City Enacts 45-Day Freeze on Pallet Yards, Citing Fire Risk
The unanimous vote freezes new pallet storage operations for 45 days as planners draft stricter rules following 29 fire incidents since 2025.
City Moves to Require Advance Notice for Unhoused Drop-Offs
A proposed ordinance would require agencies and organizations to notify the city 24 hours before transporting unhoused individuals into Riverside.
City Proposes 5.7% Fee Hike, Automatic Inflation Increases
A public hearing is set for June 23 on changes that would affect dozens of city services.
City Budget Plan Trims Spending, Taps Reserves to Cover $27M Shortfall
The fiscal years 2026-28 biennial budget relies on cost reductions, reserve draws and one-time fixes to address General Fund and Measure Z gaps.
Deaf Commission Rejects Proposal for City Deaf and Disability Office, Citing Scope and Timing
The Commission of the Deaf voted unanimously against forwarding a letter to the City Council requesting a new Office of Deaf and Disability Support.
Six Months In, the Public Comment Debate Is Still About Whether Speaking Changes Anything
Councilmembers say the October rules update keeps meetings moving. Critics say it manages dissent rather than addresses it.
This Week in City Hall: May 18, 2026
City boards and commissions take up pallet yard zoning, parks budget cuts, housing conversions, and historic preservation at a busy week of civic meetings.
City Council Approves $2.28M City Hall Lobby Overhaul, Moving Clerk's Office to Main Floor
The 301-day design-build project will relocate the City Clerk's Office to the ground floor and add a grab-and-go food area, funded partly through Measure Z reserves.
Riverside Billed Water Ratepayers Illegally for Years, Judge Rules
Phase two of Simpson v. City of Riverside puts at least $46 million in potential refunds on the table, with a final judgment expected within weeks.
RPU Board Advances $34M Plan for Solar, Battery and Efficiency Programs
The Board of Public Utilities backed a working group's six-project spending plan, though some members questioned whether city-facility investments would deliver enough direct benefit to customers.
City Adds First Electric Buses to Paratransit Fleet
The Micro Bird G5 purchases replace two aging vehicles and qualify for state and utility rebates that offset the cost.
Civil Rights Agency is Investigating Riverside Over Rejected Permanent Supportive Housing Project
State investigators will look into whether council members broke fair housing law when they turned down $20.1 million for the University Terrace Project.