It's a big week for City Council. On Tuesday, it will consider approving changes for mobile food truck vendors and consider allocating $6.5 million for a state library grant. Also, the Board of Public Utilities will review Riverside's water shortage contingency plan
Item 8: Awarding bid to repave over 8 miles of road
On Tuesday, the council will consider awarding a $4.3 million street repaving bid to Onyx Paving Company Inc. of Anaheim, Calif. The allotment will go toward repaving 8.68 miles of residential streets in eleven different Riverside neighborhoods. Streets to be repaved include Columbia Avenue from Main Street to Salmon River Road, and Grove Community Drive from Deercreek Drive to Bakal Drive.
Item 9: Progress report on 2025 general plan
The council will receive an annual progress report on the status of the city’s 2025 general plan and consider submitting the report to the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office of Planning and Research and the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Contained within the 112 pages of the report includes a review of the 5th cycle housing element by the city and the 6th cycle housing element which was recently passed by the city Fall 2021.
Item 17: Considering changes to mobile vending/food truck regulations
City Council will consider changes to the city’s municipal code regarding regulations for mobile vending/food trucks. If passed, the new regulations would allow mobile food merchants to operate in residential areas from sunrise to sunset and from sunrise to midnight in all other areas across Riverside.
The new rules, however, would prohibit mobile food merchants from vending in city parks, from having more than two vending vehicles on most types of private lots, and from placing any items in the public right of way, like chairs and tables, that would obstruct vehicles or pedestrians.
Item 23: Fiscal year 2021-2022 second-quarter report
On Tuesday, the council will receive and provide input on the fiscal year 2021/2022 second-quarter reports on cash, investments, and debt. According to the city’s document, it has over $1 billion worth of items in its investment portfolio, including $158 million in U.S. Treasury notes/bonds. In terms of debt, the city currently has $1.9 billion in outstanding debt, including $524 million in electric fund revenue bonds and $333 million in pension obligation bonds.
Item 25: Approving grant application for Riverside Public Library
City Council will look to approve the allocation of $6.5 million in Measure Z funds for a grant application. The funds would allow the city to apply on behalf of the Riverside Public Library for the California State Library Building Forward Library Infrastructure grant program. The grant would be for $5 million and requires a 50% match commitment from the city. The additional $1.5 million of Measure Z funds would be for general services and the SPC Jesus S. Duran Eastside library project.
Charter Review Committee
Item 4: Reviewing proposed charter amendment language
On Wednesday, the committee will consider whether to place on the Nov. 8 ballot an amendment to the city’s charter that would include within the mayor’s prerogative the ability to veto all formal actions taken by the city council, except in the instance of an initiative petition.
Board of Public Utilities
Item 6: California drought update and review of water shortage contingency plan
On Monday, the board received an update on California’s drought and provided input on the city’s water shortage contingency plan. According to the city’s presentation, Riverside Public Utilities is currently anticipating sufficient water supply for the next five years. Riverside receives all of its water from local sources.
Various restrictions and prohibitions are included in the city’s plan. The city is currently in Stage One of the plan, which requires no reductions to water usage. If the city were to enter stage two, however, the city would require residents to reduce their use of water by 15%, limit landscape irrigation to three days a week, among other measures.
Item 8: Upgrading three land mobile radio infrastructure sites
The board will look to approve a $2.3 million service agreement with Motorola Solutions Inc. to upgrade Riverside’s Land Mobile Radio infrastructure. Riverside Public Utilities currently uses LMR for “reliable and secure voice communications between field crews and the utilities dispatch center.” The allocated funds would upgrade two dispatch centers and one radio site within the city.
Jonathan Linden is a freelance reporter covering politics for The Raincross Gazette. Jonathan graduated from Biola University with a B.A in journalism and also reports for 91.9 KVCR in San Bernardino.
City Council set to consider a 23-unit affordable housing project in La Sierra, a 24-station electric vehicle charging hub at the Riverside Airport, and the $2.4 million purchase of electric trucks for its fleet.
City Council does not meet this week. Potentially stricter rules for industrial development near neighborhoods and a review of the City’s homelessness outreach and cleanup spending are on committee and commission agendas this week.
