Category Archives: Democarcy

City Of Our Dreams, Environment, Open Government, Public Policy, Safety, Social Capital

General Plan Update – An Opportunity To Weigh In

September 20, 2024 admin 1 Comment

City of Riverside General Plan Update & Climate Action Adaptation Plan

General Plan Advisory Committee Interest Form

Click the link above to sign up. Read below to review the questions.

Question Title

The City of Riverside is forming a General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) to help craft a comprehensive update of the City’s General Plan and a new Climate Action Adaptation Plan (CAAP). The GPAC will consist of a diverse group of Riversiders convened to provide input, feedback, and recommendations to City staff, the technical consultant team, the Planning Commission, and ultimately the City Council on key components of the General Plan.

The GPAC will help inform and articulate the community’s vision for future growth in the City including identifying opportunity areas, refining the City’s land use plans and circulation networks, and developing objectives the City will pursue related to conservation, infrastructure, parks, education, economic development and so much more. Another primary responsibility of the GPAC is to develop the draft goals and policies to implement the vision which will guide the City’s decision-making process up to 2050.

The core function of the GPAC is to represent the interests and values of Riverside community members. The GPAC is tasked with acting as a conduit for community concerns, opinions, attitudes, values, interests, and expectations. GPAC members will be selected to represent a broad range of sectors, interests, institutions and geographies of the City; however, irrespective of their individual viewpoints or preferences, GPAC members seek the benefit of the entire community in their recommendations and work to build consensus between divergent viewpoints for the betterment of Riverside.

Throughout the process the GPAC may be asked to review public input and amplify voices of the community through collaborative discussion. In this role, they will serve as project ambassadors to the community, creating greater community trust and ownership of the General Plan. GPAC ambassadors will help educate the public on the project, create awareness about upcoming events, and obtain additional community input to be shared during GPAC meetings.

To express interest in joining the GPAC, please complete this interest form no later than Friday, September 20th, 2024 at 5 PM. All interested parties will be notified of the committee selections in October. Interested parties who are not selected to serve on the GPAC are encouraged to participate by attending community events, contributing feedback, and sharing the word about opportunities to engage.

If you are experiencing any technical issues completing the form, please contact the Project Team at Info@Riverside2050.com or text 844-289-8614.

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* 1. What is your full name?

First:

Last:

Organization:

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* 2. What is your address? (Business or Residential)

Street:

Suite/Unit/Apt:

City:

State:

Zip code:

Ward:

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* 3. What is your phone number?

Home/Cell phone:

Business phone:

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* 4. What is your email address?

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* 5. How many years have you lived in the City of Riverside?

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* 6. Do you currently hold any paid office or employment with the City of Riverside, including but not limited to contracted services?

Yes

If “Yes”, please specify

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* 7. GPAC members will be asked to liaise with and represent the priorities, concerns and interests of the broader community, industry or non-profit groups with which they are connected. Please select any of the following General Plan Update areas of interest below that best relates to your subject matter expertise. Multiple selections are allowed.

Community-based organization: Civil Rights – Social equity, environmental justice, economic and cultural empowerment, development, advocacy, or other work supporting the civil rights of a protected or vulnerable group.

Community-based organization: Disabled Community – Support services, advocacy, engagement, and other experience working with disabled or differently abled community members.

Community-based organization: Environment & Sustainability – Management and preservation of natural resources.

Community-based organization: Faith-based – Engagement related to the needs, interests, and challenges of faith-based communities in Riverside.

Community-based organization: Healthcare – Needs and challenges related to overall wellness, physical activity, and access to health resources in Riverside.

Community-based organization: Historic Preservation – Buildings, sites, and objects that are significant to the history and culture of Riverside.

Community-based organization: Housing & Homelessness – Engagement and advocacy related to the needs, interests, and challenges of those who are housing burdened or unhoused in Riverside.

Community-based organization: Local Businesses – Local and small business needs, interests, challenges, and opportunities.

Community-based organization: Seniors – Engagement, development, advocacy, empowerment, or other services related to older populations.

