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My husband and I have resided in the Temescal Valley for more than 18 years. We purchased our home "brand new" and chose to live here because we could afford it and because it wasn't the city of Corona. We commuted to our Orange County jobs for 15 years. The commute wasn't all that bad because each day we returned home to our wonderful rural neighborhood. Corona never controlled its growth. Why must we suffer because the city ran out of "developable land." Shame on you Corona. Let the Temescal Valley alone.

Renaissance Ranch

(Published November 2023)

Fewer buildings, more open space for industrial park

By Kelli Noss
Horsethief Canyon Ranch resident

Lance Retuya, project manager with T&B Planning, in October presented the proposed changes to the Renaissance Ranch Commerce Center to the We Are Temescal Valley Development Committee in response to the community and county’s comments on the updated Environmental Impact Report.

The report, published in June 2022 and closed to public comments in August 2022, laid out the changes proposed to the Specific Plan to replace the 355-home development approved in 2005 with a mixed-use project featuring a business park, industrial complex, and conservation habitat. The project, owned by Richland Communities, is adjacent to the Horsethief Canyon Ranch community.

The current updates to the project include a reduction in the industrial complex footprint and, instead, boosting conservation habitat space an additional 33 acres, from 25.3 acres to 58.6 acres. In doing so, the project will reduce the footprint of the light industrial complex from 97.2 acres to 65.6 acres.

The reduction also allows the project to drop the proposed outlet at Bolo Court — a cul-de-sac on the southern end of the community – which was hotly contested by residents. The second emergency exit would be a double-gated emergency access point only at the outlet on Calendula Street. The proposed business park off Horsethief Canyon Road will remain the same as proposed in the Environmental Impact Report. The proposed business park off Horsethief Canyon Road will remain the same as proposed in the Environmental Impact Report.

According to Retuya, the current proposed Specific Plan Amendment boasts several benefits to the adjacent community. The proposal includes the installation of three traffic signals: one at Horsethief Canyon Road and Street “A” at the entrance to the project, Horsethief Canyon Road and De Palma Road, and at Horsethief Canyon Road and Temescal Canyon Road.

$383,000 in pre-paid Quimby development fees will be reallocated toward other public benefits in the area. Richland Communities also will pay about $428,000 toward the acquisition of a ladder truck to be used in the immediate area. Richland also contributed $5 million toward the upgrade of the Horsethief Canyon Water Reclamation facility and $4.75 million in Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fees.

The next step for the project’s application will be the Specific Plan Public Hearing for the draft report followed by the finalization of the Draft Environmental Impact Report, currently aimed for this month. A proposed Plot Plan is currently under county review. Once the Draft Final Environmental Report is complete, there will be several additional hearings through 2024 which will allow for additional community comments and input.

(Published June 17, 2022)

Developer favors commerce center over 355 homes

A Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed 157-acre Renaissance Ranch Commerce Center adjacent to Horsethief Canyon Ranch is ready for public review and comment.

There’s an Aug. 12 deadline for comments and they can be emailed to county Planner Russell Brady, rbrady@rivco.org

Plans for the project were presented at a Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting in March 2021. Owned by Richland Communities, the center would replace the 355-home development approved for that acreage in 2005. Eighteen acres would be devoted to a business park and 97.2 acres to light industrial and the remaining 38.6 acres would be undeveloped and set aside as open space and conservation habitat. The concept would be similar to the Wildrose Business Park where Hunnys Café is located.

Next step in the process will be a public hearing at a county Planning Commission meeting and, if commissioners recommend approval, the final step will be a hearing at a Board of Supervisors’ meeting. The public will be able to make comments prior to both hearings, which are yet to be scheduled.

View the Draft Environmental Impact Report HERE

**RENAISSANCE RANCH COMMERCE CENTER: The blue line is Horsethief Canyon Road.**

(Published March 2021)

Complex near Horsethief Canyon would combine small businesses and light manufacturing

Joel Morse of T&B Planning presented plans at the March Zoom meeting of the Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council for a 157-acre commerce center adjacent to the Horsethief Canyon Ranch community. The property is owned by Richland Communities.

Morse told the audience the proposed plan for the Renaissance Ranch Commerce Center replaces the 355-home development approved for that acreage in 2005. “We could start building homes tomorrow,” Morse said, “but we think a more beneficial use of the property is a combination of business park and light industrial buildings.”

The concept is similar to the Wildrose Business Park at 22420 Temescal Canyon Road which was built in 1999 and is the location of small businesses such as Hunnys Café and Citrus Cyclery, and light manufacturing companies such as Spectra Color.

Eighteen acres would be devoted to the business park and 97.2 acres to light industrial. Morse said the remaining 38.6 acres would be undeveloped and set aside as open space conservation and conservation habitat.

The center would be bordered by the I-15 freeway on the north and adjacent to Horsethief Canyon Ranch homes on the south and the west. The land to the east is undeveloped.

Because the county requires two points of access for all developments, Morse said the one street planned for the center, “A Street,” would connect from Horsethief Canyon Road on the north, through the project to Bolo Court on the south.

According to Morse, truck access to the center will be restricted to the Horsethief Canyon Road entrance, while Bolo Court will be limited to automobile access only. A roundabout will be constructed at Bolo Court to further discourage truck traffic.

A 10-foot-wide community trail will be included along the street to accommodate the county’s Community Trail system.

