HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem No. 01 - General Plan Update - City Council Study Session No. 21)General Plan Update – City Council Study Session No. 2
Discuss and provide direction to staff regarding the General Plan Update.
Page 1 of 1
REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Jason Simpson, City Manager
Prepared by:Damaris Abraham, Assistant Community Development Director
Date:February 22, 2024
Subject:General Plan Update – City Council Study Session No. 2
Recommendation
Discuss and provide direction to staff regarding the General Plan Update.
Background
The City recently launched the General Plan update program. As part of the engagement process,
the project team is hosting up to five (2) City Council study sessions to identify and discuss issues,
proposed plans, and other subjects at key points during the planning process. The first study
session was held on December 12, 2023 and explored what the City Council members envision
for Lake Elsinore’s future.
Discussion
This second study session will explore issues raised at the first study session. To assist in the
discussion, the General Plan update team will highlight key findings from the Existing Conditions
Atlas, Draft Market Analysis Findings, and Proposed Transportation Improvements. Land use,
transportation, and fiscal impacts will be the three major topics that will be discussed at this
session.
Fiscal Impact
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this item.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – Meeting Agenda
Attachment 2 – Existing Conditions Atlas
C I T Y O F L A K E E L S I N O R E
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
A C H I E V E ● A S P I R E ● E L E V A T E
A G E N D A
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION #2: VISIONING
February 22, 2024 | 5:00 – 7:00pm |
Welcome and Introductions – Lisa Brownfield, MIG
Agenda Review, Session’s Purpose, and Intended Outcomes – Lisa Brownfield/Todd Parton
Information to Assist with the Discussion
1. Council Session #1 and Community Input Brief Summary – Lisa Brownfield
2. Atlas Key Findings – Jackie Martinez
3. Draft Market Analysis Findings – Roger Dale
4. Proposed Transportation Improvements – Diwu Zhou
5. Synthesizing Summary Analysis – Todd Parton
Questions for the Council to Consider:
Land Use
1. What does a “world class city mean” to you?
2. Given what we heard about market viability, land uses currently planned (General Plan, Specific Plans),
and proposed projects, and “world class city”:
How should the city move forward?
What are the land use priorities?
If areas are designated for new or different uses, what should happen to the undeveloped areas with
this same use designation?
Should phasing be considered -- Are there some areas that should “wait for infrastructure
improvements to be in place before moving forward?
3. Areas of Special Interest
Freeway Adjacent
Back Basin
Main Street
Alberhill Villages
Central Business Corridor
Ramsgate/Spyglass
Transportation
1. What changes should be made to the Fehr & Peers map and/or the General Plan Circulation Map
2. What are the non-vehicular (bike, pedestrian) priorities – trail/path locations, other facilities?
Fiscal
1. What is “business friendly”?
2. Should the City continue to require new development to pay its way?
3. How should “business friendly be implemented? Is there any circumstance where the City should assist
with infrastructure development/costs (obtain grants, fund, etc.). When should public/private
partnerships be sought?
Existing Conditions Atlas
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update
February 2024
City of Lake Elsinore
Community Development Department
Contact: Damaris Abraham
130 S Main Street
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
537 S. Raymond Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91105
www.migcom.com
In association with:
Fehr & Peers
Albert A. Webb Associates
The Natelson Dale Group
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Acknowledgments
Lake Elsinore City Council
Steve Manos, Mayor
Brian Tisdale, Mayor Pro Tem
Natasha Johnson, Council Member
Bob Magee, Council Member
Timothy Sheridan, Council Member
Planning Commission
Michael Carroll, Chair
Jodi Peters, Vice Chair
John Gray, Commissioner
Miles Ross, Commissioner
Anthony Williams, Commissioner
City Staff
Jason Simpson, City Manager
Todd Parton, Assistant City Manager
Damaris Abraham, Assistant Community Development Director
Remon Habib, City Engineer
Barbara Leibold, City Attorney
Atlas Consultant Team
MIG, Urban and Environmental Planning, Community Engagement
Lisa A. Brownfield, Principal
Jackie Martinez, Deputy Project Manager
Keegan Gulick and Jessa Miller, Associates
Fehr & Peers, Transportation Planning/Engineering
Jason D. Pack, TE, Principal
Paul Herrmann, TE, Senior Associate
Raymond Poss, Transportation Engineer/Planner
Albert A. Webb Associates, Infrastructure
Bruce Davis, Senior Vice President
Jeff Hart, Deputy Director, Water Resources
Marco Gonzalez, Assistant Engineer
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas TOC-1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction................................................................................................................................... I-1
Context ................................................................................................................................................. I-1
Planning Area....................................................................................................................................... I-1
Land Use ..................................................................................................................................... LU-1
Existing Land Use Pattern ............................................................................................................... LU-1
General Plan................................................................................................................................... LU-11
District Plans................................................................................................................................... LU-15
Speciflc Plans ................................................................................................................................. LU-21
Zoning ............................................................................................................................................ LU-29
Key Considerations ....................................................................................................................... LU-30
Housing ........................................................................................................................................ H-1
Housing Stock .................................................................................................................................... H-1
Key Considerations ........................................................................................................................... H-2
Historic and Cultural Heritage .................................................................................................. HC-1
Lake Elsinore’s Historic Downtown ............................................................................................... HC-5
Historic Preservation Organizations and Services ....................................................................... HC-5
Historic Resources .......................................................................................................................... HC-5
Key Considerations ........................................................................................................................ HC-6
Demographics ............................................................................................................................ DE-1
Population ........................................................................................................................................ DE-1
Age, Ethnicity/Race, Education Attainment .................................................................................. DE-5
Population Income and Disability .................................................................................................. DE-6
Key Considerations ......................................................................................................................... DE-9
Public Services and Utilities ....................................................................................................... PS-1
City Facilities and Services ............................................................................................................. PS-1
Water ................................................................................................................................................ PS-9