Community-based organization: Youth – Youth engagement, development, advocacy, empowerment, or other services related to any age group, outside of a formal school setting.

Education: Higher Education – Student engagement, development, advocacy, facilities management, or other services oriented to students at college or university grade levels.

Education: K-12 – Student engagement, development, advocacy, facilities management, or other services oriented to youth in grade levels K-12.

Additionally, please provide any relevant supporting details in the text box below. Please include the project/program name, client or partner names, specific contributions, dates of experience.

– Academic or Professional Research and Instruction related to best practices, industry trends, and policy developments.

– Professional Experience as a consultant, agency employee, or non-profit organization, with direct experience related to General Plan subject matter and/or matters specific to the City of Riverside and its stakeholders.

– Experience Serving in an Advisory Role on a committee, commission, board, or forms of advisory groups, especially those that advised government agencies.

Please use this example as guidance on the level of detail to include in your responses:

From 2018-2021 I served on an advisory committee that was tasked with advising the City of Imagination on best practices for community outreach and environmental justice. In my role, I reviewed presentations related to potential environmental justice programs and provided recommendations that helped the City to develop a policy avoiding housing displacement resulting from park expansion. I also served as an outreach ambassador by leading a phone outreach campaign, sending newsletters, and social media content to promote public engagement opportunities.

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* 8. Please rank the preferences of the following stakeholder groups you want to serve from the top group as your highest preference and the bottom group as your lowest preference.

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* 9. Do you have prior experience serving on a General Plan Advisory Committee or similar appointed committee, commission task force or other ad-hoc body? (Not required to serve on the Committee)

Yes

If “Yes”, please specify city and years

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* 10. Please briefly describe why you wish to serve the City of Riverside as a member of the GPAC. Include any special qualifications, community relationships and insights that you think will add value to the GPAC and General Plan update process.

The following questions are all optional and are not required qualifications to serve on the GPAC.

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11. If you have current or prior civic experience in the City of Riverside, please describe the experience in the text box below. Please include the organization name, your role, and years of membership. Multiple experiences can be included.

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12. If you have any educational background relevant to the General Plan Update areas of interest, please describe your background in the text box below. Please include the institution name, your area of study, and degree earned. Multiple educational backgrounds can be included.

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13. If you have owned or currently own a business in Riverside, please describe your business in the text box below. Please include the business name, nature of the business, and the years of operation. Multiple businesses can be included.

By pressing Done, I certify that all statements made on this application are true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I also certify that I commit to fulfill my obligations as member of the GPAC including, but not limited to:

Represent the broad concerns and priorities of the sector or Ward they represent
Act as an ambassador between the project team and their networks
Promote the long-term success of the plan and the City
Commit to attending all meetings
Commit to obtain feedback from networks/sectors and convey to Committee

Economic Development, Open Government, Public Policy, Social Capital

UNA September 2024 Meeting Agenda

September 8, 2024 admin Leave a comment

Every 2nd Thursday 6:30 – 8:30

Map and Directions To Crest Community Church
3431 Mt Vernon Ave, Riverside, CA 92507

1. Welcome – Introductions 5 min.

2. City Clerk Donesia Gause, MMC Q&A 40 min.

3. City Innovation & Technology

Chief Q&A 40 min.

4. Council Updates

5.Announcements Updates: 5 min

General Plan Advisory Committee Interest Form

Neighbors Better Together Ballot Rebuttal

Sign the Change.org Petition to

RTRP Underground or Above Ground Survey .

Neighborhood Resources

Neighbors Better Together

Do It Yourself Wildfire Protection

Follow Our Courts

US Covid Atlas

City Of Our Dreams, Democarcy, Ethics, Living Among Giants, Open Government, Public Policy, Social Capital

NBT Inspector General Ballot Rebuttal Denied

September 8, 2024 admin 2 Comments

The united voices of neighborhood groups across the city NBT, Neighbors Better Together wrote a rebuttal to the current ballot language.