Morse said privacy issues for residents in homes along Eagle Run Street and Palomino Creek Drive were a major consideration in the design of the center. Large industrial buildings will have a minimum 300-foot setback from residential property lines. The maximum height for a building will be 60 feet, and to protect current residential views, industrial buildings will be constructed from 30 feet to 90 feet lower than adjacent homes, preserving the privacy for residents.

Additionally, Morse said, the center’s lighting will be designed to minimize glare into surrounding neighborhoods. Noise impacts will be reduced by the buildings being situated lower than the residences, the construction of six-foot walls and landscaping between the center and homes. Trucks will be prohibited from using backup alarms.

Morse told the audience the benefits the commerce center brings to Temescal Valley far outweigh the approved residential development which would put further pressure on county services for 355 more homes.

The center would provide local job opportunities and bring additional small businesses to the area as well as increase Temescal Valley’s sales tax base. Morse said the development is required to contribute funds for local road improvement and $5 million to upgrade the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District’s Horsethief treatment plant. Compared to the homes, the center would place less demand on water and sewer services.

“An added benefit,” Morse said, “is that Bolo Court could serve as a shortcut to Horsethief Canyon Road for residents in that area.”

While the residential development received county approval in 2005, the commerce center has a long way to go. The project will require a Specific Plan which now is being prepared. It will require an Environmental Impact Report which, once drafted, will be available for public review and comments.

Next step in the entitlement process would be a public hearing at a county Planning Commission meeting and, if commissioners recommend approval, the final step will be a public hearing at a Board of Supervisors meeting where the five county supervisors will vote to either approve or deny the center.

Residents will be able to submit comments prior to or at the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors meetings.

Supervisor Kevin Jeffries requires community outreach for all proposed projects in his district. Morse presented initial plans for the commerce center to the We Are Temescal Valley Development Committee in November 2019. He will be giving updates at future Municipal Advisory Council meetings and a special presentation for Horsethief Canyon Ranch residents also will be scheduled. The date for that presentation is yet to be established.

Highlands at Sycamore Creek

KILEY PARK: An almost 4-acre nature park in The Highlands plan would have trails connecting to the existing trail at Deleo Park and public parking spaces within walking distance to the Indian Truck Trail in the Cleveland National Forest.

(Published June 15, 2022)

July 6 hearing set for final phase of 110 Sycamore Creek homes

The final phase in the 110-home The Highlands at Sycamore Creek development is on the agenda for a public hearing at the county’s Wednesday, July 6, Planning Commission meeting.

Approval is being sought to subdivide about 34 acres into 15 single-family lots and three non-residential lots. Proposed lot sizes are an average of 13,305 square feet, with a minimum size of 8,109 square feet. About 3.48 acres are to be designated for three open space lots. 26.8 acres will remain undisturbed open space.

The location in Sycamore Creek is south of Santiago Canyon Road and adjacent to the Lennar homes.

The first phase of 16 homes was approved in 2019 and the second phase with 79 homes was approved in 2020. When built, the community will have its own HOA. Also planned is a passive park with picnic tables, open space area with trails and a water quality basin.

Comments on this phase of the development and the Mitigated Negative Declaration sould be sent to county Planner Brett Dawson at bdawson@rivco.org, through Monday, July 4.

VIEW THE DOCUMENTS HERE

(Published August 2020)

NEW COMMUNITY: A public hearing for the second phase of The Highlands at Sycamore Creek is on the Board of Supervisors’ agenda for Tuesday, Aug. 4. Approval is sought by the Wayne Kiley Family to build 79 single-family homes on 57.3 acres located south of Kingbird Drive and east of Towhee Lane. Also planned is a 3.95-acre nature park, a 6,657- square-foot passive park and two retention basins.

(Published May 2020)

County planners give The Highlands a thumbs up

The county Planning Commission earlier this month voted to recommend approval of the second phase of The Highlands at Sycamore Creek to the Board of Supervisors.

This phase – on 57.3 acres located south of Kingbird Drive and east of Towhee Lane – includes 79 single-family homes, a 3.95- acre nature park, a 6,657-square-foot passive park and two retention basins.

Lot sizes range from 4,050 to 10,300 square feet, with the average lot size for the 79 homes being 6,000 square feet. Larger lots will be located on the exterior of the project with smaller lots in the center. These are the smallest lot sizes for the 110 homes eventually planned for The Highlands’ property, owned by the Wayne Kiley Family, long-time Temescal Valley residents.

The first phase was approved last year – 16 single-family homes on 8.1 acres with an average lot size of 8,800 square feet. A 0.75- acre pocket park and trails also were approved. The final phase, yet to be submitted for approval, calls for 15 single-family homes built on 34 acres with average lot sizes of 13,300 square feet.

The Highlands will provide recreational opportunities for all Temescal Valley residents. A new public trail is planned to connect to the trail at the county’s Deleo Regional Sports Park and continue to Kiley Park, the almost 4-acre nature park approved in the second phase. This park will have vehicle parking and is within walking distance to the trailhead of the Indian Truck Trail in the Cleveland National Forest. To deter vandalism, criminal activity and homeless encampments, the park will have no restrooms.

Additionally, the Kiley Family donation of 56 acres to the county’s Regional Conservation Authority for wildlife preservation guarantees that nothing can ever be built on that acreage.

A builder has not been selected for The Highlands which will have a homeowners’ association. Residents will have the opportunity to comment on the development at a yet-to-be announced public hearing before the Board of Supervisors.

