1 5/8/2025
RiversideCA.gov1
RiversideCA.gov
UPDATE ON REVISIONS TO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDSCity CouncilMay 20, 2025Community & Economic Development Department RiversideCA.gov2
•Growing concern regarding over concentration of warehouses across the City and region•Reduce negative impacts to sensitive receptors•Local agencies adopting Good Neighbor Policies to help mitigate negative impacts •Active State legislature working to regulate warehousing & distribution facilitiesBACKGROUND
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20202022202320242025BACKGROUNDCity adopts 2020 Good Neighbor GuidelinesStaff initiated comprehensive review of 2020 GNGCommunity outreach & updates to Land Use Committee and Planning Commission Proposed amendments released for review & AB 98 signed into lawPlanning Commission & new state legislation RiversideCA.gov4
1. Title 19 – Zoning Code •Applies to all industrial development•Outlines permitted uses within each industrial zone•Provides development standards (i.e., height, parking, setbacks)•Permit processing procedures, approving authority and noticing2. 2020 Good Neighbor Guidelines •Applies to warehousing and distribution facilities •Policies to minimize air quality, noise, neighborhood character and health risks •Implemented in Title 19 CURRENT CODE
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RiversideCA.gov5
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS The proposed amendments affect the following: 1. Sensitive Receptor Protections; 2. Building Regulations and Site Planning; 3. Project Notification Requirements; and 4. Implementation of State law RiversideCA.gov6
Effect•More land will be subject to more restrictive development requirements due to being located near sensitive receptors Proposed Changes•Incorporate new Sensitive Receptor definition throughout Title 19 –A residential zone or use (existing)–K-12 public, private and charter schools–Designated parks and open space–Adult and child day care facilities–Assisted living facilities –Hospitals •Expand all tiered land use protections when adjacent to any sensitive receptor SENSITIVE RECEPTORS 4 5/8/2025
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SENSITIVE RECEPTOR AREASExistingProposed
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Effect•Maximum building size reduced for projects located 800-1,500 feet from sensitive receptor •Current code may have allowed more depending on lot sizeProposed Changes•Tiered maximum building size protections apply based on proximity to any sensitive receptor•Two new maximum building categories:–800ft – 1,500 ft of SR= 400ksf –> 1,500 ft of SR = per FAR MAXIMUM BUILDING SIZE 5 5/8/2025
RiversideCA.gov9
Effect•New table reduces the allowable building space for certain vacant parcels •Overall development intensity of industrially zoned land will decrease Proposed Changes•New table will regulate allowable building density based on: –Distance of parcel to nearest sensitive receptor –Size of parcel –Underlying Zoning designationNUMBER OF ALLOWED BUILDINGS RiversideCA.gov10
Effect•Proposed warehousing & distribution facilities 400k sf or greater are limited to one Zoning districtProposed Changes•Prohibit warehouses 400k sf or greater in all industrial zones except General Industrial (I) zonePERMITTED LAND USES 6 5/8/2025
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Effect•Landscaping provides natural gradient between adjoining uses •Additional staff review effort to verify complianceProposed Changes•Increase in landscaping setbacks and new requirement for landscape buffering between SR and industrial building•Sustainable construction practices and operational requirements for new warehousing & distribution facilities LANDSCAPING AND OPERATIONAL STANDARDS RiversideCA.gov12
Effect•Expands the extent and type of project notification compared to other land uses•Additional community awareness of projects early onProposed Changes•Increase project notification radius from 300 feet to 2,640 feet (½ mile) for new warehousing & distribution facility projects•Notify tenants of multi-tenant buildings •On-site signage required to notify community PROJECT NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS 7 5/8/2025
RiversideCA.gov13
PROPOSED NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTExample ProjectCurrent: 300 feet ~100 properties notified Proposed: 2,640 feet or ½ mile~600 properties notified(& apartment tenants) ResidentialResidential Industrial
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Assembly Bill 98•Signed into law September 2024. Effective January 2026 •Establishes various warehousing development standards (building design & siting, loading bays, landscaping, truck routes)•Requires update to General Plan Circulation Element for truck routes Compliance•Increase wall height from 8 to 10 feet for warehouses adjacent to sensitive receptors•Cite landscaping requirements from the bill in Title 19 •Require that all loading bays are located away from sensitive receptors•Contrary to City practice and Council direction related to establishing truck routesLEGISLATIVE UPDATE 8 5/8/2025
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Assembly Bill 735 (AB 735) & Senate Bill 415 (SB 415)•Introduced February 2025 •Will revise AB 98 to address feedback from various agencies affected by bill•Potential amendments to the timeline regarding establishment of truck routes•Early in the legislative process – making their way through Committees LEGISLATIVE UPDATE RiversideCA.gov16
Option 1:•No changes. Existing development regulations remain.Option 2:•Proceed with the proposed amendments as is, or with modificationssuch as defining “logistics uses” and applying restrictions only towarehousing and distribution facilities not manufacturing or research.Option 3:•Alternative work path as recommended by the City Council.Option 4 (STAFF RECOMMENDATION):•Pause this effort until after the 2025 legislative session, coming back toCouncil once new state warehouse restrictions are known.OPTIONS MOVING FORWARD 9 5/8/2025
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STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENTENVISION RIVERSIDE 2025 STRATEGIC PLANStrategic Priority 3 – Economic Opportunity Goal 3.1 – Facilitate partnerships and programs to develop, attract and retain innovative business sectorsStrategic Priority 5 – High Performing GovernmentGoal 5.3 – Enhance communication and collaboration with community members to improve transparency, build public trust, and encourage shared decision-making.
