Riverside County supervisors on Tuesday certified an environmental impact report and approved a general plan amendment, change of zone and tentative tract map for the Arroyo Vista project in the Lake Matthews–Woodcrest area, voting 5-0 to adopt the recommendations from staff.

The approved action covers General Plan Amendment 220009, Change of Zone 2200031 and Tentative Tract Map 38510, and includes certification of the project’s environmental impact report (EIR) and adoption of a mitigation monitoring and reporting program that staff said addresses identified impacts.

The county’s project planner, Krista Mason of the Department of Planning, described the proposal as a 140.8-acre subdivision that would redesignate portions of the site from rural community very low-density residential to rural community low-density residential and a one-family dwelling zone with a 10,000-square-foot minimum lot size. The plan includes clustered lot sizes averaging roughly 16,517 square feet, about 23 acres of open space, three water-quality basins and trail connections along Golden Star Creek.

Supporters told the board they had worked with the applicant and the county on project design and open-space protections. Opponents, represented at the meeting by an environmental law advocate with Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (SAFER), urged the board not to certify the EIR. Victoria Young, speaking for SAFER, told the board: "The EIR fails as an informational document and does not comply with CEQA's requirements to identify, analyze, and mitigate significant impacts." Her comments raised concerns about wildlife impacts, tribal cultural resources and indoor air-quality risks that, she said, the draft EIR did not fully address.

County staff and the applicant said mitigation measures and project redesigns were part of ongoing consultation with resource agencies and Native American tribes. After discussion, the board approved the staff recommendation to certify the final EIR, adopt the mitigation monitoring and reporting program and tentatively approve the requested land-use changes and map. The board’s clerk recorded the vote as 5-0 in favor.

The board’s approvals are tentative pending final adoption of the general plan amendment resolution and the zoning ordinance. The applicant and county are required by staff conditions to complete further technical studies and mitigation implementation before grading or building permits would be issued.

The project record shows multiple public outreach events dating to 2021, including community workshops, town halls and meetings with the Woodcrest Municipal Advisory Council; staff said the draft EIR circulated in March–April 2025 and the final EIR responded to public comments received.

What’s next: The approvals are subject to final resolution adoption and to fulfillment of required mitigation and permit conditions. The county will monitor implementation through the adopted mitigation monitoring program.