TLMA Telegram

Quarter 4, December 2024

Rania Odenbaugh named TLMA Agency Director

Rania Odenbaugh was promoted to Agency Director of the Riverside County Transportation and Land Management Agency (TLMA) on December 26, 2024.

TLMA's departments include the Airport Land Use Commission, Aviation, Building & Safety, Code Enforcement, Planning and Transportation.

Riverside County CEO Jeff Van Wagenen announced Odenbaugh's promotion to the position previously held by Charissa Leach who is transitioning full-time to Assistant County Executive Officer for Public Works & Community Services. Leach previously held both the TLMA Agency Director role along with her duties overseeing the Public Works and Community Services departments.

"Rania brings her experience working with TLMA, the Executive Office, and Eastern Municipal Water District, strong leadership skills, and a proven track record of success to this position. I am confident that she will build on the good work being done at TLMA and lead the agency to new heights," Van Wagenen wrote in his announcement. "Please join me in congratulating both Charissa and Rania on their new roles. We all look forward to seeing the positive impact their leadership will bring to our organization and the communities we serve."

Odenbaugh joined TLMA in April 2023 as Assistant TLMA Director and moved into the role of Managing Director while also serving as interim Code Enforcement Director.

Before joining TLMA, Odenbaugh held the positions of Deputy County Executive Officer and Director of Constituent Services with the County's Executive Office. Prior to working with Riverside County, she was an Engineering Manager with Eastern Municipal Water District and an Assistant Project Manager at Webb and Associates. Her background includes engineering, budgeting, capital improvement planning, grants administration, land use, policy development and water resources planning.

Tesla-powered smart mobile home gated senior community coming to Lakeland Village

Riverside County is set to witness a groundbreaking development aimed at providing an innovative and sustainable living experience for seniors. On October 2, 2024, the Riverside County Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the
construction of a Tesla-powered smart mobile home gated senior community. 

Located in Lakeland Village, this unique, forward- thinking community is designed specifically for individuals aged 55 and older and will feature 71 single-story, energy-efficient modular home units with Tesla solar power integrated into each home. The units will range in size from 958 to 1,318 square feet, each equipped with a 400 square-foot two-car garage. With an emphasis on high-quality materials and sustainability, the development will incorporate solar technology to power each home, ensuring energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact.

In addition to the residential units, the community will offer a variety of exceptional amenities aimed at enhancing residents' quality of life. These include:

• A 2,000 square-foot clubhouse with a gym, common areas, a pet washroom, and a patio.
• A swimming pool, spa, and fireplace providing relaxation and recreation for residents.
• A picnic area with BBQ grills, and game tables for social gatherings and outdoor dining.
• A dog park, benches, and walking trails, perfect for pet owners and outdoor enthusiasts.
• Drought-tolerant landscaping, and fountain feature which will beautify the community while promoting water conservation. 

The development will be situated on two parcels totaling 10.02 acres and will include essential infrastructure improvements such as road access, dedications, street improvements, and landscaping. Additionally, the project is conveniently located within walking distance of existing retail businesses, providing residents with easy access to shopping, dining, and other essential services.

This project stands out not only for its environmental commitment but also for its focus on community, convenience, and innovation. The inclusion of Tesla solar panels, modern modular construction, and energy-efficient features ensures that this senior community will be a model for future developments in the region.

With its thoughtfully designed homes, outstanding amenities, and green technology, this community promises to be a one-of-a-kind development that offers a vibrant, sustainable, and welcoming environment for Riverside County seniors. The County is excited about the upcoming construction of this innovative project, which aims to create a thriving community that will enhance the lives of its residents for years to come.

Solar project expected to connect and deliver renewable electricity to the statewide grid

A proposal to construct and maintain a 117 megawatts solar power plant with a 117 megawatts battery energy storage system was approved by the Board of Supervisors on December 10. The project would generate and deliver renewable electricity to the statewide electricity transmission grid.

As an environmental benefit, the project would help the state achieve its renewable energy goals and mandates. The production of renewable energy has the added benefit of reducing air quality impacts and greenhouse gas emissions that would be produced by fossil-fuel-based generation facilities. It would be developed on previously disturbed private lands to minimize impacts to sensitive species and habitats.

