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City Attorney’s Office
3750 University Avenue,
Suite 250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA,
AMENDING CHAPTER 19.623 OF THE RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING BILLBOARD SIGNS AND AMENDING TABLE 19.650.020 REGARDING APPROVING AND APPEAL AUTHORITY.
The City Council of the City of Riverside, California, does ordain as follows:
Section 1: Section 19.623.025 of the Riverside Municipal Code entitled “ Relocation of existing billboards; billboard relocation agreements” is added as shown in Exhibit “A” attached hereto and incorporated herein.
Section 2: The title of Section 19.623.030 of the Riverside Municipal Code is amended as follows:
“Section 19.623.030 Relocation of existing billboards (On Parcel Annexed into the City of Riverside).”
Section 3: Section 19.623.040 of the Riverside Municipal Code is amended as follows:
“19.623.050 Severance.”
Section 4: Section 19.623.040 of the Riverside Municipal Code entitled “Billboard relocation permit” is added as shown in Exhibit “B” attached hereto and incorporated herein.
Section 5: Table 19.650.020 of the Riverside Municipal Code entitled “Approving and Appeal Authority” is amended as shown in Exhibit “C” attached hereto and incorporated herein.
Section 6: The City Council has reviewed the matter and, based upon the facts and information contained in the staff reports, administrative record, and written and oral testimony, hereby finds that this ordinance is not subject to CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (General Rule), as it can be seen with certainty that approval of the project will not have an effect on the environment.
Section 7: The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and cause publication once in a newspaper of general circulation in accordance with Section 414 of the Charter of the City of Riverside. This Ordinance shall become effective on the 30th day after the date of its adoption. / /
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28 City Attorney’s Office
3750 University Avenue,
Suite 250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
ADOPTED by the City Council this _____ day of _______________, 2026.
______________________________
PATRICIA LOCK DAWSON
Mayor of the City of Riverside
Attest:
______________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
I, Donesia Gause, City Clerk of the City of Riverside, California, hereby certify that the foregoing ordinance was duly and regularly introduced at a meeting of the City Council on the _____ day of _______________, 2025, and that thereafter the said ordinance was duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the City Council on the _____ day of _______________, 2026, by the following vote, to wit:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Riverside, California, this _____ day of _______________, 2026.
______________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
313368 ALB 02/06/26
EXHIBIT “A”
Section 19.623.025 Relocation, replacement and modernization of existing billboards; billboard relocation agreements.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, and consistent with the California Business & Professions Code Outdoor Advertising provisions, outdoor advertising signs (billboards) as defined by Chapter 19.910 (Definitions), may be considered and constructed as part of a billboard relocation agreement subject to the following.
A. Intent and Purpose.
a. The purpose of an outdoor advertising sign (billboard) relocation agreement is to reduce the number of billboards in the City by removing existing outdoor advertising signs in exchange for allowing relocation of billboards to more suitable locations, and to provide more attractive, aesthetically pleasing billboard designs and/or electronic message displays.
b. The execution of a billboard relocation agreement shall not operate to change the status of any billboard as a nonconforming use for purposes of this code.
B. Eligibility.
a. Applicant-initiated billboard relocation requests may be initiated by a billboard operator and/or property owner subject to approval by the City Council pursuant to Chapter 19.650 (Approving and Appeal Authority). The City Council reserves the right to deny, approve and negotiate the approval of any applicant -initiated billboard relocation request.
b. The City may initiate a billboard relocation request consistent with state law and as part of a billboard relocation agreement between a billboard operator and/or property owner and the City.
C. Negotiation of Terms.
a. The City Council in its sole and absolute discretion shall negotiate upon terms of the billboard relocation agreement that are acceptable including, but not limited to, revenue sharing, community benefits, takedown/removal ratios, billboard sign type, sign dimensions, and location. The City Council shall serve as the final approving authority for any billboard relocation agreement.
D. Development, Operational and Site Location Standards. a. In addition to compliance with requirements negotiated pursuant to an executed billboard relocation agreement, any relocated billboard sign shall comply with the site location, operation and development standards of applicable state law.
EXHIBIT “B”
19.623.040 Billboard relocation permit.
The Community & Economic Development Director or his/her designee shall have the authority to administratively approve the issuance of a billboard relocation permit for the relocation, replacement or modernization of an existing billboard, subject to design review and approval of a billboard relocation agreement, which meets all of the following requirements as applicable:
1. The billboard was legally permitted by the County of Riverside or otherwise has legal non-conforming status with the City;
2. The City has executed a billboard relocation agreement with a billboard operator/or property owner;
3. The new or relocated billboard will constitute an improvement in the aesthetic appearance of the original billboard structure; and
4. All costs associated with the relocation and installation of the new or relocated billboard will be borne solely by the billboard owner or applicant. If a new structure is to be built, it must comply with all applicable Building Code and safety requirements.