Sewer .............................................................................................................................................. PS-17
Storm Drainage ............................................................................................................................. PS-19
Power and Natural Gas ................................................................................................................. PS-20
Circulation .................................................................................................................................... C-1
2023 Conditions ................................................................................................................................ C-1
Mobility of the Future ........................................................................................................................ C-6
Legislative Landscape ....................................................................................................................... C-7
Key Considerations ........................................................................................................................... C-8
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space ........................................................................................... PR-1
Parks and Recreation ....................................................................................................................... PR-1
Open Space ..................................................................................................................................... PR-7
Key Considerations ......................................................................................................................... PR-8
Natural Resources ..................................................................................................................... NR-1
Open Space and Natural Resources ............................................................................................ NR-1
Water Resources ............................................................................................................................. NR-5
Mineral Resources ......................................................................................................................... NR 11
Key Considerations ...................................................................................................................... NR-13
Topography and Terrain .............................................................................................................. NR-12
Key Considerations ...................................................................................................................... NR-12
Safety and Hazards .................................................................................................................... SH-1
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TOC-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Natural Hazards ............................................................................................................................... SH-1
Geologic Hazards ............................................................................................................................ SH-7
Wildflre Hazards .............................................................................................................................. SH-8
Climate Vulnerability ..................................................................................................................... SH-19
Hazardous Waste and Pollution Sites .......................................................................................... SH-22
Key Considerations ....................................................................................................................... SH-25
Environmental Justice, Health, and Wellness ............................................................................ EJ-1
Disadvantaged Communities ......................................................................................................... EJ-1
Key Considerations ....................................................................................................................... EJ-15
Healthy Places Index ..................................................................................................................... EJ-16
Food Access ................................................................................................................................... EJ-22
Physical Activity and Park Access ................................................................................................. EJ-24
Key Considerations ....................................................................................................................... EJ-27
LIST OF TABLES
Table LU-1: Existing Land Uses .................................................................................................................... LU-5
Table LU-2: 2011 General Plan Content ................................................................................................... LU-11
Table LU-3: General Plan Land Use Designations ................................................................................... LU-15
Table LU-4: District Plans ............................................................................................................................ LU-16
Table LU-5: Speciflc Plans .......................................................................................................................... LU-22
Table LU-6: Zoning Districts ....................................................................................................................... LU-29
Table H-1: Housing Stock Characteristics ..................................................................................................... H-1
Table H-2: Housing Characteristics by Tenure ............................................................................................. H-2
Table DE-1: Historical and Projected Population Growth ......................................................................... DE-1
Table DE-2: Historical and Projected Growth Percent Change ................................................................ DE-1
Table DE-3: Median Household Income .................................................................................................... DE-6
Table PS-1: Lake Elsinore Unifled School District Campuses ................................................................... PS-6
Table PS-2: Population and Project Water Demands Projection for the City of Lake Elsinore .............. PS-9
Table PS-3: Future Improvements: Transmission and Distribution Pipelines (2023 Dollars) ............... PS-13
Table PS-4: Future Improvements: Booster Pump Stations (2023 Dollars) ........................................... PS-13
Table PS-5: Future Improvements: Storage Reservoirs Tanks (2023 Dollars) ....................................... PS-13
Table PS-6: Future Improvements: Wells (2023 Dollars) ......................................................................... PS-14
Table PS-7: Future Improvements: Pump Replacement Costs (2023 Dollars) ...................................... PS-17
Table PS-8: Future Improvements: Recycled Water Facilities (2023 Dollars) ........................................ PS-17
Table PS-9: Future Improvements: Wastewater Facilities Capacity Base Improvements
(2023 Dollars) ................................................................................................................................ PS-19
Table PR-1: Recreational Facility Standards (2008) .................................................................................... PR-2
Table PR-2: Park Facilities ............................................................................................................................. PR-5
Table PR-3: Recreational Facilities ............................................................................................................... PR-7
Table PR-4: Open Spaces ............................................................................................................................. PR-7
Table NR-1: Planning Areas Natural Communities ................................................................................... NR-2
Table SH-1: Recent Earthquake History ...................................................................................................... SH-1
Table SH-2: Soil Categories (Legend for Figure SH-3) ............................................................................ SH-11
Table SH-3: Lake Elsinore Populations and Assets of Concern .............................................................. SH-20
