Development Review & Plan Check
The Development Review and Plan Check Section provides plan checking, and approval for all subdivisions and land development, including street improvement plans, water/sewer plans, storm drain plans, grading plans, landscaping plans, and signing and striping plans for public and private facilities as well as revisions to existing approved plans.
The Development Review & Plan Check division also oversees construction cost estimate preparation for bonds and agreements before transmittal to the Bonds and Agreements Division.
The Development Review and Plan Check Section answers to questions regarding any improvement plans or Transportation conditions of approval.
4080 Lemon Street 8th Floor
PO Box 1090
Riverside, CA 92502-1090
RELATED LINKS
AASHTO
California Streets & Highways Codes
California Board of Registration for Engineers
Online Resources
Plan Check Guidelines
The Improvement Plan Check Policies and Guidelines are generated and prepared for your use. Over the years, we have compiled these guidelines and established policies, which we updated periodically as the need arises to clarify and help guide you through the Plan Check and approval process. We want to get you through the process as fast as possible and in an efficient manner.
| County Bridge Manual for Public and Private Projects | 05/21 |
| County - Valley Wide Concurrent Grading Review | 08/22 |
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Improvement Plan Check Policies & Guidelines Complete Package includes Cover, Table of Contents, Plan Check Guidelines & Appendix |
(PDF 2.65Mb) 03/13 |
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I. Improvement Plan Submittals II. Construction Cost Worksheet and Plan Check Fee Calc Sheet III. Bonds, Map Recordation and Clearances IV. Street Improvement Plan Checklist V. Drainage VI. State Programs VII. Designing to Accommodate Pedestrian Accessibility Requirements VIII. Traffic Signing and Striping XIII. Sewer Plan Check List XV. Project Closure |
Appendices
Plane Method Curb Return Design
Minimum Storm Drain Easement Table
Recording Prior to Having Signed Improvement Plans
Right of Entry / Permission to Grade
Agreement for Maintenance of Parkways (ICI)
Cash-in-Lieu-of-Construction Agreement
Cash-in-Lieu-of-Construction Worksheet
Cast-in-Place Requirements
Structural Section Calculation Sheet
Plastic / Metal Pipe Requirements / Corrugated HDPE Application Matrix
Cash Payment for Drainage Facilities
Stormwater Management / BMP Facilities Agreement
BMP Exhibit Standards
BMP Exhibit B Example
Loss of Priority (Fast Tract) Status
Miscellaneous Case Meeting and Letter Agreement
Eminent Domain Procedure (Condemnation)
At Risk Letter Example
Join Detail
Development Plan Check Procedure Flow Chart
Customer Service Questionnaire
Online Plan Submittal Guidelines
Standard Drawing Borders
Frequently Asked Questions
- What do I need to do after my Tentative Map is approved?
Review the Conditions of Approval. If you are required to do street improvements you will need to open an IP case (Improvement Plan case) with the Riverside County Transportation Department (RCTD).
- How do I start an IP case with the Transportation Department?
Submit a completed application with a check and the first submittal checklist to the 8th floor of the County Administrative Center. The amount of the check is based on the construction costs per the Plan Check calculation sheet on page 28 of the Policies and Guidelines. If you have further questions, call 951.955.6527. Please have your case number or APN ready when you call.
- What improvements will Transportation require me to do?
If you have an approved case, follow the Conditions of Approval. Typically, an applicant will be conditioned to construct some road improvements, including paving, curb, gutter, striping, sidewalk, street lights and landscaping along the front of the property, depending on the type of development. (See Ord. 460 for dividing property. For a building or use case the type of improvements would depend on the type of the facility)
- Why do I have to submit plans to Transportation?
Per your Conditions of Approval you are required to or you are requesting to construct road improvements in an existing or future road dedication. All work in dedications requires a review and sign-off from the governing agency. Even if it is a private road (See Policy & Guidelines part 3 section F), or not dedicated at this time but will be in the future, the design, improvements and work needs to be reviewed.
