EFFECTIVE DATES, TIME LIMITS, AND EXTENSIONS

Riverside Municipal Code tit. 19, art. IX, ch. 19.690

in effect

Riverside Municipal Code § 19.690.010 Purpose.

19.690.010 - Purpose. This chapter identifies the effective date of permit and other approvals and provides requirements (including time limits) for implementation and extension of approval time limits. Unique processing procedures are listed in the individual permit chapters. (Ord. 7331 §105, 2016; Ord. 6966 §1, 2007)

Riverside Municipal Code § 19.690.020 Effective date of permits and actions.

19.690.020 - Effective date of permits and actions. A. Community & Economic Development Department Director, or his/her designee, Development Review Committee or Planning Commission Decisions on Discretionary Permits and Actions. All decisions of the Community & Economic Development Department Director, or his/her designee, Development Review Committee or Planning Commission acting as a final Approving Authority under Table 19.650.020 (Approving and Appeal Authority), shall be effective the first regular business day after the end of the ten day appeal period. Filing of an appeal stays the effective date pending action on the appeal. B. City Council decisions on discretionary permits and actions. All decisions of the City Council in granting or denying a discretionary permit shall become effective on the next City business day following City Council Action, unless the discretionary permit is being processed concurrently with and dependent upon any legislative action, in that case the effective date of the discretionary permit will be governed by Section 19.690.020(C). C. Legislative actions. A legislative approval granted by resolutions, such as a Specific Plan or General Plan amendment, is effective immediately upon adoption of the numbered resolution by the City Council. A legislative approval granted by ordinance, such as a zoning map amendment, is effective 30 days following the date of adoption of the ordinance by the City Council. D. Temporary use permits. Following a decision to approve, conditionally approve or deny a temporary use permit by the Community & Economic Development Department Director, or his/her designee, the applicant or any interested party shall have two business days to file an appeal with the City Manager or authorized designee. If not appealed, the permit is in effect the day following the end of the appeal period. If appealed, the City Manager or authorized designee shall make a decision on the appeal within five working days of its receipt and such action shall be final and the permit, if approved, shall be in effect immediately. (Ord. 7552 §42, 2021; Ord. 7331 §105, 2016; Ord. 6966 §1, 2007)

Riverside Municipal Code § 19.690.030 Time limits.

19.690.030 - Time limits. A. Any discretionary permit granted pursuant to the Zoning Code shall become null and void if not exercised within the time limit specified in the approving document or within one year if no time has been specified. B. Unless an earlier expiration date appears on the face of the permit, any development permit which is issued in conjunction with a tentative subdivision map shall expire no sooner than the approved tentative map or any extension thereof whichever occurs later. C. Any legislative approval shall become null and void if not finalized within two years, unless otherwise specified in the conditions of approval. (Ord. 7331 §105, 2016; Ord. 6966 §1, 2007)

Riverside Municipal Code § 19.690.040 Voiding.

19.690.040 - Voiding. Any variance or permit granted pursuant to the Zoning Code shall become null and void if the owner or owner's authorized representative of the property for which the variance or permit was granted requests, in writing, that the variance or permit be voided and the Approving or Appeal Authority having jurisdiction approves the request. (Ord. 7552 §43, 2021; Ord. 7331 §105, 2016; Ord. 6966 §1, 2007)

Riverside Municipal Code § 19.690.050 Time extension.

