Supervisor Perez Organizes Community Meeting with Rancho Community, Vendors and Residents

EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY – Supervisor V. Manuel Perez has scheduled a community meeting next week to listen to owners of ranchos in the eastern Coachella Valley, small businesses and community members and provide information on potential changes to Riverside County’s temporary events ordinance.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, August 5 in the meeting room at the City of Coachella Corporate Yard in Coachella, 54-362 Enterprise Way. The meeting will be in English and Spanish, and is open to everyone interested in attending.

The meeting will focus on Riverside County’s temporary events ordinance, ordinance 348. The ordinance, which is currently in place, requires large gatherings of over 200 attendees in the county’s unincorporated communities to have temporary events permits from the county. The Riverside County Planning Department is looking to update the ordinance to strengthen some parts to address public safety concerns of large parties. Other provisions could grant local businesses and landowners more opportunities to do more events, if approved for permits.

Some business owners have made statements in the press and on social media that this proposed ordinance amendment would negatively impact businesses and family and cultural celebrations such as quinceañeras. Supervisor Perez says this is not the case and wants to make it clear that the goal of the ordinance change is to protect neighbors and create a safe environment for attendees, and will not impact small businesses that are following county regulations.

“Riverside County staff are working on changes to the events ordinance in order to better protect the safety and quality of life throughout our unincorporated communities,” said Supervisor Perez. “No matter what the ordinance becomes, it will not have an impact on small businesses. We still have a ways to go on this ordinance, so I hope the community attends and I look forward to meeting with the community as we navigate this and shape an ordinance that makes sense for all of us.”

Under the current ordinance, permits are not required for celebrations for family and friends of under 200 people at one’s home in an unincorporated community. When events exceed 200 people, permits are required from the Riverside County Planning Department. As an example, the large after-parties during the music festival weekends in the Coachella Valley require temporary event permits. Permits are needed so county staff can work ahead of time with the organizers to ensure a safe environment for attendees, and plan adequately for traffic control, parking, security, emergency medical services, water supply, waste, restroom facilities and fire protection. Riverside County wants to help events be successful, doing it the right way and with a menu of options that fits their business.

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Supervisor V. Manuel Perez represents the eastern two-thirds of Riverside County on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. Stretching from Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs, south to the Salton Sea and east to Blythe and the Colorado River, the 4^th District is the largest geographical district in the county.

Supervisor Perez’s office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.