City Manager's Updates

Mayor Pro-tem Barajas and I have been working with the cities of Norco and Corona in an effort to retain local land use control and oppose overreaching state mandated housing initiatives. The attached letters detail our opposition to three recently introduced Senate Bills that would erode local control of land use, reduce environmental impact transparency and increase density by right. While I am empathetic to the need for additional housing in California and particularly affordable housing, it can’t come in the form of “one size fits all” legislation that usurps local authority.

Click here to view the Jurupa Valley - Norco letter

Click here to view the Jurupa Valley - Corona letter

Riverside County, Lift to Rise, and Inland SoCal United Way, Announce Applications for Next Round of United Lift Rental Assistance

The economic fallout brought on by COVID-19 continues to negatively impact communities through Riverside County. In response, United Lift––a joint effort by Lift to Rise, Inland SoCal United Way, and the County of Riverside––announced that new rental assistance resources will soon become available to keep Riverside County families housed.

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors in February voted to approve $57,267,219 in emergency rental assistance program funding from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Combined with previous funding rounds from the CARES Act, Community Development Block Grant funds and other sources, United Lift totals more than $90 million.

The program is one of the largest per capita allocations of direct rental assistance in the country and one of a handful to operate on a countywide basis. With nearly 2.5 million residents, Riverside County is the 10th-largest county in the United States.

“United Lift has already helped thousands of renters and landlords in Riverside County who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Riverside County Board of Supervisors Chair Karen Spiegel. “Riverside County is eager to see this next round of assistance administered in a quick and efficient manner to as many residents as possible and is grateful to our nonprofit partners for their work getting these funds to folks who need it the most.”

Click here to read the press release.

Residents of Jurupa Valley Will Now Benefit from
New Restrictions on Smoking

First City in Riverside County to Pass A Tobacco Free Multi-Unit Housing Ordinance

Jurupa Valley, CA – February 25, 2020 – The Jurupa Valley City Council unanimously voted 5-0 to adopt a city-wide smoke free ordinance which prohibits smoking in multi-unit housing with two or more units. Passed and adopted on February 4, 2021, the ordinance also applies to hotels, public areas, private plazas, and outdoor business areas.

“What we are trying to eliminate are the 41,000 lung cancer deaths of non-smokers in the U.S. caused each year by secondhand smoke and eliminate the 400 infant deaths each year attributed to secondhand smoke,” said Mayor Lorena Barajas. “If this ordinance helps us stop even a small percentage of asthma related issues and deaths, then I am a big supporter,” added Mayor Barajas.

Reach Out, a locally based nonprofit organization, led the initiative in collaboration with the Riverside County Coalition for Tobacco Free Communities, Healthy Jurupa Valley, and California Baptist University through their Drug Free Communities Grant. The team worked with the City of Jurupa Valley to provide community education and hosted meetings with apartment managers and owners prior to the implementation.

Diana Fox, Executive Director of Reach Out, thanked the city council members and city manager, Rod Butler, for their innovation and willingness to take bold steps in setting the City of Jurupa Valley at the forefront of tobacco policy for the Inland Empire.

Mayor Pro Tem, Chris Barajas, championed the smoke free ordinance and offered strong support for the campaign. “At the end of the day, we are trying to create a healthier Jurupa Valley, improve our resident’s quality of life and remove exposure to tobacco and secondhand smoke,” stated Barajas.

COVID-19 Updates

*As of 3/15/21

Current County Risk Level
*WIDESPREAD*

2,598,210 tests have been completed in Riverside County
292,293 confirmed cases in Riverside County, 3,984 deaths, 284,167 recovered
16,066 confirmed cases in Jurupa Valley, 223 deaths, 15,661 recovered
195 currently hospitalized in Riverside County, Including 45 currently in ICU

Click here More breweries, wineries and distilleries to reopen outdoors in Riverside County

Click here Outdoor entertainment, sports with spectators may resume April 1 in Riverside County

Click here Moderate and high-contact youth and adult sports may now resume in Riverside County

Click here Changes to COVID-19 vaccination clinics to better serve Riverside County residents

Click here Information on State Reopening Metrics.

Click here COVID-19 Vaccination Plan

Animal Services Updates

Sherriff's Department Updates

Be Safe this St. Patrick’s Day

City of Jurupa Valley, Calif. – If you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, remember to do so responsibly by having a plan to get home safely.

This St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2021, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department will have deputies on patrol looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

If drinking is part of your plans, plan on designating a sober driver and find a safe way home. Don’t make poor choices and allow yourself to mix alcohol or drugs with driving.
On St. Patrick’s Day 2019 in California, seven people were killed, and 116 others were injured in crashes caused by driving under the influence.

Not only does driving under the influence put yourself and others on the road at risk, but it also hurts financially; attorneys’ fees, fines, court costs, insurance rate hikes and car repairs can reach $15,000 or more in California. It’s simple, don’t drink and drive. If you ever see a suspected drunk driver on the road, call 911.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Click here to view the press release on the Riverside County Sheriff Department website.

Driving Under the Influence Driver's License Checkpoint

City of Jurupa Valley, Calif. – The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department/Jurupa Valley Station will hold a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, March 19, 2021 from 8:00 pm to 2:00 am at an undisclosed location within the city limits.
Checkpoint locations are chosen based on a history of DUI crashes and arrests. The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired.

During the checkpoint, deputies will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The safety of our community is and always will be our mission. Driving under the influence is dangerous and puts a further strain on critical resources.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving.

Always follow directions for use and read warning labels about “driving” or “operating heavy machinery,” which includes driving a vehicle. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.

