The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to extend a citywide moratorium on new and expanded wooden pallet storage yards until next May as officials work to develop permanent regulations aimed at reducing fire and safety risks.
The urgency ordinance extends the existing 45-day moratorium, approved May 19, until May 18, 2027.
City staff said the extension is intended to give planning and fire officials time to study new zoning and operational standards for pallet storage facilities, which currently are not regulated as a distinct land use under the city's zoning code.
Pallet storage yards are often used as general outdoor storage areas, according to the staff report.
Principal Planner Matthew Taylor told the council that existing regulations do not adequately address the fire dangers that come with storing large volumes of wooden pallets.
"Improperly operated and unregulated pallet storage yards are present," Taylor said during Tuesday's public hearing. “Specific public health safety and welfare concerns related to fire risk hazards from improperly stacked materials and code compliance issues [include] things like screening, lighting, pest control, vehicle circulation and other issues.”
Staff pointed to two significant pallet yard fires earlier this year and said recent incidents highlighted the need for stronger oversight.
According to the staff report, Riverside Fire Department crews have responded to 29 incidents involving pallet storage yards since January 2025.
One March 2026 fire at a pallet storage yard in the Northside neighborhood damaged multiple businesses and resulted in three firefighters being transported to a hospital, according to the report.
City officials also said code enforcement has documented ongoing compliance issues at pallet facilities. Since 2023, the city has issued 36 notices of violation to 11 pallet storage businesses, with nine active cases remaining.
During public comment, resident Aurora Chavez said she supported extending the moratorium but urged the city to establish stronger standards governing pallet storage heights.
"There should be a height level as maximum as those pallets should be because of that very reason of why these fires occur," Chavez told the council.
Council member Jim Perry said the city already has height limits in place, but said “unfortunately it gets ignored."
"This is purely a public safety issue,” Perry said. “It's a danger to the property owner, adjoining property owners [and] entire communities. If we don't do something, this is a disaster waiting to happen."
City staff said preliminary recommendations for permanent regulations will be presented to the Land Use Committee next month.