(Published March 2019)

Planners give OK to 16 homes in Sycamore Creek

The Riverside County Planning Commission at its March 6 meeting voted to recommend to the Board of Supervisors approval of a 16 single-family housing tract to be constructed on 8.1 gross acres in the Sycamore Creek area.

Also recommended for approval was a general plan amendment to change the land-use designation from Community Development: Very Low Density Residential to Medium Density Residential and a zone change from Rural Residential to General Residential.

This tract of 16 homes would be the first to be built in The Highlands at Sycamore Creek, a community planned on about 90 acres of property owned by the The Kiley Children’s Trust. The location is south of Santiago Canyon Road and next to the Lennar homes now under construction. Two future tracts are planned and each also will require county approval.

Included in the first phase of what would be an HOA-governed community is a 0.75-acre pocket park with picnic tables, open space area with DG trails and a water quality basin.

The project isn’t new – it’s been under consideration for about 15 years, according to Wayne Kiley, a long-time Temescal Valley resident. Kiley said his original plan was to build estate-sized homes on estate-sized lots.

As Sycamore Creek started to build out its specific plan in that area, and particularly the 192 Lennar homes now under construction, it became apparent to Kiley — who would purchase an estate-sized home on acreage directly adjacent to homes on 5,000- and 6,000-square-foot lots?

The 16 homes approved by the Planning Commission will be surrounded on three sides by the new Lennar homes. The average lot size for the 16 Kiley homes is 8,800 square feet – considerably larger than the Lennar homes, according to Kiley.

A total of 110 homes are planned in all three phases of The Highlands. Tract No. 37155, south of Kingbird Drive and Towhee Lane, proposes 79 homes with an average lot size of 5,900 square feet. Tract No. 37154 at the south end of Towhee, proposes 15 homes with an average lot size of 13,300 square feet.

Although separate approvals are being sought for each of the three phases, construction will not begin until all phases are approved. Tentative tract maps for phases 2 and 3 have been submitted to the county and are anticipated to be reviewed by the Planning Commission in three to four months.

Proposed also is a 6.2-acre nature park with 25 parking spaces and trails that would connect the park to Deleo Regional Sports Park and to the Indian Truck Trail that heads into the Cleveland National Forest. Kiley also will donate 56 acres of land to the county for permanent conservation.

The land use changes and tract map for the first phase, with the recommendation of the Planning Commission, will now go before the Board of Supervisors for a public hearing at a yet-to-be determined date.

(Published February 2019)

Hearing planned for 16 homes in Sycamore Creek area

Adkan Engineers, on behalf of property owner The Kiley Family Trust, is seeking land-use and zoning changes that would allow 16 single-family homes to be constructed on 8.1 gross acres in the Sycamore Creek area.

Also planned in what would be an HOA-governed community is a passive park with picnic tables, open space area with trails and a water quality basin.

This tract of 16 homes will be the first to be built in The Highlands at Sycamore Creek, a community planned on about 90 acres of Kiley-owned property south of Santiago Canyon Road and next to the Lennar homes now under construction. Two future tracts are planned and each also will require county approval

Adkan is seeking a general plan amendment to change the land-use designation from Community Development: Very Low Density Residential to Medium Density Residential and a zone change from Rural Residential to General Residential.

Public comments about the project can be made at a Planning Commission public hearing at 9 a.m., Wednesday, March 6 in the Board of Supervisors Chambers on the first floor of the county Administrative Center, 4080 Lemon St., Riverside. Comments also can be emailed prior to the public hearing to county planner Brett Dawson at bdawson@rivco.org.

Work begins on additional lane

map — RCTC completed engineering and environmental studies, as well as the project design, in early 2022. RCTC awarded a construction contract on March 9, 2022. Work began the week of May 23, and will be completed by late summer or early fall. The contract includes incentives for early completion.

Oversized shoulder creates lane between Weirick and Cajalco

Construction has begun for a new lane on southbound Interstate 15 in Corona and Temescal Valley.

Work started the second half of May on RCTC’s I-15 Interim Corridor Operations Project, which will add a non-tolled lane from the Cajalco Road on-ramp to the Weirick Road off-ramp, next to the outer shoulder.

The highway is wide enough to accommodate the new lane, and crews will strengthen the shoulder pavement to handle the weight of traveling vehicles and restripe the lanes. Once completed, southbound I-15 in this area will include four lanes.

RCTC approved a construction contract this spring. The new lane is anticipated to open in three to four months, with financial incentives for the contractor to complete work ahead of schedule.

Although the lane addition is less than one mile, it is expected to help relieve traffic congestion where the 15 Express Lanes end at Cajalco Road. It also will:

Add space for emergency vehicles along the inner shoulder
Add or upgrade guardrails
Improve drainage systems
Install new overhead signs

Drivers are seeing k-rail, reduced lane and shoulder widths, construction signs, and equipment. Please watch for nighttime lane and ramp closures and follow the 55 mile per hour speed limit in the project area.

Sign up for alerts or text 15iCOP to (844) 771-0995 for text message alerts. Make sure to follow RCTC at @theRCTC on social media for project updates too.

Assisted living facility on track for Temescal Valley

(Published Sept. 21, 2022)

Assisted living center approved

The Glen Ivy Senior Living development was approved at the Sept. 21 meeting of the Riverside County Planning Commission.

