Riverside planning commission reviews draft unified development code, surveys and proposed map changes

The City of Riverside Planning Commission on Sept. 17 reviewed a draft Unified Development Code (UDO), heard results from a recent public survey and examined an early draft zoning map that proposes new districts and updated development standards.

The draft UDO, prepared by zoning consultant Todd Kinski of ZoneCo with City staff, would reorganize Riverside’s land-use regulations, add district-level design standards, change how permitted uses are displayed (a comprehensive use table) and introduce an airport overlay reference tied to regional noise-contour data from the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base compatibility plan.

Kinski told the commission the city had an unusually strong response to outreach: “You had 30 people in person for your workshop and then almost 500, 492 in the online survey,” and the consultant described staff and consultant review of open-ended comments.

Why it matters: The UDO rewrite is intended to make the code more user-friendly and to align zoning standards with the city’s comprehensive plan so future development reflects the plan’s vision. Commissioners were shown proposed new districts, design standards for corridors and mixed-use areas, and technical changes such as replacing lot-coverage rules with an impervious-surface ratio tied to stormwater concerns.

Most important proposals and public feedback

- New districts and map redraw: The draft adds a Residential High-Density district targeted at 40-foot-wide lots that have produced frequent variance requests under the existing code. The consultant said the intent is to “create a zoning district that actually meets the conditions on the ground so that folks don't have to come in for variances as often.” The draft also creates corridor and place-based districts, including a Spring Fund Innovation District and an Aurora Boulevard mixed district, and consolidates…