Two types of plans influence the future of our community: citywide plans, which include the General Plan, and encompass all areas of the City; and community and specific plans, which affect specific communities.
General Plan
City General Plan is a guide for community decision makers. It is developed through public participation in a series of community meetings with Planning Divison staff. The plan becomes a statement of a community’s vision for its own future and a road map providing the direction to achieve that vision.
The view of the future expressed in the Plan is shaped by basic community values, ideals and aspirations about the best management of the natural and man-made environments.
In addition to defining the community’s view of its future, the General Plan describes actions the community can take to achieve that desired future. The Plan uses text and diagrams to establish policies and programs the City may use in addressing the many physical, economic and social issues facing the community. The Planning Division makes recommendations to the boards and commissions based on the community's wishes, as documented in the General Plan. The Plan is thus a tool for managing community change to achieve the desired quality of life.
Specific Plans
Riverside's rich planning history includes the development of plans for many sub areas within the General Plan area. These plans provide more detailed policies and standards for development, both public and private, within specifically mapped parts of the City and its Sphere of Influence. See specific plans.
Other Plans
The Planning Division is responsible for maintaining the City’s General Plan, Specific plans, and parts of the Municipal Code. There are other plans and programs that impact development and the growth of the City, but are managed or created by other City Departments. See other plans.