The project will have 109 assisted living units, 32 memory care living units (for a total of 141 assisted living units), and 75 independent living units on approximately 10 acres at the southwest corner of Temescal Canyon Road and Trilogy Parkway.

There is no timeline for the project. Now that the property is entitled, owner Ben Day looks to sell it to a developer who specializes in senior living and assisted care projects.

(Published June 17, 2022)
(Updated July 1, 2022 to correct date of public hearing)
(Updated July 8, 2022 to correct date of public hearing)
(Updated July 31, 2022 to correct date of public hearing)

Assisted living center hearing on Aug. 17 Planning agenda

Property owner Ben Day is seeking a Conditional Use Permit to build an assisted living center on the southwest corner of Trilogy Parkway and Temescal Canyon Road.

The project involves the development of a senior community with 109 assisted living units, 32 memory care living units (for a total of 141 assisted living units), and 75 independent living units on approximately 10 acres.

A Planning Commission public hearing will be held Wednesday, Aug. 17. In the meantime, public comments were accepted through Friday, June 17 for the project’s Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (sort of a mini-environmental impact report.) Comments for the Aug. 17 public hearing can be emailed to county Planner Russell Brady, rbrady@rivco.org.

The project’s Initial Study shows that any significant impacts the development might have on the environment can be minimized with the implementation of mitigation measures.
Read the Initial Study HERE
Read the Mitigated Negative Declaration HERE

(Published February 2021)

Facility also will offer independent living units

Joel Morse of T&B Planning presented plans at the January meeting of the Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting for an assisted and independent living facility at the southwest corner of Trilogy Parkway and Temescal Canyon Road.

Representing property owner Ben Day, Morse said the Glen Ivy Senior Living apartment development to be built on the almost 10-acre parcel would have 75 independent living units, 112 assisted living units and 32 memory care units. The apartments offered would include studios and one and two bedrooms. An operator is yet to be named.

An additional nine feet of property fronting Temescal Canyon Road will be dedicated as right-of-way. The development will have four entrances, two on Trilogy Parkway and two on Temescal Canyon Road.

On Trilogy Parkway, one entrance will have full turning movements; the other entrance, which is closest to Temescal Canyon Road, will be limited to right in and right out. On Temescal Canyon Road, the entrance closest to Trilogy Parkway will be limited to right in and right out only; the entrance furthest from Trilogy Parkway may be either full movement or right in/right out — no final determination has been reached.

According to Morse, half-width road improvements will be made to Temescal Canyon Road, with improvements to Trilogy Parkway being limited to sidewalk, parkway and median improvements to provide for turning movements.

Morse said Glen Ivy Senior Living will create housing and care facilities for Temescal Valley’s aging senior population. It’s estimated the development will generate 712 trips per day, fewer trips and less traffic than residential or commercial land uses of the property. It also will create 180 new jobs in the valley. Additionally, the project will contribute about $88,000 to the county’s Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee program.

He said they anticipate a public hearing before the county Planning Commission in the second quarter of this year. After the date of the hearing is announced, public comments on the project can be submitted to the Planning Commission by email. The public also can comment in person at the hearing.

Driveways — **A conceptual landscaping plan showing the driveways.**

Layout — **A conceptual landscaping plan showing the driveways.**

(Published November 2019)

Assisted living facility could be coming to Temescal Valley

Joel Morse of T&B Planning presented plans at a recent meeting of the We Are Temescal Valley Development Committee for an assisted and independent living facility at the southwest corner of Trilogy Parkway and Temescal Canyon Road.

Representing property owner Ben Day, Morse said the development is in the planning stages and even the name, “Glen Ivy Senior Community,” could be changed.

He said the almost 10-acre parcel would have 6 acres of residential housing — 70 assisted living units and 400 independent living units. Another 2.5 acres would be used for open space and parking, with the final 1.1 acre – the corner lot – devoted to commercial use within a 5,000-square-foot building. The residential buildings are expected to be at least two stories.

An additional nine feet of property fronting Temescal Canyon Road will be dedicated as right of way. The development will have four entrances and three exits.

Morse explained county approval of the project will only require granting a conditional use permit (CUP), because the proposed development is compatible with the property’s current land use and zoning designations. He said they hope to be able to file the CUP application with the county in four to six months and a presentation will be made at a Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting prior to the filing.

Cannabis microbusiness planned in Temescal Valley

Location — **23215 TEMESCAL CANYON ROAD: River Releaf would operate from this building, the location of the former Top Notch Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning business.**

(Published June 2020)

June 3 public hearing set for Planning Commission agenda

An application for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), for a cannabis business in Temescal Valley is set for a public hearing at 9 a.m., Wednesday, June 3 before the Riverside County Planning Commission. If eventually approved by the county Board of Supervisors, the business would operate at 23215 Temescal Canyon Road.

River Releaf is the applicant seeking the permit for a “microbusiness” allowing not only retail sales but also indoor cultivation, manufacturing, and the distribution of cannabis.

The proposed location, an 8,565-square-foot, two-story building, is in a small business park where Dawson Canyon road dead-ends into Temescal Canyon Road. The building sits on 0.43 acres owned by Temescal Valley residents James and Christie Koontz and is the location of their former Top Notch Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning company.

In the building, 1,500 square feet would be devoted to retail, 4,500 square feet for cultivation, 1,580 square feet for distribution and 985 square feet for manufacturing. There also would be areas for storage, office, employee breakroom, lobby/reception and restrooms.

