Riverside County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Riverside County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Coachella Valley water district and data center concerns
Data centers can use enormous amounts of water and electricity — a hyperscale campus in Coachella would have drawn around 600 megawatts. LAFCO decided to just track proposed data centers and ask agencies for early notice, leaving actual land-use decisions to cities and the county. Seven new state laws on data centers were signed this week.
Pinyon Pines County Water District problems
The Fourth District Supervisor's office requested an MSR on the Pinyon Pines water district after resident complaints about infrastructure, water pressure, and fire flow issues. A special meeting on September 3 will take up the review.
Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency Funding Increase
PVVTA gets $217,350 more this year to hire a finance manager, senior account specialist, and administrative supervisor to keep the agency running smoothly.
SunLine Transit Agency funding increase
SunLine needs an extra $2 million to cover hydrogen fuel and insurance costs as it switches to zero-emission buses. The committee signed off on sending the funding boost and plan amendment to the full Commission.
Flood control projects
Six flood control projects — storm drains and channels in Riverside, Harupa Valley, Home Gardens, Temescal Valley, Menifee, and east of Temecula — moved forward after a public hearing. Supervisor Perez pushed again for a Thousand Palms drainage fix that floods every rain.
Emergency water service for Silent Valley RV campground
The Silent Valley campground's well keeps running dry, stranding RV residents without water. LAFCO approved a limited emergency hookup to the neighboring High Valleys Water District, with a two-year review to decide if the campground should annex into the district.
Chuckwalla Valley groundwater and solar development
Residents say the aquifer is already dropping a foot or two a year from existing solar operations, and wells have run dry. The Skybridge project could use up to 612 acre-feet per year, and speakers want monthly well monitoring and a full EIR.
Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District Annexations
Two properties near Beaumont just got approved to join the water district — one rescuing rural families whose well ran dry, the other enabling a 66-unit affordable housing complex. Both had full landowner consent.