Cross-Cutting Threads
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That the City Council:1. Receive and filean update on the City’s industrialdevelopment regulations including an update on recentlegislative activity affecting warehousing and distributionfacilities; and1. Providestaff with policy direction on changes for futureconsideration.RECOMMENDATIONS 10 5/8/2025
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Reference Slides
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FLOOR AREA RATIO ANALYSIS
29339Industrial Vacant Parcel Inventory < 2 Acres≥ 2 Acres & < 4 Acres≥ 4 Acres36SUMMARY368Total vacant sites37,144,184Existing Potential Buildout (SF)21,518,454Proposed Potential Buildout (SF)-42%% Change 11 5/8/2025
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PROPOSED FAR VALUESLot SizeDistance from Sensitive Receptor> 4 Acres2-4 Acres< 2 acresAIRIBMPAIRIBMPAIRIBMP.60.25.25.60.35.35.60.50.50< 200 feet.60.35.35.60.50.50.60.60.75< 800 feet.60.60.75.60.601.0.60.601.5< 1,500 feet.60.601.5.60.601.5.60.601.5> 1,500 feet RiversideCA.gov22
FAR CHANGES – EXAMPLE
Current
ProposedAllowed FAR: 1.5 - Actual FAR: .55Building Footprint: 87,968 sq. ft.Allowed FAR: 0.35 - Actual: 0.35Building Footprint: 55,490 sq. ft.Maximum individual building size: 10,000 sq. ft.2 – 4 Acre Lot Within 200 feet of Sensitive Receptor 12 5/8/2025
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FAR CHANGES – EXAMPLE B CurrentProposedAllowed FAR: 1.5 - Actual FAR: .64Building Footprint: 100,352 sq. ft.Allowed FAR: 0.5 - Actual: 0.5Building Footprint: 78,133 sq. ft.Maximum individual building size: 100,000 sq. ft.2 – 4 Acre Lot Within 800 feet of Sensitive Receptor RiversideCA.gov24
FAR CHANGES – EXAMPLE C CurrentProposedAllowed FAR: 1.5 - Actual FAR: .55Building Footprint: 78,164 sq. ft.Allowed FAR: 1 - Actual: 0.55Building Footprint: 78,164 sq. ft.Maximum individual building size: 400,000 sq. ft.2 – 4 Acre Lot Within 1,500 feet of Sensitive Receptor
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PROPOSED NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTSStreet AStreet BSIGN1 sign per 300 ft of street frontageMaximum 3 ft distance between property line and street frontageProperty LineProperty LineSIGNSIGN RiversideCA.gov26
NOTICE OF FILING EXAMPLE
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Proposed StandardsREFERENCE SLIDE: LANDSCAPE BUFFER REQUIREMENTS Building
Residential Zone or UseSetback Area (60 ft)Landscaping Buffer (15 ft)Property LineCurrent Standards Building
SensitiveReceptorSetback Area (60 ft)Landscaping Buffer (20 ft)2 Rows of Staggered Trees: 30’ RiversideCA.gov28
HUNTER BUSINESS PARK
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SYCAMORE CANYON BUSINESS PARK