It’s unclear but the Koontz property might be in escrow and being sold to River Releaf. Unlike the applicants of all prospective development projects in Temescal Valley, River Releaf has demonstrated no community outreach to either the WeAreTV Development Committee or the Municipal Advisory Council.

The microbusiness would have three security guards and operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Business hours for retail sales would be from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and the cultivation, distribution, and manufacturing components from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.

BACKGROUND

While California voters legalized marijuana use in 2016, the Prop 64 ballot measure gave local governments the authority to decide whether to allow cannabis commerce in their jurisdictions.

Illegal marijuana grows and dispensaries have plagued the unincorporated areas for many years, with residents living adjacent to the activity repeatedly seeking relief from the county. When Prop. 64 passed, county officials decided to legalize cannabis businesses in the unincorporated areas to better control the criminal activity.

Riverside County moved cautiously in deciding how to regulate such commerce, and spent months researching trial and error
experiences in other state, county and city jurisdictions further along in the process. The Board of Supervisors in October 2018 approved a hefty ordinance governing the permitting process and regulations for cannabis operations within the unincorporated areas.

At the same time, the board made the decision not to tax the enterprise but requires all businesses to have a Development Agreement whereby funds are paid to the county to cover the cost of enforcement efforts against illegal operators. The agreement also spells out a “public benefit” – funds for additional public safety services, infrastructure improvements or enhancement programs to be used or given only to the community in which the business is located.

WHY DECISION NOT TO TAX

The decision to not tax cannabis sales was made based on what could be a risky and costly gamble. Even though the businesses would be located only in unincorporated areas, the decision to tax would require a ballot measure for all registered voters in the county. Countywide elections are expensive and having no indication whether the vote would pass, the Board decided the cost of the election was not worth the risk.

Once the cannabis ordinance was approved and to prevent a rush by potential businesses seeking permits, the first year the county only allowed permitting for 69 businesses – 24 retail, 15 microbusinesses and 30 cultivation. Potential businesses were asked to submit a Request for Proposal that went through an extensive screening process and were ranked on a point system. 119 proposals were submitted; 69 were chosen to advance to the next step in the permitting process.

River Releaf was one of the 69 businesses, the only one in Temescal Valley, and now must gain county approval for a CUP and obtain a state cannabis license. Only one of the 69 potential businesses has applied for and obtained a county permit although there are five, including River Releaf, on the June 3 agenda.

The Board recently voted to do away with the Request for Proposal process as the county moves into the second year of allowing cannabis commerce. Now potential businesses must only apply for a CUP with a Development Agreement.

The approval of the River Releaf Development Agreement also is on the June 3 agenda. The amount of the annual Public Base Benefit Payments is calculated by a dollar amount per square foot based on the type of usage: $16 a square foot for retail, $4.50 for indoor cultivation, $4 for manufacturing and $3 for distribution.

Using this formula, River Releaf would pay the county $52,930 annually with a 2 percent rate increase each year. Also paid to the county annually would be a Commercial Cannabis Activity Public Benefit of $66,162.50 with an annual increase of 5 percent. The Public Benefit funds can only be used here.

If the Planning Commission votes to recommend approval of the River Releaf application to the Board of Supervisors, the next step would be a public hearing before the Board. It is unknown when that would occur.

Because the June 3 meeting is a public hearing, comments on the project can be emailed, prior to the hearing date, to county planner Russell Brady – rbrady@rivco.org

(Published August 2020)

CANNABIS BUSINESS UPDATE

The county Planning Commission in June voted to recommend to the Board of Supervisors the approval of a Conditional Use Permit for a cannabis microbusiness at 23215 Temescal Canyon Road.

If approved, the permit would allow applicant River Releaf to sell, cultivate, manufacture and distribute cannabis in an existing 8,582- square-foot, two-story commercial building on the west side of Temescal Canyon Road at Dawson Canyon Road.

Next step is a public hearing before the Board of Supervisors at a yet-to-be-determined date.

(Published October 2020)

Business could be in operation by next summer if approved

It’s likely the approval of n application for a Conditional Use Permit to allow a cannabis business in Temescal Valley will be on the Board of Supervisors agenda for the Tuesday, Oct. 20 meeting. If approved the business would operate at 23215 Temescal Canyon Road.

River Releaf is the applicant seeking the permit for a “microbusiness” allowing not only retail sales but also indoor cultivation, manufacturing and the distribution of cannabis.

Inside decor — **CULTURE CANNABIS CLUB: Temescal Valley decor will be similar to the club in Jurupa Valley.**

The proposed location, an 8,565-square-foot, two-story building, is in a small business park where Dawson Canyon road dead-ends into Temescal Canyon Road. Planned building usage would devote 1,500 square feet to retail, 4,500 square feet for cultivation, 1,580 square feet for distribution and 985 square feet for manufacturing. There also would be areas for storage, office, employee breakroom, lobby/reception and restrooms.

The microbusiness would employee 20 to 25 people and operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Business hours for retail sales would be from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the cultivation, distribution and manufacturing components from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Included in the employee count would be three, 24/7, armed security guards, according to River Releaf representative Devon Julian who met with the We Are Temescal Valley Development Committee via Zoom in late August. He said security would be “bank level,” including video monitoring which can be accessed by law enforcement, limited access areas controlled by keycards, no product accessible to customers at any time, and burglar alarms in specific areas of the facility while not in use.

