longevity of the initiative; and
3. Direct the City Manager to seek potential funding for future project steps that include, but are not limited to:
a. Baseline analysis identifying opportunities and development constraints;
b. Feasibility analysis (economic & physical) including ways to increase and leverage public and private investment;
RECOMMENDATIONS
13 14
1/20/2022
8 RiversideCA.gov
15 That the City Council:
3. (continued)
c. Community engagement plan that includes:
i. Project visioning and defining the key components of the project, including the project boundaries, that illustrate the vision for the “River District”; and
ii. A public awareness campaign in support of the Santa Ana Riverside Working Group’s Short-term and Long-term vision; d. Environmental Impact Report; and
e. Development policy and regulatory framework.
RECOMMENDATIONS
15