The reason this is even on a ballot is because several Charter Review committees have advocated for this over the years. Council adopted the Review Committee’s recommendation, but not as they recommended.

The Charter Review Committee recommended the position be an elected one instead of appointed. The reasons for that are obvious.

Here is what you won’t see on the ballot:

Vote “No” on Measure L.

After years of discussing and researching the subject, and at the demands of longtime City watchdogs for greater accountability and transparency, in 2022 Riverside’s appointed Charter Review Committee recommended the creation of an elected (by the public) Inspector General position, with almost exactly the same powers to investigate fraud, waste and abuse as the appointed (by our City Council) position before you today.

Sadly the 2022 City Council, who had made the appointments to the Committee, instead chose to bring before the electorate an appointed position; not unlike Measure E in 2012, which was to create an appointed City Auditor position with once again, almost identical powers. Measure E was soundly defeated by voters then, like Measure L should be now.

Why? An appointed Inspector General is not as independent nor directly accountable to the people, rendering their function not just useless, but dangerous in our opinion. It would provide the illusion of legitimacy, scarcely more effective than the current, and often criticized, practice of having internal auditors that work for our City Manager. The temptation to whitewash embarrassing, and potentially politically damaging audit findings, would be overwhelming. Current personalities aside, the fox would be in essence guarding the henhouse. We deserve better.

Voting “No” on Measure L will allow time for the advocates of an elected Inspector General position to work with the new Council members, installed this year (Falcone, Robillard, Mill), who we think better understand the importance of independent investigation, to bring you a much better ballot measure in early 2026. We believe they are not afraid of oversight, see the benefits of the public’s ongoing faith in efficient and honest City government, and know that an elected position will ultimately provide a better return on investment for taxpayers.

Please vote “No”.

City Of Our Dreams, Economic Development, Environment, Ethics, Green Energy, Health, Public Policy, Safety, Social Capital

Add Your Name To Riverside Neighbors Demanding Underground RTRP Transmission Lines

June 13, 2024 admin 3 Comments

At June’s UNA meeting, we will take a vote to submit the following letter on behalf of our neighborhood group, and joining groups from across the city who are demanding a safer, transmission line project.

Thousands of Riverside residents will be affected by higher insurance rates, lower property values, viewshed destruction, enhanced wildfire risk, other public safety risks, plus the theft of generational equity from some of our most disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Dear City Council Members, I am writing to you on behalf of the University Neighborhood Association with a request to reconsider the vote to stop the working group from obtaining the information needed to proceed with a request to underground the power lines in our city.

As a concerned citizen, who has witnessed both past and present Councils echoing the Community’s voice, saying that we do not have enough information or cost data regarding this project, I remain dismayed at the refusal to get that information.

Yet we persist in a course of action we all know is fraught with peril and foreseeable public health and safety risks. The very risks you swore an oath to put foremost in your elected stewardship duties. This is a risk to current and future residents as well as a dire risk to our regional neighbors who expect more from a city always eager to take leadership for innovation.

It is especially dismaying that we are proceeding in spite of State requirements that all new transmission line projects shall be underground. Did we not get the memo?

This is information we do have. We also know the easement needed to proceed is not forthcoming unless this project is underground. We know the longer we delay the greater the fire danger and the costs.

I am wondering if any of you have considered the possibility of having a shovel-ready project in three years and built in five?

What is needed is the political will to request a new EIR or Supplemental EIR to include current conditions. I know that if there was political will, time frames can be shortened.

We also have a mayor who is an expert in this arena and I am urging you Mayor Dawson, to bring the best of your considerable talents, experience, and demonstrated love for Riverside to show up on this. Your legacy is at risk. Have you considered the optics of having an environmental expert as mayor and proceeding with this monstrosity of a project? Even Edison is telling us to underground everywhere except for the City of Riverside apparently.

Political will gives us all the information we need and the project ready to submit in less than a year – if we require it. And if this project is as critical to our future as Staff, Edison, SEIU, the Chamber and a host of paid performers, shilling during Council deliberations, have said it is, then it is equally critical to listen to your community.

