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Planning Commission recommends rewrite of Unified Development Ordinance to city council
Summary
After an 18‑month process and consultant presentation, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the proposed Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) text rewrite — featuring a consolidated use table, special standards for staff approval, user‑friendly graphics and infill standards — to city council.
The City of Riverside Planning Commission voted to recommend adoption of a proposed Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) text rewrite to the city council following a staff and consultant presentation that the commission described as the culmination of an 18‑month, community‑engaged process.
Consultant Todd Kinski and staff said the rewrite is intended to implement the city’s 1 Riverside comprehensive plan and to make the zoning code easier to use for residents, applicants and staff. Kinski described the structure changes that place uses in a single consolidated table and introduce a "permitted with special conditions" category so clearly defined standards can be checked by staff without requiring a public hearing.
The draft includes user‑friendly graphics to explain dimensional standards and sign types, infill development standards to make building on small or unusual lots simpler, and examples of specific use standards such as beekeeping (allowed if six criteria are met) and Daycare Type A (permitted when standards are met rather than routed to a public hearing). The consultant said those changes aim to reduce ambiguity in wording that previously required discretionary interpretation.
Commissioners emphasized the breadth of public engagement (surveys, open houses, work sessions including school involvement) and praised the inclusion of equity considerations and annual review. Staff told the commission the latest distributed draft reflected mostly formatting and typo fixes; outstanding cross‑references will be inserted before council review.
Commissioner Rogers moved to recommend adoption of the UDO language with the changes discussed, Commissioner Vasquez seconded, and a unanimous roll call recorded "yes" from the commissioners present. The recommendation now proceeds to city council for further review and possible adoption.
Next steps: staff will add cross‑references and deliver the recommendation and accompanying materials to the city council; the commission discussed plans to revisit the code periodically after adoption to address any implementation issues.
