Rialto · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Rialto public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Proposed water store at 625 S. Riverside Avenue
A new water vending and refill business is proposed for a small existing lease space in a commercial zone on South Riverside Avenue. A public hearing tonight will let residents weigh in before the Commission decides whether to grant the conditional development permit.
Baseline storm drain project
The council hired CASC Engineering for three years of NPDES stormwater compliance work. Members flagged confusion about who inspects private-property storm drains and asked whether aging drains need upgrades — a storm drain master plan is budgeted for next year.
Valley Boulevard industrial rezoning
Three aging industrial-style buildings on East Valley Boulevard are stuck with a retail designation that doesn't fit, leading to vacancies. Rezoning to business park/industrial park could bring in auto services, machine shops and contractor businesses and create local jobs.
Assembly Bill 179 impact fee implications
The city attorney warned that under new state law, if Rialto applies for state affordable housing funding, it must waive development impact fees or lose dollar-for-dollar state money — effective July 2027.
Labor side letters restore 4/10 workweek
New two-year compensation deals were adopted for the Rialto City Employees' Association and Teamsters mid-management unit, along with an updated citywide pay plan.
Delinquent refuse liens
After a public hearing, the council approved filing liens against properties with unpaid trash bills from late 2025 with the county recorder.
Police drone technology shared with Fire Department
Police Chief Mark Kling showed the council live drone footage with heat signatures from a recent fire, and Fire Chief Chris Jensen explained how it helps crews know what they're rolling into. Rialto is positioning itself as a regional leader in public safety tech.
Omnitrans service and future bus rapid transit corridors
Rialto logged over 470,000 transit boardings last year, and students ride free. Omnitrans is studying bus rapid transit corridors on Foothill, San Bernardino Ave, and Riverside Ave, with a report to the council expected by year's end.
Juneteenth Jam 2026 and future city funding
Juneteenth Jam drew 10,000 people and gave out scholarships and books, but organizer Vickie Davis says the event has outgrown its resources and outgrown Ferguson Park. She and a long line of supporters asked the council to treat it as an investment in the community, not just an annual event.
QuickQuack car wash at Baseline Road and Riverside Avenue
A new automated car wash is coming to the old Bank of America site in the North Rialto shopping center. It brings jobs and a service residents use, but required a big setback exception and raises questions about traffic and water use.
Hydrofluoric acid use in automated car washes
A commissioner flagged hydrofluoric acid — a dangerous chemical once common in touchless car washes — and urged the city to consider banning it locally, noting federal agencies are working to restrict it.
Citywide Public Safety Cameras
The police department is buying 30 new body cameras and 20 car cameras for $1.25 million, expanding the program Rialto pioneered nationally.
Campaign Contribution Limits
Rialto adopted its own campaign finance rules, keeping the $5,900 limit but creating an annual contribution cycle. Critics said the public had no chance to weigh in before an election.
Fairfield by Marriott hotel at Alder and Renaissance Parkway
A vacant 2.6-acre corner near the freeway will get a four-story, 95-room hotel. It should bring jobs and visitors and replace empty land with landscaped improvements.
Grocery and retail recruitment for northern Rialto
Commissioners discussed efforts to land a Stater Bros., Ralph's or Sam's Club for the shopping center near Terra Vista in Fontana's sphere, with Commissioner Gutierrez long advocating for a market up north.
Fireworks Enforcement Team
Police will field a dedicated sergeant and four officers against illegal fireworks from June 14 through July 5, including undercover buys against Facebook Marketplace sellers.
Cactus Trail solar lighting
Ninety-nine solar lights will be installed along the 1.5-mile Cactus Trail between Rialto Avenue and Baseline Road, making evening walks and rides safer. The county is helping fund it, and two local residents originally pitched the idea.
Public Works Director Authority Ordinance
A new ordinance would give the Public Works Director the same legal authority as the City Engineer for things like project approvals and truck routes, speeding up city operations. It passed first reading and needs a second vote to take effect.
Solid Waste Rates for FY 2026/2027
Trash rates go up just pennies a month — and some commercial and senior rates actually drop — thanks to a renegotiated county disposal deal cutting the gate rate from 85% to 83%. Council members praised the relief for seniors on fixed incomes.
Public Comment Time Limit and Meeting Rules
The council nearly cut public comment from 5 minutes to 3, but restored the full 5 minutes after pushback from Scott and Carrizales. New rules also cover Zoom participation, muting disruptive remote speakers, and how items get on the agenda.
New Public Works Headquarters
Nearly five years after a 2021 fire destroyed the Public Works building, staff will finally get a real office — an 8,640-square-foot modular facility costing about $2.86 million.
River Ranch neighborhood safety and camera technology
Mayor Baca raised theft concerns at River Ranch; the police chief confirmed license-plate cameras exist at entrances and said more real-time neighborhood cameras are coming as intersection camera systems come online.
Special-needs youth in the juvenile system
A Rialto mother described her son's two months in juvenile detention and six in placement after his disability-related IEP information wasn't reviewed. She's asking for better coordination between probation and schools.
McDonald's restaurant with drive-thru at Foothill and Acacia
A new 4,210-square-foot McDonald's replaces Chuck's Liquor on a currently paved commercial site, adding landscaping and about 900 net new daily vehicle trips. Commissioners debated a right-turn-only sign at the Foothill driveway but the traffic study didn't warrant it.
Federal Grant Funding for Community Services and Housing
The council approved the plan for about $1.4 million in federal CDBG and HOME grants funding 13 activities — public services, housing rehab, and infrastructure — aimed at low- and moderate-income residents.