Concern by Development Committee members still remains over the parking situation. The building has 17 parking spaces for both employees and customers. Julian said a parking attendant would be onsite during retail business hours to help guide customers to the proper parking stalls, ensure no loitering or onsite consumption exists and help traffic flow more smoothly, and that the county Planning Commission review of the project in June required only 14 parking spaces.

Also on the agenda for the Oct. 20 board meeting would be the approval of a Development Agreement requiring River Releaf to pay the county $52,930 annually with a 2 percent rate increase each year. Also paid to the county annually would be a Commercial Cannabis Activity Public Benefit of $66,162 with an annual increase of 5 percent. The Public Benefit funds can only be used in Temescal Valley.

Additionally, Julian said River Releaf plans to find local community groups and causes to which it can contribute money and volunteer time once operations begin. If approved, the retail business could possibly open in six to eight months after receiving a state cannabis license.

According to Julian, River Releaf is owned by individuals with extensive cannabis experience. Chris Francy, the primary principal, has operated licensed cannabis facilities in California since 2015 and in that time has built and operated multiple cultivation and retail operations. Julian said Francy is an expert in retail licensing and operations with ownership in businesses located in Santa Ana, Moreno Valley, San Bernardino, Long Beach, Seaside and Desert Hot Springs. If approved, the Temescal Valley business would be known as Culture Cannabis Club.

Because the Oct. 20 meeting is a public hearing, citizens wishing to comment on the business can do so at the meeting (with masks and social distancing), or by email, prior to the hearing date, to county planner Russell Brady – rbrady@rivco.org and to Supervisor Kevin Jeffries’ 1^st District staff — district1@rivco.org

(Published March 2021)

First-Ever Cannabis Dispensary Approved For Temescal Valley

(Published June 2021)

Could be another year before cannabis microbusiness opens

The county Board of Supervisors in March approved a Conditional Use Permit for a cannabis microbusiness at 23215 Temescal Canyon Road.

The approval allows Culture Cannabis Club to sell, cultivate, manufacture, and distribute cannabis in an existing 8,582- square-foot, two-story commercial building on the west side of Temescal Canyon Road at Dawson Canyon Road.

According to Devon Julian, who represented the applicant during the permitting process, “We expect to open in about nine to 12 months from now.” He said building plans are being drawn up and will still need county approval, and the business still needs to get license approval from the state.

“The state license is the biggest unknown variable as processing times are inconsistent and the process is constantly changing,” Julian said. “We are working diligently to get this project built and operational as soon as possible.”

Calendar contest winners announced

HAPPY WINNERS: Temescal Valley kids display certificates they received for having their artwork selected for the calendar. Presenting the awards were, from left, Samantha Stillwell – representing Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez; Art Marquez – El Sobrante Landfill, and county Supervisor Kevin Jeffries.

January’s Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting is always special. That’s when the winners of the Annual Recyclables Calendar Art Contest sponsored by Waste Management/El Sobrante Landfill are announced.

The theme this year was “Keep Calm and Recycle Often. Recycle Right,” and there were 130 entries. “With only 12 winners, this made judging difficult,” according to Art Marquez, the landfill’s community relations representative.

All winners received certificates of recognition from county Supervisor Kevin Jeffries and Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez, as well as goody bags from the landfill. First- through fourth-place winners received cash awards for their school and an ice-cream party for their classroom. Congratulations to all our very talented artists!

1st Place: Mackenzie Crain, 6th Grade. Mackenzie earned an $800 donation for Luiseno School.

2nd Place: Breanna Lee, 7th Grade. Breanna earned a $600 donation for El Cerrito Middle School.

3rd Place: Taylor Mosley, Kindergarten. Taylor earned a $400 donation for Todd Academy.

4th Place: Vivian Lee, 2nd grade. Vivian earned a $200 donation for Temescal Valley Elementary School.

Runners-Up:

Jeremy Fors-Chang, Rayce Anderson, Isabella Noss – Luiseno School

Justin Mosley, Isabella Marro, Rylie Rich – Todd Academy

Mckenna Pallares, Abby Zarate – Temescal Valley Elementary
School

Here are the winning entries:

1st Place January: Mackenzie Crain, 6th Grade, Luiseno School

2nd Place February: Breanna Lee, El Cerrito Middle School

3rd Place MARCH: Taylor Mosley, Kindergarten, Todd Academy

4th Place April: Vivian Lee, 2nd grade, Temescal Valley Elementary School

May: Jeremy Fors-Chang, Luiseno School

June: Rayce Anderson, Luiseno School

July: Justin Mosley, Todd Academy

August: Mckenna Pallares, Temescal Valley Elementary School

September: Isabella Marro, Todd Academy

October: Rylie Rich, Todd Academy

November: Abby Zarate, Temescal Valley Elementary School

December: Isabella Noss, Luiseno School

This entry was posted in EL SOBRANTE LANDFILL on January 15, 2019 by admin.

Murals popping up in Temescal Valley

BE KIND TO BEES: The unveiling at the Faire in May of the mural painted on the Community Room at Deleo Park. Pictured, from left, Joan Tyler, El Cerrito Community Library; artist Kathryn Duncan; Tracy Davis, mural coordinator, and Nancy Reiter, Home Gardens Community Library.

Murals are appearing on public buildings in Temescal Valley, thanks to the We Are Temescal Valley Beautification Committee and a group of dedicated volunteers.