- My project is in the City or on a state highway, do I have to submit to the County also?
If all the work for your project is within the City limits, then you do not have to submit to the County. If any of the work crosses the City/County line then you need to contact the Transportation Department at (951) 955-6527. If the work is minor, such as overlay, widening, sidewalk or the like, it may be handled with an Encroachment Permit. If the work is extensive, full depth road, curb and gutter, a traffic signal, etc. then it will need to be plan checked before a permit can be written or issued. For State rights-of–way, the Transportation Department is required to sign-off on improvements for compliance with conditions and local regulations governing development. (See Policy & Guidelines part 3 section E)
- Does the work in the County road dedication need to be bonded?
All work in the road dedication that is on a General Plan road, valued at $50,000 or more, conditioned by a map, or subject to special circumstances will require posting a bond.
- What if my project fronts on Caltrans Right-of-Way?
You will have to submit plans and bond the improvements with Caltrans Permits Section. See the Plan Check Policies and Guidelines Part 3 section E for more information.
- How do I prepare my landscaping plans?
Landscape Improvement plans should be submitted directly to your RCTD Plan Checker who will route them for landscape plan check.
All landscape plan sheets shall comply with the 24” x 36” County of Riverside Transportation Department Standard Title block. Designers should follow Ord. 859.2 fully and completely, as well as Ord. 461 Section 24 Roadway Landscaping. Designers are encouraged to use the RCTD standard details as they relate to the project. The use of RCTD standard details enables quicker plans checks and minimizes time spent reviewing details.
- Can I submit my street plans before I have tentative approval?
You may submit street plans before a tentative approval is granted provided you are willing to include an “At – Risk” letter when you submit your application package. The “At – Risk” letter must acknowledge that If the conditions change during the tentative approval process you will need to incorporate the changes on the final plans. See the Plan Check Policies and Guidelines part 1, section K for details and the Appendix for a sample letter.
- Where can I find Riverside County’s Traffic Impact Analysis Preparation Guidelines?
The Traffic Impact Analysis Preparation Guidelines can be found on the Transportation Departments website located here: https://trans.rctlma.org/sites/g/files/aldnop401/files/2023-08/traffic_impact_anaylsis.pdf.
- Is my project eligible for a traffic impact analysis exemption?
Refer to Exhibit A in the Traffic Impact Analysis Preparation Guidelines for instances of when a project is generally exempt from preparing a traffic impact analysis. While the exemptions will apply in most cases to qualifying project types, the Transportation Department reserves the right to require a traffic impact analysis regardless of size and/or project type.
- Does Riverside County Transportation Department have traffic counts on my street?
Riverside County Transportation Department maintains a database of traffic counts for various streets in the unincorporated area of the County. For more traffic count information and to view the traffic count database please visit the following link: https://trans.rctlma.org/traffic-counts
- How do I pay my Inspection Fee?
Prior to street mylar signature or clearing a map to record, the inspection deposit will need to be paid. It is typically 3% of the road construction costs. A check will need to be forwarded to the 8th floor of the County Administrative Center 4080 Lemon St., Riverside, CA 92501 noting the case it is for and the “IP” number. The Assistant will prepare paper work to accompany the check which will then need to go to the 2nd floor to process. You will receive a receipt and the account will be credited the next business day.
- How do I prepare my street improvement plans?
Hire a Civil Engineer and inform them that all the plan requirements and processes are on the Transportation web site at https://trans.rctlma.org/ if there are questions after reviewing the Guidelines, call any of the numbers listed.
- How do I get an encroachment permit?
Once all the improvement plans are signed, then you can obtain 2 sets of prints and submit them with a completed application and deposit amount listed on the application, available online from the Trans web site, to the 8th floor of the County Administrative Center, 4080 Lemon St., Riverside, CA 92501.