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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
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 Element Amendment Process Update
Proposed changes to the General Plan Foundation Component application cycle process will be heard at the Planning Commission meeting scheduled for December 20, 2023.
Summary of proposed Foundation Component changes
Short Term Rentals
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 County of Riverside is excited to release an updated Revised Draft 6th Cycle Housing Element prior to submitting the revised draft to HCD.
To access the Revised Draft 6th Cycle Housing Element with Appendices, click HERE
If you have any questions or concerns, please email [email protected] or Richard Marshalian 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