If you plan on drinking or taking medications that may impact your ability to drive safely, plan on staying at home.

Drivers charged with DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1’.

Click here to view the press release on the Riverside County Sheriff Department website.

Fire Department Updates

Exit Drills In The Home (E.D.I.T.H.)

According to a National Fire Protection Association survey, only one in every three American households have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. Follow these tips to get started developing your plan!

Community Development Department Updates

APPALOOSA SPRINGS PROJECT

Proposed Project - The Appaloosa Springs residential project is a 254 single-family lot subdivision on 67.7 acres. The project site is located on the west side of Clay Street between De Anza shopping center and Union Pacific Railroad. Exhibit A depicts the project location. The required entitlements are a Change of Zone, tentative tract map, and a Development Plan. This project requires City Council action. A General Plan Amendment is not needed since the City Council adopted a Medium Density Residential land use designation for this site with the 2017 General Plan.

Tour of Project Site. On March 2, 2021, the applicant provided Planning Dept., Engineering Dept., and Councilmember Silva with a tour of the project site in order to have a better understanding of the project including the riparian habitat areas.

HOUSING ELEMENT WORKSHOPS

State law requires that cities update their Housing Element every eight years. The Housing Element is one of eight components of the City’s General Plan and is the City’s main planning document that addresses future housing needs. The deadline to adopt our next Housing Element Update (6th Cycle – 2021-2029) is October 15, 2021. As part of our community engagement efforts, we will hold two virtual community workshops via Zoom in April:

April 5^th (Monday) between 6 pm – 7:30 pm (English speaking session)
April 6^th (Tuesday) between 6 pm – 7:30 pm (Spanish speaking session)

At these Zoom virtual workshops, we will facilitate the discussion, and also have a staff person who is a chat moderator so input can also be gathered via the “Chat” function in Zoom. In addition, if someone does not have access to internet, or is challenged with online technologies, the City Council Chambers will be available for a limited number of participants in a socially distanced environment with laptops for residents who need them to join the Zoom meeting.

THE DISTRICT AT RUBIDOUX

A General Plan Amendment application was received to request the establishment of the Agua Mansa Warehouse and Distribution Center Overlay onto the approximately 250-acre Emerald Meadows Specific Plan site. The project site is bounded by State Route 60 to the north, Rubidoux Boulevard to the west, Santa Ana River to the east, and, generally, 34^th Street to the south. The proposed project includes the following uses:

Warehouse and distribution center (or related logistics) use that is only permitted in the General Plan Warehouse and Distribution Center Overlays (Mira Loma or Agua Mansa).
Industrial Uses
Commercial & Retail Uses
Residential Uses
Hospitality Uses
Park and Recreational Uses

A request for the initiation of a General Plan Amendment will be presented to the City Council on March 18, 2021. If City Council initiates the General Plan Amendment, it will allow the application process, including the analysis and required public hearings, to proceed. If the City Council does not initiate the General Plan Amendment, the applicant can proceed with other proposals that are consistent with the General Plan, existing Specific Plan, and municipal code.

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING ON FEBRUARY 24, 2021

The Planning Commission held a study session to consider a comprehensive revision to the provisions of the City’s zoning code regulating alcohol sales. The Planning Commission provided direction for draft regulations to address the following areas to be presented at a second study session:

Require a Conditional Use Permit for “on-sale” as well as “off sale” alcohol sales
Incorporate findings for a Conditional Use Permit to address potential impacts
Establish the following:
- A process for “deemed approved” uses (legal nonconforming uses or previously approved uses for alcohol sales);
- Operational standards; and
- Separation distance requirements between uses and sensitive uses
- An annual fee to recover costs associated with enforcement of these regulations

Engineering Department Updates

Agua Mansa Commerce Park

Mass grading of building pads and pump house continuing
Demolition of buildings and structures continuing
Monitoring of dust control, SWPPP and BMPs per plan and satisfactory

Horizon Business Park

Mass and Finish grading complete
Dust control, SWPPP, BMPs and track-out measures per plan and satisfactory
Building of “Footing’s” will begin later this month

West Coast Cold Storage

Pre-Construction meeting completed
SWPPP, BMPs and track-out measures completed
Construction started / grading pre-watering

Shadow Rock Tract Home Project

Detention Basin work, including over-excavation of bedrock, in-let, out-let and sub-drain pipe placement, rock and fabric placement
Joint utility work, including street light placement
Build pad re-grading, phase 4 complete all 3 tracts
Home building phase 1 and 2

Public Works Department Updates

Multiple trees down due to wind event on 2/25 - crews removed
fallen trees from roadways and public areas

Removal and replacement of rough pavement and potholed area on Etiwanda and Iberia

Removal and replacement of rough pavement section on 45^th and Goldenwest

Removal of burnt RV debris from 28^th St

Code Enforcement Department Updates

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Burnt Trailer Removed from the Public Right of Way

Graffiti Abatement – Jurupa Rd. & Van Buren Blvd.

The Code Enforcement Department collaborated with the Jurupa Community Services District (JCSD) to abate the graffiti at the vacant gas station on Jurupa Rd. and Van Buren Blvd.

Tams Burger Restaurant

Reports have been filed regarding individuals breaking into the property and the dumpster area. Code Enforcement has been in communication with the property owners to address the property violations and securing the building.

Individuals Breaking Into an Abandoned Property

Violations at this property include a burned downed building, unsecured property/buildings and trespassing into the property. The City will be pursuing abatement measures to properly secure the property and limit access to the public.