19.690.050 - Time extension. A. The period within which the exercise of a discretionary permit or other approval must occur may be extended by the Community & Economic Development Department Director, or his/her designee, as described in B—K below. A Temporary Use Permit may not be extended. An application for extension shall be filed, along with appropriate fees and necessary submittal materials pursuant to Chapter 19.660 (General Application Processing Procedures). B. Variances, administrative design review actions and Minor Conditional Use Permits may receive a maximum of two, one-year time extensions. C. Conditional use permits and Site Plan Review permits, not related to an implementing subdivision and/or legislative action, may be granted time extensions by the Community & Economic Development Department Director, or his/her designee, up to a total of five years beyond the original approval expiration date. At the exhaustion of Community & Economic Development Department Director approved extensions, the original Approving or Appeal Authority following a public hearing noticed pursuant to Section 19.670.030 (Notice of Hearing for Discretionary Actions Requiring a Public Hearing), may grant one final permit extension of up to two years. A public hearing notification fee is required of the applicant in such case, in addition to a time extension fee. D. For all planned residential development permits, related to an implementing subdivision and/or legislative action, may be granted time extensions by the Community & Economic Development Department Director, or his/her designee, up to a total of five years beyond the original approval expiration date prior to issuance of any building permits. Once a building permit has been issued the planned residential development will be considered vested and time extensions are no longer needed. At the exhaustion of Community & Economic Development Department Director approved extensions, the original Approving or Appeal Authority following a public hearing noticed pursuant to Section 19.670.030 (Notice of Hearing for Discretionary Actions Requiring a Public Hearing), may grant one final permit extension of up to two years. A public hearing notification fee is required of the applicant in such case, in addition to a time extension fee. E. Zoning Text/Map, General Plan and Specific Plan amendments may be granted time extensions by the Community & Economic Development Department Director, or his/her designee, up to a total of five years beyond the original approval expiration date. At the exhaustion of Community & Economic Development Department Director approved extensions, the original Approving or Appeal Authority following a public hearing noticed pursuant to Section 19.670.040 (Notice of Hearing for Legislative Actions), may grant one final permit extension of up to two years. A public hearing notification fee is required of the applicant in such case, in addition to a time extension fee. F. Any permit extension may be conditioned to comply with any development standards that may have been enacted since the permit was initially approved. G. The extension may be granted only when the Community & Economic Development Department Director or designated Approving or Appeal Authority finds that the original permit findings can be made and that there are no changed circumstances or that there has been diligent pursuit to exercise the permit that warrants such extension. H. Retroactive time extensions may be granted for a period not greater than specified in Sections 19.690.050 B, C, D and E F. I. A separate fee shall be required for each year of permit extension. J. Extensions related to the terms of nonconforming uses and structures are governed by Article III, Chapter 19.080 (Nonconformities). K. Time extensions for tentative maps are governed by Chapter 18.180 and State Law as it relates to automatic time extensions. L. The period of time specified in Chapter 19.690, including any extension granted by the Community & Economic Development Department Director, or his/her designee, shall not include the period of time during which a lawsuit involving the approval or conditional approval of the entitlement(s) is or was pending in a court of competent jurisdiction, if the stay of the time period is approved by the Community & Economic Development Department Director. After service of the initial petition or complaint in the lawsuit upon the Community & Economic Development Department Director, the applicant may apply for a stay following the same procedures in Chapter 19.690. Within 40 days after receiving the application, the Community & Economic Development Department Director shall either stay the time period for up to five years or deny the requested stay. (Ord. No. 7701, § 44, 2025; Ord. 7683, § 16, 2024; Ord. 7552 §44, 2021; Ord. 7505 §2(Exh. B), 2020; Ord. 7331 §105, 2016; Ord. 6966 §1, 2007)

Riverside Municipal Code § 19.690.060 Exercising permits or approvals.

19.690.060 - Exercising permits or approvals. A. The exercise of a permit occurs when the property owner has completed all conditions of the permit approval and incurred substantial liabilities. B. Unless otherwise provided, approvals that have not been exercised prior to a Zoning Code amendment that makes the approved use or structure of the approval nonconforming shall automatically be deemed invalid on the effective date of the Zoning Code amendment. A new application is then required. (Ord. 7331 §105, 2016; Ord. 6966 §1, 2007)

Riverside Municipal Code § 19.690.070 Approvals to run with land.

19.690.070 - Approvals to run with land. Land use and development permits and approvals granted pursuant to the provisions of this title shall be transferable upon a change of ownership of the site, business, service, use or structures, provided that the use is in substantial conformance with the previously approved use and conditions of the original permit or approval are fully complied with, and the project is not modified or enlarged/expanded. (Ord. 7331 §105, 2016; Ord. 6966 §1, 2007)

Riverside Municipal Code § 19.690.080 Permit(s) on the site during construction.

19.690.080 - Permit(s) on the site during construction. A copy of all land use and development permits (including all corresponding stamped-approved plans) authorizing construction shall be kept on site at all times during construction and made available upon request by an official of the City. (Ord. 7331 §105, 2016; Ord. 6966 §1, 2007)

Source: City of Riverside, California, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/riverside/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_TIT19ZO_ARTIXLAUSDEPEREPR_CH19.690EFDATILIEXFetched: 11/1/2026