Long-time Cal Meadows resident Gena Osborne for many years has wanted murals painted throughout Temescal Valley. With the community’s Bicentennial birthday in progress, the Beautification Committee thought now would be the opportune time.

It was fitting that the first mural was painted on the front wall of Temescal Valley Elementary School. It was Gena, with other members of the early Temescal Heritage Foundation, that proved to the CNUSD Board of Trustees the name chosen by the district (Temescal Canyon), was geographically incorrect.

Working under the direction of committee member Tracy Davis and artist Kathryn Duncan, the mural was painted by volunteers Priscilla Zarata, Shruthi Rajamani and Melanie Johnson.

The next mural came about as a partnership with El Cerrito Community Library and a Books to Action grant that paid for books to spread word about the importance of bees and other pollinators.

Volunteers working on this mural, painted on the wall of the Community Room at Deleo Regional Sports Park, were Tracy, Kathryn and Shruthi, joined by Krista Brantsma, Rob Mucha, Jennifer Runnings and Bob Hafner.

Hopefully, next in line will be murals at Todd Academy and Luiseno School. Anyone interested in the mural program should contact Tracy: tracycyto@yahoo.com.

EARL RANCH WILDROSE LABEL: The new citrus crate mural painted on the front of Temescal Valley Elementary School.

This entry was posted in BEAUTIFICATION on June 22, 2018 by admin.

Temescal Valley Landmarks

This landmark is on Temescal Canyon Road just south of Glen Ivy Road. Read about the re-dedication ceremony HERE.

The reputed location of the first Serrano adobe is in the vicinity of Lawson and Temescal Canyon roads, marked by a very old pepper tree and the boulder underneath it. Years ago, the plaque on top of the boulder, designating the spot as the site of the first house in Riverside County, was stolen. The plaque had been placed there in 1981 by the Billy Holcomb Chapter of E Clampus Vitus, a fraternal organization responsible for many of the plaques denoting historical landmarks in the area. The good news – the plaque turned up in a garage and the homeowner sensing its importance contacted the Billy Holcomb Chapter and returned it. We hope to reunite the plaque with the boulder, but not until the area can be better protected.

This landmark is situated east of the I-15 at the Temescal Canyon Road interchange, across the street from the Shell Station. Also located there are two tanning vats that date back to Leandro Serrano.

The ruins of the third Serrano adobe, circa 1930. Photograph courtesy of Corona Public Library

Through the years, very little of the Serrano legacy has been preserved. What still exists are two tanning vats that Serrano used to process leather. They also are situated across the street from the Shell Station. This isn’t the original location of the vats, which were moved and reconstructed at this site years ago.

One of the two tanning vats.

The area where the vats and landmarks are located was the subject of a community beautification project in April 2015. Read more about the Cleanup HERE.

The Butterfield Overland Mail operated along a southerly route between St. Louis and San Francisco from 1858 to the onset of the Civil War in 1861. The stagecoaches carried passengers and mail over the 2,800-mile route with company stations placed from 9 to 60 miles apart where horses and mules could be exchanged and supplies restocked. The line ran through Temescal Valley and generally followed the route of the Southern Emigrant Trail, today’s Temescal Canyon Road. The Rancho Temescal Station was situated about 5 miles northwest of Glen Ivy Hot Springs near today’s location of Dos Lagos Golf Course. This landmark was moved when the Dos Lagos homes were built and is now located within the shopping center near the lakes.

Ruins of the Rancho Temescal Station. Photograph courtesy of Corona Public Library

This entry was posted in HISTORY on June 21, 2018 by admin.

What’s in the air we breathe?

AQMD to give residents 50 air-quality sensors

(Published June 15, 2018)
South Coast Air Quality Management District representatives visited Temescal Valley last month to explain a new program that measures air quality at the community level, instead of regionally, by using small, portable, low-cost sensors.

About 80 residents attended the meeting and heard how these small devices – about the size of a coffee mug, do a better job of measuring particulate matter than gases, and have about an 85 percent accuracy rate.

The AQMD was able to obtain the sensors through a highly competitive Environmental Protection Agency grant. There were 99 applicants for the grant nationwide – with only six recipients, the majority being universities.

The agency has purchased 550 sensors and identified nine communities within its four-county service area and will add Temescal Valley as the 10^th community to receive sensors. Fifty Temescal Valley residents will be given the free sensors and at the end of the program, recipients can keep the devices.

Residents applying for a sensor must have a backyard source for electrical power (they are not battery-operated), access to wi-fi and make a commitment to participate in the program for 12 to 15 months. Additionally, residents must attend a mandatory meeting in Temescal Valley to be held at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 26, when the sensors will be distributed, and instructions given on how to install and monitor them. The data collected by the devices easily can be accessed via a dedicated website.

The sensors cannot determine from where the particulate originates, so if readings show high levels, it is the responsibility of the community to determine the source, not the AQMD.

About 30 people attending the meeting signed up for the sensors. Because the goal is to obtain valley-wide readings, additional residents are being sought in communities east of the 1-15.

If interested, send an email stating your name and the community in which you reside to: WeAreTV.org@gmail.com

AQMD to discuss air-quality sensors at meeting held here

(Published May 11, 2018)
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has a new program that measures air quality at the community level, instead of regionally, by using small, portable, low-cost sensors.

