Riverside Countys Perspective Juan C. Perez Assistant CE0 February - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Local Government Impact Fees Riverside County’s Perspective

February 26, 2020

Juan C. Perez Assistant CE0

Riverside County’s Innovative Mitigation Fee Programs

• Riverside County has 2 regional Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) Programs:
• Coachella Valley (1999) & Western County (2003)
• Two regional Open Space fee programs:
• Western County (2004) & Coachella Valley (2008)
• County has a separate DIF program customized for 20 Area Plans
• These programs have been a contributor, not an impediment, to Riverside County being

the fastest growing County in California in the last 20 years

Riverside County Population (Millions)

1.53 1.56 1.62 1.69 1.77 1.85 1.93 2.01 2.07 2.10 2.13 2.20 2.24 2.27 2.29 2.32 2.35 2.39 2.42 2.45 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Millions Year

Coachella Valley TUMF Western County TUMF & Riv. County DIF Open Space (Western County) Open Space (Coachella Valley)

1 Million New Residents 60% Growth

Fee Programs Have Supported Population Growth

• Provides for fair-share contributions to infrastructure – rather than first-

in facing an insurmountable cost to develop

• Provided CEQA cumulative mitigation – reduce legal challenges to

housing growth

• Leverage and match Federal and State dollars for both infrastructure and
• pen space
• Mitigation for Federal environmental permits – Endangered Species Act,

Clean Water Act

Fee Programs Have Supported Population Growth

• Over $1 Billion invested to directly deliver infrastructure that supports growth –

expand freeways, highways, interchanges, bridges

• Over 155,000 acres of open space preserved for over 150 protected species
• Results:
• Provide means to build infrastructure
• Protect open space
• Reduce public pressures against growth

Local Mitigation Fees Are Only Part of the Picture

How Do We Provide for Housing Growth into the Future?

• Mitigation fees provide a needed way to build infrastructure and open

space– part of the funding and investment picture

• Mitigation Fees provide CEQA and Federal permitting mitigation – what is

the alternative?

• Leads to more equitable cost sharing

How Do We Provide for Housing Growth into the Future?

• Need for greater direct State investment in infrastructure
• Align State funding programs with RHNA numbers – Target Investment
• Explore innovative ways to combine CEQA reform, review State regulations for

consistency with housing policy

• Involvement of local agencies and regional bodies to move the needle in a

collaborative way that lessens growth impacts and reduces costs