Jurupa Valley’s planning commission voted on Wednesday to revise the Rio Vista Specific Plan. With that vote, a project to build homes and industrial buildings several hundred feet from an ancient oak tree clears another hurdle.
The vote was 4-1 in favor of updating the Rio Vista plan.
Chairwoman Penny Newman says she’s confident the developer, Richland Communities, will work with the Kizh Nation - Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians to preserve the tree.
"No matter where the oak tree is, we have a 500 foot buffer now…that, I think, provides it with a reasonable buffer around it," Newman said.
Richland Communities says their hired researchers concluded building that distance from the tree won’t impact it.
In a statement to KVCR, Richland Communities says their current plans guarantee the Oak’s preservation.
The company’s vice president Brian Hardy told the commission failing to adopt the revisions could threaten the survival of Jurupa’s ancient Palmer’s oak.
"A yes vote is for the preservation of the Palmers oak. A no vote is for no preservation of the oak," said Hardy.
But in an interview after the vote, Aaron Echols — the chair of the local California Native Plant Society — said he was disappointed. And he says Richland Communities may have misled the commissioners.
"The fact that the applicant was saying they could approve this plan, or that they can implement this plan, tomorrow that it’s ground ready, I think they said … there's no polite way to put it…It's just a lie, a flat out lie."
The updated Rio Vista plan still needs final approval from the City Council before construction can begin.
