Friends of Riverside's Hills
P.O. Box 5165
Riverside CA 92517-5165
watkinshill@juno.com
951-784-4954

Calendar of Accomplishments

2003

January:

• FRH attends Riverside Citizens Congress. Proposes several initiatives adopted in city general plan vision statement.
  

February:

• FRH becomes affiliate member CCAEJ (Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice). Strategic alliances are developed.
  
• Riverside County Supervisor Buster appoints members of FRH to the Arroyo Group. This County/City collaboration is tasked with creating a plan to preserve the Riverside area arroyos across County and City jurisdictions.
  
• FRH requests a series of meetings with city officials at Mayor's Night Out. Three meetings are held during the year.
  

May:

• FRH is well on the way to tracking, assessing and giving public testimony in over 50 development projects affecting RC and RA zoned lands.
  
• Two lawsuits are filed. In one, the judge agrees to FRH demand for an EIR. The other case settled after FRH organized a postcard campaign to protect Sycamore Canyon Park from developer encroachment. Settlement included additional land donation to park for wildlife corridor.
  
• FRH exhibited at CCAEJ's Symposium on Environmental Challenges Facing the Inland Empire – Air and Water Quality. Studies presented are instrumental in settling March Cargo Port lawsuit and preventing additional warehouse construction in Mira Loma.
  

June:

• FRH invited to participate in City's General Plan meeting on Environment and Open Space element.
  
• Submitted suggestions on wildlife corridors / trails to Caltrans under 215/60 freeway.
  

July:

• Responded to Planning Dept. request for lot width calculation formula in RC zone.
  
• Commissioned legal opinion on city's misuse of ordinances for annexation cases.
  

August:

• Scheduled meetings with developers to review RC developments. Planning department begins referring developers to FRH.
  

November:

• Developers beginning to work with us early in project development. Quality level of projects vastly improved.
  
• FRH testifies at city council. Council votes $200,000 per year to fund citywide trails network.
  

2004

January:

• Met with Cal Tans to assess impact of 91/215/60 construction project and possibility of trail corridors under 215 freeway.
  
• Provided suggestions and input to Finance Committee on job requirements for new Trails/Transportation director.
  
• Won on two causes of action in our Alessandro Arroyo case.
  

February:

• On the heels of our Alessandro Arroyo victory, we filed an appeal for a legal decision concerning environmental evaluations and to constrain the city from inappropriate use of administrative variances.
  
• Sent letters to City on behalf of citizens in Hawarden Hills protesting inappropriate grading and height variances on RC property. Legal proceedings are contemplated.
  

CCAEJ for Friends of Riverside's Hills, and mailed to:

Friends of Riverside's Hills
P.O. Box 5165
Riverside CA 92517-5165