AQMD reps will present the program to Temescal Valley residents at a 6 p.m. meeting, Wednesday, May 16, in the Tahoe Room at the Trilogy Lake Center, 24477 Trilogy Parkway.

Temescal Valley came to the AQMD’s attention when six residents in March attended a public meeting in Riverside sponsored by the agency. The purpose of that meeting was to inform the public about AB 617, new legislation that encourages collaboration with and the identification of disadvantaged communities needing assistance in cleaning up the air.

Under the leadership of Jerry Sincich, chairman of the We Are Temescal Valley Development Committee, group members told the moderator Temescal Valley is an air-quality disadvantage community and needs its own an air-quality monitoring station.

Reasons cited was our valley location between two mountain ranges bisected by a usually-gridlocked freeway. Also noted were the aggregate mines and landfill, which burns methane and uses incinerator ash as ground cover, and the heavy truck traffic.

AB 617 gave residents the online ability to recommend their community as being air-quality disadvantage. Many Temescal Valley residents filled out and submitted the AQMD online form by the deadline earlier this week.

Residents seek air-quality monitoring station for Temescal Valley

(Published April 12, 2018)
A group of six Temescal Valley residents recently attended a South Coast Air Quality Management District meeting to learn more about an assembly bill geared to reducing air pollution in the region.

ACCESS AQMD ONLINE FORM HERE

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT FORM: MONDAY, MAY 7

Here are a few reasons why we are seeking an air-quality monitoring station in Temescal Valley. Use these in the nomination form and, if not listed here, add your own:

— We are located in a long narrow valley between two mountain ranges.
— The heavily traveled and often times gridlocked I-15 freeway runs through our valley.
— Nine aggregate mines are located here, as well as asphalt and cement batch plants.
— One of the largest landfills in the nation is located here. It burns methane and uses incinerator ash as ground cover.
— The largest mines and the landfill operate 24/7.
— Several hundred trucks a day exit the freeway, spewing exhaust emissions as they travel along our only north-south surface street to the mines and landfills.
— The trucks create fugitive dust.
— We have a sewage treatment plant located here.

AB 617 and companion bill, AB 134, provide new opportunities for communities impacted by air pollution. AB 617 encourages collaboration with and the identification of disadvantaged communities needing assistance in cleaning up the air. AB 134 provides funds through a voluntary grant program to replace older vehicles and equipment with cleaner technologies.

The purpose of the meeting was to bring people together to identify communities and how they can best be assisted. The “Temescal Valley Six” – Jerry Sincich (Sycamore Creek), Ruth Brissenden and Shannon Milliken (Butterfield Estates), and Tracy Davis, and John and Jannlee Watson (Wildrose Ranch) – attended the meeting with a “mission.”

Group members told the moderator Temescal Valley is an air-quality disadvantage community and needs its own an air-quality monitoring station. Among the reasons given was our location in a long, narrow valley between two mountain ranges bisected by a usually-gridlocked freeway. Located here also are nine aggregate mines and one of the largest landfills in the nation which burns methane and uses incinerator ash as ground cover.

AB 617 gives residents the online ability to nominate their community. The process is quick and easy, but the deadline for nominations is Monday, May 7.

Do you want to know what’s in the air our families breathe? Take a minute to fill out the nomination form. And remember, when filling out the form, We Are Temescal Valley (not Corona)!

This entry was posted in PUBLIC SAFETY on April 12, 2018 by admin.

THE BICENTENNIAL LOGO

UNVEILING: From left, Tracy Davis, We Are Temescal Valley Identity Committee chairman; Jannlee Watson, Temescal Heritage Foundation board member, and Cathie Smith, Temescal Valley Community Faire Committee, unveil the new logo at the April Bicentennial Committee meeting.

Thank you, Cathie Smith, for the beautiful artwork!

This spring, and as May’s Temescal Valley Community Faire was quickly approaching where the community’s 200th Birthday would be launched, the Bicentennial Committee still was in a quandry over the logo. Needed was artwork easily identifiable as Temescal Valley, but unique enough to say, “Hey look — something special is happening!”

With only a week to get the Faire flier to the printer, someone said, “Why re-create the wheel — let’s use the current Temescal Valley logo, just age it 200 years ago.”

The original logo was introduced in 2007 as part of the Temescal Valley Design Guidelines created by Riverside County for the Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council. The logo can be seen on community signs throughout Temescal Valley, the I-15 freeway monument signs at the entrances to the community, on local businesses and published material.

It was Sycamore Creek resident Cathie Smith whose graphic design know-how brought the vision to life, redesigning the current logo to better reflect Temescal Valley in the time of Leandro Serrano.

Gone are the palm trees, modern homes and orange groves, which have been replaced with adobes, grazing cattle, beehives, orchards and grapevines, a marauding bear and, yes, flowing water. The Bicentennial logo has three adobes, depicting the three built by Serrano, and places one of the structures on a hill. The exact location of the second adobe is unknown, only that Serrano built it on a hill to get a better view of approaching strangers, and that it was built in close proximity to where the first adobe was located near Lawson and Temescal Canyon roads.

The new logo has been imprinted on T-shirts, mugs and aprons that can be purchased at all Bicentennial events and at the monthly Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council and We Are Temescal Valley meetings. T-shirts are $20 and the aprons and mugs are $15. Orders are being placed now for hats and license plate frames.

This entry was posted in HISTORY on April 11, 2018 by admin.

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