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Supervisors initiate land-use change for Pigeon Pass site, paving way for 80-home plan
Summary
The board voted to initiate a foundation-component change (FCGPA 24-031) that would allow a developer to pursue an implementing project for roughly 80 single-family homes and 15 acres of permanent open space; neighbors voiced concerns about horse trails, dust, access and loss of rural designation.
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on Tuesday to initiate a foundation-component land-use change for four parcels near Pigeon Pass Road that would allow an applicant to submit an implementing application for about 80 single-family lots and 15 acres of permanent open space.
The initiation is a preliminary county step (called a "foundation change" in the Riverside process) that does not authorize construction but allows the developer to prepare and submit the full implementing project within six months for further review, public hearings and environmental analysis.
Why it matters: Neighbors and equestrian property owners said the change risks traffic, dust, safety and loss of rural character. Board members and staff said the initiation is the first of multiple steps and that the implementing review would include technical studies, community outreach and required hearings.
What staff and the applicant said: County planning staff described the request as Foundation Component Change FCGPA 24-031 and said the proposal would amend land-use designations from rural-community/estate-density residential to a community-development foundation component with low- and medium-density residential and open space classifications, enabling a tentative map for approximately 80 single-family lots.
The applicant's representative told the board the developer had met neighbors and planned to keep 20,000-square-foot lots in portions of the project. "All the 20,000 square foot lots, we plan to zone rural residential, which would allow for horse keeping, which is consistent with the neighborhood," the applicant said, and offered to form an advisory committee with neighbors to help design horse trails to be maintained by an HOA.
Community concerns: Speakers asked for mapped equestrian trails, raised dust and fire-evacuation worries on narrow Pigeon Pass and asked that rural designations be retained in parts of the site. One resident asked that a proposed road replacement for Wild Barrel Trail be changed to a cul-de-sac to limit through traffic and protect horse owners. Another speaker said some proposed open-space areas are steep washes and not usable community open space.
Board response and next steps: County staff and supervisors emphasized that initiation does not allow grading or construction and that the implementing project will require additional community outreach, technical studies, CEQA review and further public hearings. The board approved initiation and resolution language requiring the applicant to file an implementing application within six months.