Construction is expected to take place on 1,082 acres of private County land to connect with the remainder of the Sapphire Solar Project on 41 acres of public land under the Bureau of Land Management's federal jurisdiction. The project would be n the central portion of Chuckwalla Valley near the community of Desert Center about halfway between the cities of Indio and Blythe.

Sapphire's substation will consist of an operation and maintenance building with parking, access roads, and generation-tie lines. This would connect with the Southern California Edison Red Bluff Substation via line tap on the existing Desert Harvest generation-tie line located on lands administered by the BLM.

The project is being developed by EDF Renewables and could take 12 to 18 months to  complete.

The project would also provide economic benefits to the County including sales tax revenue from the purchase of equipment and supplies, development impact fees and employment of 150-250 daily workers during the peak construction period and up to 8 full-time jobs at the project site.

Planning Department receives 76 applications from developers with rezoning proposals

The Planning Department is processing 76 applications from developers requesting zoning changes in Riverside County during a 60-day application period held from February 5 to April 5.

Applications for the County's Foundation General Plan Amendment Cycle are only accepted every eight years. The process allows developers to make their case for projects they would like to pursue in Riverside County.

The applications are reviewed by a General Plan Advisory Committee made up of community members during a Planning Director's hearing. Then the application goes to the Planning Commission which makes recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on whether they should approve of the developer initiating the process for a project.

This process simply gives a developer the right to move forward with a project but any project would still have to be approved by the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors.

The applications will be processed by supervisorial district. About a quarter to one-third of the applications propose industrial development, but there is a mixture of commercial and residential proposals as well. 

To view the applications and follow the process, visit our interactive map here. 

CCTV cameras (left), and Executive Assistant Rylee Epperson (right) with traffic signal

New traffic cameras, remote traffic signal control system installed throughout Riverside County

In the past, the Transportation Department solely relied on field crews, motorists, or law enforcement to advise us of signal malfunctions on County-maintained roads. A traffic signal technician would then go out to the location to diagnose the problem and make repairs.

The County initiated a project to reduce response times, staff time and having to rely on reports from third parties to keep our traffic signals running correctly. The Transportation Department operates and maintains 165 traffic signals in Western Riverside County and 30 in eastern Riverside County. 

The first step of the project updated signal controllers and added intelligent transportation system components to gain communication from the controllers to a cloud-based central traffic management system.  Transportation purchased a central system called Transparity that has the ability to bring data from any of our intersections that have been properly equipped.  This system allows the department to see all the equipped locations on a GIS-based map. Those that are communicating will show if there are any alarms or malfunctions or if the signals have fallen out of coordination (if coordination plans are in place).

Our Traffic Signal Technicians and Traffic Engineering staff monitor Transparity throughout the day and can trouble shoot and deploy technicians quickly.  Transportation also has the ability to change the signal timing without going to the field.  Currently, Transportation has 84 locations online in western Riverside County with 81 more to come.

The department also obtained closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in order to view traffic conditions at some of our busiest intersections. These cameras do not record but are intended to enhance the ability to monitor traffic remotely. Currently, there are 12 locations with cameras active and an additional 6 in the process of being brought online. There will be more cameras installed in the future as the budget allows.

Cameras online:

• Van Buren Blvd. and Village West
• Van Buren Blvd. and Meridian Pkwy
• Van Buren Blvd. and Opportunity Way
• Van Buren Blvd. and Washington St.
• Briggs Rd. and Baxter Rd.
• Gilman Springs Rd. and Bridge St.
• Cajalco Expressway and Harvill Ave.
• Pourroy Rd. and Butterfield Stage
• Pourroy Rd. and Murrieta Hot Springs Rd.
• Washington St. and Abeila St/Skyview Rd.
• Bridge St and Ramona Expressway
• Lakeview Ave and Ramona Expressway

Cameras being deployed:

• Cajalco Rd. and Clark St.
• Clinton Keith Rd. and Leon Rd.
• Pourroy Rd. and Encanto Rd/Browning St.
• Van Buren Blvd. and Mockingbird Canyon Rd.
• Hwy 74 and Greenwald Ave/Meadowbrook Ave
• Hwy 74 and Wasson Cyn.

Transportation Department Performance Measures

County and community partners assist Code Enforcement in clearing 72 tons of trash and 400 waste tires

With the help of CalRecycle's Farm and Ranch grant, Code Enforcement cleaned up a notorious illegal dumpsite at two private properties in Thermal. The properties had 72.55 tons of accumulated trash removed through the grant and an estimated 400 waste tires removed.

