City of Riverside updating 2050 climate, general plans

The city of Riverside has started the General Plan Update and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan for 2050.

The General Plan was last updated in 2007 and serves as a policy guideline through 2025.

“The GPU and CAAP will guide the city’s growth into the future and reflect current conditions in the community and its collective vision for the city through 2050,” according to a city statement.  

Both plans are in development side-by-side because the city “is not immune to the local and regional environmental challenges that the city faces from climate change, including extreme heat, fewer colder days, prolonged drought, and poorer air quality,” according to city officials. The simultaneous plan updates “will not only ensure effective climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, but also synergize the CAAP’s goals with the city’s policy priorities to maximize resources and create efficiency.”

The plan-update process was expected to finish in early 2027.  

Officials noted the importance of community input to the update process.

“The GPU and CAAP will be designed from top to bottom to reflect the community’s vision for Riverside’s future. No formal decision will be made without obtaining community feedback first. Key decision makers like the City Council, city staff, and the consultant team will solicit and incorporate public input before establishing key strategies, objectives, and actions for the project.”

A variety of outreach activities and events will be available for the community to engage in throughout the course of the project, including a community mural project, community workshops, pop-up events and movable exhibits in each City Council ward, an interactive mapping activity, council and committee briefings and General Plan Advisory Committee meetings.

More information about the project is online at Riverside2050.com.

Residents with general inquiries may call or text 844-289-8614 or email info@Riverside2050.com.  

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