One of you needs to step up and request a reconsideration to get this rolling. If we are serious about need and the speed, then the shortest time frame starts with a new EIR process. One or all of you newly elected has an opportunity to step up and demonstrate the kind of leadership we have seen from Councilmen Conder, Hemenway and Councilwoman Cervantes.

We expect you to do your jobs and due diligence on this or risk the likely result of being a one term councilman.

Gurumantra Khalsa
Co Chair, University Neighborhood Assn.
951-640-3868

Environment, Parks, Public Policy, Safety, Social Capital

UNA June 2024 Meeting Agenda

June 5, 2024 admin Leave a comment

Every 2nd Thursday 6:30 – 8:30

Map and Directions To Crest Community Church
3431 Mt Vernon Ave, Riverside, CA 92507

1. Welcome – Introductions 5 min.

2. City Parks Director Pamela Galera Q&A 40 min.

3. Fire Chief Micheal Moore or 40 min.

Deputy Fire Chief Steve McKinster Q&A

4. Announcements Updates: 5 min

Take the RTRP Underground or Above Ground Survey .

Neighborhood Resources

Follow Our Courts

US Covid Atlas

Environment, Health, Public Policy

CA Climate Change Workshop

June 5, 2024 admin Leave a comment

The Inland Empire Community Foundation is pleased to share the following information on behalf of the California Natural Resources Agency.

State Agencies Host Public Workshops to Inform California Climate Adaptation Strategy

California climate leaders invite public feedback on the Draft 2024 CA Climate Adaptation Strategy outlining the State’s approach to adapting to a changing climate

Join state leaders for a free public workshop during the day and a more informal community meeting in the evening.

RIVERSIDE, CA: June 11, 2024 | Refreshments and Raffles

Location: CARB Headquarters, 4001 Iowa Ave, Riverside, CA

RSVP for the public workshop from 1:00am-3:30pm here.

RSVP for the community meeting 5:30-7:00pm here.

Virtual Workshops: June 12, 2024

If you are unable to attend these workshops, there will be two virtual workshops.

Afternoon session: 2:00-3:30pm; Please register here.

Evening session: 5:00-6:30pm; Please register here.

Comments can also be e-mailed to climateresilience@resources.ca.gov.

For public engagement updates on the draft please visit here.

Public comment ends July 12th, 2024.

City of Riverside General Plan Update & Climate Action Adaptation Plan

Question Title

Question Title

* 1. What is your full name?

Question Title

* 2. What is your address? (Business or Residential)

Question Title

* 3. What is your phone number?

Question Title

* 4. What is your email address?

Question Title

* 5. How many years have you lived in the City of Riverside?

Question Title

* 6. Do you currently hold any paid office or employment with the City of Riverside, including but not limited to contracted services?

Question Title

Question Title

* 8. Please rank the preferences of the following stakeholder groups you want to serve from the top group as your highest preference and the bottom group as your lowest preference.

Question Title

* 9. Do you have prior experience serving on a General Plan Advisory Committee or similar appointed committee, commission task force or other ad-hoc body? (Not required to serve on the Committee)

Question Title

* 10. Please briefly describe why you wish to serve the City of Riverside as a member of the GPAC. Include any special qualifications, community relationships and insights that you think will add value to the GPAC and General Plan update process.

Question Title

11. If you have current or prior civic experience in the City of Riverside, please describe the experience in the text box below. Please include the organization name, your role, and years of membership. Multiple experiences can be included.

Question Title

12. If you have any educational background relevant to the General Plan Update areas of interest, please describe your background in the text box below. Please include the institution name, your area of study, and degree earned. Multiple educational backgrounds can be included.

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13. If you have owned or currently own a business in Riverside, please describe your business in the text box below. Please include the business name, nature of the business, and the years of operation. Multiple businesses can be included.

We’re gearing up to give Watkins Drive a much needed dose of TLC. Saturday, Oct 12, 2024

State Agencies Host Public Workshops to Inform California Climate Adaptation Strategy

A Neighborhood Of Our Dreams