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Welcome to the Planning Department
Riverside County, like a quilt, is a composite of differing lifestyles connected together through common strands. The County's General Plan is designed to ensure that the quilt retains its core identity by guiding future growth that respects the diversity of the region, shapes, and configures development in relation to the land it occupies and ensures that its various parts relate to its whole.
It is the goal of the Planning Department to provide timely, responsive, and helpful service to all members of the public and promote innovative development that effectively accommodates a balance of housing, employment, and service opportunities.
Department Announcements
AB 98/ SB 415 Logistics and Truck Routes
The County of Riverside is conducting a workshop on June 3rd, 2026, County Administrative Center (CAC), 1st Floor Board Chambers, to discuss the requirements under Assembly Bill 98 (AB 98) and Senate Bill 415 (SB 415) to establish and designate a Countywide truck route system. The County is currently in the workshop phase, conducting outreach and community engagement. The level of environmental analysis for the Countywide truck routes is still being analyzed.
For information on upcoming meetings, documents, and maps, View the website for AB 98/ SB 415 Logistics and Truck Routes.
Local Responsibility Area (LRA) Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ)
The State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) Rollout Plan includes County of Riverside in “Phase 4” starting March 24, 2025, which is the date the County received the 2025 LRA FHZS maps that evaluate “hazard,” not “risk” to include areas or zones of Very High, High, and Moderate fire hazard based on consistent statewide criteria and the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas (Government Code Sec. 51178).
Online Application Intake Fee
In accordance with Ordinance 671, effective February 17, 2025, a $250 Planning Intake Fee will be required to be paid at the time of submittal of all applications. This is a deposit-based fee, and therefore any funds that may remain after processing of an initial application will be applied to an applicant’s case(s), once they have been determined.
New Rates and Application Intake Fee
2024 General Plan Foundation Element Amendment Cycle
For more information about the current Foundation Component Cycle, including information about proposals being processed, please check out our Foundation GPA Cycle webpage, linked below.
2024 General Plan Foundation Amendment Cycle
General Plan Foundation Amendment Process Update
Proposed changes to the General Plan Foundation Component application cycle process will be heard at the Planning Commission meeting scheduled for February 4, 2026.
FGPA Workshop Additional Information
Visit the Foundation General Plan Amendment Process Update web page for more information!
Mead Valley Initiatives
The County is conducting three (3) separate Mead Valley initiatives!
Please visit the Project webpages for more information:
Mead Valley Community Plan
Mead Valley Warehouse Boundary
For any general questions or comments regarding these initiatives, please reach out to Planning Director, John Hildebrand, at [email protected].
Short Term Rentals Information
For information about the County's program, click here: Short Term Rentals
Notice of Application Period for Short-Term Rentals Tier 2
Notice: Starting Friday, November 1, 2024, the County of Riverside’s Planning Department will only accept online payments for both initial applications and renewal fees through the Short-Term Rentals' online portal. Payments via check or phone will no longer be accepted.
Deckard's Short-Term Rentals Public Portal Map—coming soon.
For information or questions related to Short-Term Rentals, please email [email protected]
6th Cycle Housing Element Update
The 6th Cycle Housing Element (2021-2029) was adopted by the County of Riverside Board of Supervisors on June 25, 2024, and certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development on July 31, 2024.
To access the State-adopted 6th Cycle Housing Element, click here.
For more information, check out our Housing Element Programs webpage.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email the Advance Planning Division at [email protected].
Cannabis CUP Tracker
To see the Cannabis CUP Tracker, please visit: https://gis1.countyofriverside.us/Html5Viewer/index.html?viewer=Cannabis.Riverside_Cannabis
Ranchos and Noise Ordinance
For more information about the proposed Rancho Community Event Facility ordinance, please visit our webpage: Rancho Community Event Facility Ordinance
To provide any comments related to Ranchos, please email [email protected]
For concerns or complaints about noise, please email [email protected]
New Tool Available to See New Supervisorial Boundaries!
The County of Riverside has created a tool that shows the 2011 and new 2021 Supervisorial Boundaries in a single map. Click HERE to view.
Annual Progress Reports
Annual Progress Reports for the County of Riverside are available here:
https://planning.rctlma.org/annual-progress-reports
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