These two properties were not only cleared, but a barrier gate was repaired and decoy cameras, and reflective lights for oncoming traffic at the T-intersection were installed. The properties bordered the Tribe Torres Martinez property, and as a joint effort, the tribe installed trail cameras to mitigate future illegal dumping.

Riverside County's Housing and Workforce Solutions, Environmental Health's HAZMAT team, Riverside County Animal Services and Burrtec also assisted.

Code Enforcement also thanks District 4 Supervisor V. Manuel Perez's office for providing support through the Clean Money Program which allowed youth groups to assist with the clean up.

Thousand Palms properties cleaned up by Code Enforcement

A mobile home in Thousand Palms caught fire and the owner needed help from Code Enforcement to remove the debris. 

Code Enforcement identified the property as a safety and health hazard that required urgent attention. The clean up included removing fire-damaged materials and hazardous debris.

Code Enforcement officers worked to improve the neighborhood's overall quality of life while providing support to the property owner during a challenging time.

A second property in Thousand Palms which was full of debris and trash was also cleared by Code Enforcement. The cleanup significantly improved the environment for local residents and demonstrates Code Enforcement's commitment to public health and safety.

Aviation welcomes students and community to our airports

Aviation continued the tradition of hosting tours for the community at French Valley and Jacqueline Cochran airports in November 2024. Achieve Ability, a Temecula non-profit that focuses on Community Integration with the autistic and intellectually/developmentally disabled populations, joined us at French Valley Airport. We are grateful to our tenant volunteers who graciously offered their aircraft for the tour.

We also had a group of 20 students from La Quinta Middle School at the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport. The students were able to tour our California Highway Patrol facility, the Desert Jet FBO and Araina Avionics.

View a slideshow of the tours here. 

Transportation touts mapping skills on GIS Day

Riverside County hosted GIS Day - a worldwide event - at the County Administrative Center on November 18 to show the public how several County departments use GIS technology to improve services to our residents. This year's event featured 12 exhibitors from 12 different County departments, eight speakers, and over 200 attendees with 90 of those being high school students from King, Poly, JW North, and Ramona High School.

During the event, the Transportation Department showcased the Road Closure Dashboard, a tool that transforms a previously static list of road closures into an interactive GIS dashboard. This dashboard provides real-time updates, ensuring residents stay informed about County-maintained road conditions via websites, social media, and messaging services.

The dashboard also enhances the department's ability to address road issues and coordinate response efforts. During Tropical Storm Hilary, the dashboard helped the public access information about more than 40 road closures caused by the storm, while enabling the department to manage the response efficiently.

Visit our Road Closure Dashboard at trans.rctlma.org/road-closures.

County seeking public input on how taxpayer dollars are spent

The County of Riverside is enhancing opportunities for community participation in its annual budget process with the launch of a budget priorities survey.

Residents are invited to provide input into how county taxpayer dollars are spent across county departments and services for the upcoming fiscal year.

The survey is part of an expanded effort to give Riverside County residents more opportunities to voice their opinions earlier in the budget development process.

“The goal is to make our budget process more inclusive and responsive to the needs of our diverse communities,” said Board Chair Chuck Washington, Third District Supervisor. “I’m excited to invite the community to help guide decisions that will impact the future of our region.”

The survey is available online in both English and Spanish. Participants can identify services of greater need in their areas, as well as indicate categories of spending to receive more or less funding. The County encourages all to participate.

To further enhance public engagement, the County will also host five budget workshops throughout the county in early 2025. This ensures accessibility for residents across the vast geographic area of Riverside County.

These workshops, will provide an opportunity for residents to learn about the budget process, share their perspectives, and offer input ahead of the annual budget hearings in June. More details on the workshops will be posted in early 2025.

“Engaging the community earlier in our budget planning is critical to ensuring that we are addressing the needs and priorities of our residents,” said Riverside County Executive Officer Jeff Van Wagenen. “This survey is a demonstration of the County's commitment to transparency and accountability. Community feedback will be used during the budget process to improve quality of life across the county. This is an important step, and we look forward to hearing from our community.”

Residents are encouraged to access the survey and provide their feedback in either English and Spanish. The survey will remain open until March 2025. The results will help inform decisions on the County’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1.

For more information about the budget priorities survey, please visit rivco.org/budget-information.