EXHIBIT “C”
Table 19.650.020
Approving and Appeal Authority
R = Recommending Authority; F = Final Approving Authority (unless appealable); A = Appeal Authority; AR = Approving Authority as Community & Economic Development Director or Development Review Committee on Referral
Type of Permit
or Action
Approving and Appeal Authority
Community &
Economic
Development
Department
Director
Development
Review
Committee (DRC)
City Planning
Commission(9,11)
City Council(1,11)
Administrative
Billboard
Relocation Permit
AR A/F
Design Review F(3) A/AR(3) A(3) /F
Fair Housing and
Reasonable
Accommodation
F AR A(4) /F
Findings of Public
Convenience or
Necessity
F AR A/F
Minor Conditional
Use Permit
F A(4) /AR A(4) /F
Administrative
Planned
Residential
Development
Permit
F A(4) /AR A(4) /F
Creative Sign
Permit
F AR
Nonconforming
Determination
F A(4) /AR A(4) /F
Recycling Center
Permit
F AR/A/F
Room Rental
Permit
F AR A/F
Street, Alley, &
Walkway
Vacations
(Summary)
F
Temporary Use
Permit
F(5)
Time Extensions F A/AR A/F
Transportation
Demand
Management
Regulations
F A/F
Variance F A(4) /AR A(4) /F
Zoning Code
Interpretation
F A/AR A/F
Public Hearing
Accessibility
Appeals (Building
Official decisions
relating to access)
F A/F
Airport Land Use
Commission
Appeals
A(10, 12) /F
Annexation or
Detachment
R(6) A/F
Conditional Use
Permit
F(6, 9) A/F
Condominium
Conversion
Permit
R(6) A/F
Development
Agreement and
Amendment(8)
R(6) A/F
Design Review F(3) A/F(3)
Floodplain
Approval;
Floodplain
Variance
F A/F
General Plan
Text/Map
Amendment
R(6, 9) A/F
Planned
Residential
Development
Permit
F(6, 9, 13) A/F
Minor Planned
Residential
Development
Permit
F(6, 9) A/F
Small Lot Planned
Residential
Development
Permit
F(6, 9) A/F
Site Plan Review
Permit
F(6) A/F
Specific Plan and
Amendments
R(6, 9) A/F
Street, Alley, &
Walkway
Vacations
R(6) A/F(7)
Street Name
Change
R(6) A/F
Traffic Pattern
Modification
Measures
R(6) A/F(7)
Zoning Code
Text/Map
Amendment
R(6, 9) A/F
Notes:
1. Decisions of the City Council are final and cannot be appealed.
2. Reserved.
3. Planning Commission primary design review responsibility is limited to concurrent review with another case for which the Planning Commission has approval authority (Refer to Section 19.710.035 - Review Responsibilities of Planning Commission or Community & Economic Development Department Director). Appeal of Planning Commission action on design review is by the full City Council.
4. See Section 19.650.020 C - Designated Approving Authority.
5. Appeal of an action on a Temporary Use Permit shall be to the City Manager. The City Manager's decision is final.
6. If denied by the Planning Commission, the action is final unless appealed to the City Council (See Section 19.680.020 B - Appeal Authority) with the exception of City-initiated General Plan Text/Map Amendments, Zoning Code Text/Map Amendments and Specific Plan Amendments where the Planning Commission is a Recommending Authority only.
7. Street vacations and traffic pattern modification measures require two actions at the City Council: adoption of a resolution of intent to hold a public hearing and a public hearing.
8. See Government Code Section 65864 for more information on Development Agreements.
9. All decisions by the Planning Commission to approve or deny a permit or action are by simple majority of the members present and voting, with the following exceptions:
a. Conditional Use Permits, including revocations, and Planned Residential Development Permits require approval by a ⅔ majority of the Planning Commissioners present and voting; and b. Zoning Code Text/Map Amendments, General Plan Text/Map Amendments, and Specific Plan Amendments require a majority vote of not less than four Planning Commissioners present and voting.
10. All decisions of the City Council to approve or deny a permit or action are by a majority vote of those present and voting except that a ⅔ vote of the total membership (five votes minimum) is required to approve an appeal of a decision of the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC).
11. All tied votes of the Planning Commission mean that an application failed to be approved and will be treated as a denial. When a tie vote exists before the City Council, the Mayor shall have the voting right as any member of the City Council and may cast a vote for or against an item to break a tie. In the Mayor's absence, in the event of a tie vote, the Mayor Pro Tempore shall not have the right to cast a tie-breaking vote; in this instance the City Council vote shall be treated as a denial (Riverside City Charter - Article IV, Section 405).
12. Refer to Section 19.680.030(E) for details regarding the ALUC appeal process.
13. The final decision-making authority for PRD's in the RC Zone shall be the City Council.