Introduction of Ordinance No. 861.3, an Ordinance of the County of Riverside Amending Ordinance 861 Establishing Procedures and Limited Delegation of Authority
Summary
SCH Number
2026080963
Public Agency
Riverside County
Document Title
Introduction of Ordinance No. 861.3, an Ordinance of the County of Riverside Amending Ordinance 861 Establishing Procedures and Limited Delegation of Authority
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/26/2026
Document Description
[PROJECT TITLE CONTINUED]: for Leases and Licenses of Real Property, and Introduction of Ordinance 598.9, an Ordinance of the County of Riverside Amending Ordinance 598 Establishing Procedures and Delegating Authority for Disposition or Acquisition of Real Property
Riverside County Ordinances 861 and 598 (Ordinances) were originally adopted by the Board of Supervisors (Board) in 1997 and later modified on April 13, 2021 (M.O. 3-10) and on April 27, 2021 (M.O. 3-10). These Ordinances granted delegated authority and provided efficiencies to the Department of Facilities Management and Transportation and Land Management Agency to execute certain real estate agreements pertaining to the acquisition, disposition, leasing, and licensing of real property.
The Board adopted an order to initiate minor amendments to Ordinances 598 and 861 on July 28, 2026, and introduced the reading of Ordinances 598 and 861 on August 25, 2026. Since the last adoption of this ordinance, market conditions and the general increase in property values have raised the working threshold of smaller real estate transactions. The ordinances also require extension of expiration dates on certain purchase authority. The primary purpose of this Form 11 is to introduce Ordinance 861.3 and 598.9, incorporating these and related modifications into each of the Ordinances.
These modifications are as follows:
Ordinance 861.3
1. Authority is delegated to designated county officers, including the Assistant County Executive Officer over the Department of Facilities Management; Director and Assistant Director of the Department of Facilities Management, the TLMA Agency Director, the Director and Assistant Director of the TLMA, Transportation Department, and the Director of Airports of TLMA, Aviation Division to execute certain real estate documents including leases and licenses of real property.
2. Modifies the maximum monthly rental to $100,000 per month for leases or licenses of county owned real property subject to delegated authority.
Ordinance 598.9
1. Authority is delegated to designated county officers, including the Assistant County Executive Officer over the Department of Facilities Management; Director and Assistant Director of the Department of Facilities Management, Director of Transportation, Assistant County Executive Officer/TLMA, the Director and Assistant Director of Transportation, TLMA, and the Airport Manager of TLMA, Aviation Division to execute certain acquisition and disposition agreements pertaining to real property.
2. Requires a Notice of Intention approved by the Board of Supervisors in the event County desires to acquire real property in which the acquisition price exceeds $750,000.
3. Authorizes the delegate to execute real estate agreements pertaining to acquisition of real property in which the acquisition price is $750,000 or less for the purpose of acquiring a public structure, facility, or a project.
4. Authorizes the delegate to execute real estate agreements pertaining to acquisition of real property pertaining specifically to a highway project in which the acquisition price is $750,000 or less.
The introduction of the Amendments to Riverside County Ordinances 861.3 and 598.9 were reviewed and determined to be not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to 15378. The Ordinances include the modification of procedures to the execution of real estate agreements pertaining to the acquisition, disposition, leasing, and licensing of real property which would result in the continuation of existing County operations and would not result in a significant effect on the environment.
Contact Information
Name
Mike Sullivan
Agency Name
County of Riverside Facilities Management
Job Title
Senior Environmental Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Countywide, County of Riverside
Counties
Riverside
Regions
Southern California
Other Location Info
Countywide, County of Riverside
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
The direct effects of the introduction of the Ordinances to modify procedures relating to the execution of real estate agreements for acquisition, disposition, leasing, and licensing of real property would not constitute a project as defined by CEQA Section 21065 and State CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. Section 15378 (b) provides a list of five activities that are not considered a project under CEQA. The proposed Ordinances would qualify under condition (5) identified in Section 15378 (b): (5) organizational or administrative activity of the government that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment. The introduction of the Ordinances by the Board satisfies this condition as the Ordinances would provide minor modifications to the administrative procedures regarding the execution of real estate agreements which would not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment. Based on the above conditions, the introduction of the Ordinances is not a project as defined by CEQA Section 21065 and State CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. The introduction of the ordinances is limited to the modification of procedures to the execution of real estate agreements pertaining to the acquisition, disposition, leasing, and licensing of real property which would result in the subsequent adoption and continuation of existing County operations and would not result in a significant effect on the environment. As a result, the introduction of the ordinances would not result in significant physical impact on the environment since it would not include any changes to the existing land use or physical changes to property.
In accordance with CEQA, the use of the Common Sense Exemption is based on the “general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.” State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15061(b) (3). The use of this exemption is appropriate if “it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” Ibid. This determination is an issue of fact and if sufficient evidence exists in the record that the activity cannot have a significant effect on the environment, then the exemption applies and no further evaluation under CEQA is required. See No Oil, Inc. v. City of Los Angeles (1974) 13 Cal. 3d 68. The ruling in this case stated that if a project falls within a category exempt by administrative regulation or 'it can be seen with certainty that the activity in question will not have a significant effect on the environment', no further agency evaluation is required. With certainty, there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment. The proposed Amendments to County Ordinances regarding procedures and delegation of authority for Leases/Licenses and Acquisition/Disposition of Real Property will not result in any direct or indirect physical environmental impacts. The County's approval of these proposed ordinances does not create any reasonably foreseeable physical change in the environment; it is simply a procedural change in authority to enter into certain agreements. Any real estate transactions conducted pursuant to these ordinances will be done in compliance with CEQA. Therefore, in no way, would the project as proposed have the potential to cause a significant environmental impact and the project is exempt from further CEQA analysis.
Therefore, the County of Riverside hereby concludes that no physical environmental impacts are anticipated to occur and the project as proposed is exempt under CEQA. No further environmental analysis is warranted.
County Clerk
Riverside
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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