Weed Abatement and Fire Hazard Reduction
The city inspects about 225 vacant parcels twice a year and clears weeds on non-compliant properties, recovering costs through property tax bills. It's one of the fire department's key prevention tools.
State Funding Advocacy — Splash Pads, Water Wells, Senior Roofs, Cameras
The mayor, a council member, and the city manager lobbied legislators in Sacramento for funding for splash pads at four parks, water well plume cleanup, senior center roof repairs, the veterans memorial, and intersection safety cameras.
CFD 2016-1 Annexation No. 9 (Haven Paseo)
The 81-unit Haven Paseo condo project at Foothill and Spruce was formally annexed into the special tax district that funds extra police and fire services for new development — about $2.68 per unit annually per dollar of assessed value.
ADA service animal access
Councilmember Montoya, a disabled veteran, described being yelled at and ordered out of a Rialto store because of his service dog. He asked the city to educate businesses on ADA requirements, and the mayor suggested partnering with the Chamber of Commerce.
FY 2024-25 annual audit delayed
The city's annual financial report got a clean audit opinion, but the council only got it Thursday night — so it tabled acceptance two weeks to actually review it with staff.
Veterans Monument at Civic Center
Rialto's first permanent veterans monument is coming to the Civic Center, with granite monoliths honoring past, present and future service members. Target unveiling is early September, possibly September 11.
Measure I transportation funding
The council adopted the Measure I Continuation Expenditure Plan developed by San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, keeping the city aligned with the county's half-cent sales tax transportation program.
Pacific Electric Trail Cultural Resources Compliance
Caltrans demanded extra cultural resources studies before the trail extension can advance under federal NEPA rules. The council approved $63,776 plus a contract amendment with Alta Planning + Design to keep the long-awaited trail extension moving.
Terrorism Preparedness Concerns Raised by Resident
A resident asked whether the city has a plan to protect the public from a potential terrorist attack targeting the gas tank farm in south Rialto. The mayor said the fire chief and police are exploring developing a plan.
Fire Department Cardiac Care Recognition and Fire Chief Appointment
The Fire Department earned the American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline Gold Award — the highest national recognition for pre-hospital cardiac care — and the city manager permanently appointed Chris Jensen as fire chief after seven months in the interim role.
Public records request delays
A resident told the council his records requests have sat unanswered for over 20 days while he pursues a complaint against a city employee, raising fairness concerns.
Carl Johnson Center CDBG reprogramming
The city is shifting $100,000 in federal funds from a stalled ADA project to finish fixing up the Carl Johnson Center gym where kids play sports.
Police robot dog purchase
Rialto PD is buying a $380,255 Spot robot dog — only the second in the region — for tactical situations and community events, with the public invited to name it.
Safe Routes to School improvements
Nearly $650K in curb ramps, sidewalks and flashing-beacon crossings around Frisbie Middle School to make walking to school safer for kids.
King Spa massage parlor at 2012 North Riverside Avenue
A new massage business is approved for a vacant storefront, but with tight oversight: police can visit unannounced during business hours, cameras must feed directly to Rialto PD, and the commission can recheck compliance in six months.
Subdivision of 5.93-acre residential parcel on North Eucalyptus Avenue
A longtime homeowner wants to split his 5.93-acre property so he can separate his house from vacant land and finance the property. The split keeps the residential character of the area, with no new homes planned right now.
Larch Avenue Industrial Project and school district concerns
A new small warehouse is coming to an already-industrial stretch of Larch Avenue. The school district flagged fees, traffic, and safe routes to school — the approval requires fee payment and frontage safety improvements.
Pre-hospital Ultrasound Program
Rialto Fire paramedics are using handheld ultrasound in the field for trauma and cardiac arrest patients, part of a clinical study with about 90% reported accuracy — one of only four agencies in the region doing it.
CFD 2024-1 (Renaissance) Special Tax Bonds
The council authorized about $10.5 million in bonds to fund public improvements and impact fees for the Renaissance development — repaid through special taxes on the 429 homes in that district, not citywide taxpayers.
Small collection recycling center at 592 West Foothill Boulevard
A new recycling center in the rear lot of the Foothill/Lilac shopping center gives residents a nearby spot to redeem CRV bottles and cans. Commissioners weighed its secluded location against required cameras, lighting, and daylight-only hours, and flagged potential friction with the neighboring Carl's Jr. over parking.
134 Willow Avenue property receivership
In closed session the council voted unanimously to start a receivership action on the property at 134 Willow Avenue — a tool to fix problem properties when owners won't.
157 South Sycamore permitting dispute
A homeowner told the council she bought a property in 2023 she was told had three legal units, then found the city had no records of them. She's spent over a year without rent income and now faces a demand to demolish more than half the property; the mayor referred her to Community Development Director Christina Taylor.
I-10 Riverside Avenue Freight Improvement Project
The council locked in a $29.8 million state grant to widen Riverside Avenue over the UP railroad yard, completing the interchange improvements started in 2012. Paperwork had to go to Caltrans by January 20.
Ethics Investigation
Rialto Councilmember Andy Carrizales is off the hook for conflict of interest claims regarding a warehouse project. While he dodged a bullet, the fight over whether to build more warehouses in the city is far from over.
Bioenergy Facility Restructuring
The company behind Rialto's bioenergy plant is going bankrupt! This could mess with how we handle trash and where our power comes from, so it's a big deal for the city to figure out.