Table SH-4: Highly and Severely Vulnerable Populations ....................................................................... SH-21
Table SH-5: Highly and Severely Vulnerable Assets ................................................................................ SH-21
Table SH-6: Hazardous Waste Handlers and Generators ....................................................................... SH-22
Table of Contents
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas TOC-3
Table SH-7: Pollutant Discharge by Type .................................................................................................. SH-25
Table EJ-1: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Indicators ................................................................................................. EJ-1
Table EJ-2: CalEnviroScreen (CES) 4.0 Percentile Scores .......................................................................... EJ-2
Table EJ-3: Pollution Burden Indicators Percentile Scores ........................................................................ EJ-7
Table EJ-4: Population Burden Indicators Percentile Scores .................................................................. EJ-12
Table EJ-5: Healthy Places Index Indicator Weights and Community Characteristics ......................... EJ-16
Table EJ-6: Healthy Places Index Percentile Scores (Citywide) .............................................................. EJ-17
Table EJ-7: Healthy Places Index Score .................................................................................................... EJ-21
Table EJ-8: Health Condition and Healthcare Service Comparisons .................................................... EJ-21
Table EJ-9: Health Insurance Coverage .................................................................................................... EJ-22
Table EJ-10: Students Eligible for Free or Reduced Priced Meals ......................................................... EJ-23
Table EJ-11: Weight and Physical Activity ................................................................................................ EJ-24
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure I-1: Planning Area .................................................................................................................................. I-3
Figure I-2: City Council Voting Districts .......................................................................................................... I-4
Figure LU-1: Existing Land Use Distribution (Percent of Total Acres) ...................................................... LU-1
Figure LU-2: Existing Land Use .................................................................................................................... LU-3
Figure LU-3: Residential Uses (Percent of Residential Acres) ................................................................... LU-7
Figure LU-4: Major Land Use Categories ................................................................................................... LU-9
Figure LU-5: Residential Density ............................................................................................................... LU-10
Figure LU-6: General Plan Land Use ......................................................................................................... LU-13
Figure LU-7: District Plans .......................................................................................................................... LU-19
Figure LU-8: Speciflc Plans ......................................................................................................................... LU-27
Figure LU-9: Zoning .................................................................................................................................... LU-31
Figure H-1: Renter Occupied Households ................................................................................................... H-3
Figure H-2: Overcrowded Households ......................................................................................................... H-4
Figure HC-1: Building Age .......................................................................................................................... HC-3
Figure HC-2: Annexation History ................................................................................................................ HC-4
Figure HC-2: Historic Landmarks ............................................................................................................... HC-7
Figure DE-1: Population Density ................................................................................................................. DE-3
Figure DE-2: Population Age ....................................................................................................................... DE-5
Figure DE-3: Race and Ethnicity .................................................................................................................. DE-6
Figure DE-4: Poverty Status .......................................................................................................................... DE-7
Figure PS-1: Community Facilities ............................................................................................................... PS-3
Figure PS-2: Fire Station Access .................................................................................................................. PS-4
Figure PS-3: Schools and Educational Facilities ........................................................................................ PS-7
Figure PS-4: Water System ......................................................................................................................... PS-11
Figure PS-5: Recycled Water Facilities ...................................................................................................... PS-15
Figure PS-6: Wastewater Facilities ............................................................................................................. PS-21
Figure PS-7: Storm Drain Facilities ............................................................................................................ PS-22
Figure C-1: Opportunities and Constraints Presented by Existing Roadway Network ............................ C-1
Figure C-2: Infiow and Outfiow Job Counts for Lake Elsinore (2019) ....................................................... C-2
Figure C-3: Mode Share (Percent) for Commute Trips (2016-2020) .......................................................... C-2
Figure C-4: VMT Per Service Population Comparison in the Neighboring Cities (2018) ........................ C-3
Figure C-5: Transit Routes and Stops ............................................................................................................ C-5
Figure C-6: Truck Routes ................................................................................................................................ C-6
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TOC-4 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Figure C-7: Disruptive Transportation Trends .............................................................................................. C-7
Figure C-8: State Policies Affecting Circulation Element ............................................................................ C-8
Figure C-9: Zero Vehicle Households ......................................................................................................... C-11
Figure PR-1: Parks, Open Space, and Recreation Facilities ....................................................................... PR-3
Figure NR-1: Vegetative Communities ...................................................................................................... NR-3
Figure NR-2: MSHCP Conservation Areas ................................................................................................. NR-7
Figure NR-3: Watersheds ............................................................................................................................ NR-8
Figure NR-4: Groundwater Basins .............................................................................................................. NR-9
Figure NR-5: Water Courses ..................................................................................................................... NR-10
Figure NR-6: Topography .......................................................................................................................... NR-13
Figure SH-1: Regional Faults and Historic Earthquakes ............................................................................ SH-3
Figure SH-2: Local Seismic Hazards ............................................................................................................ SH-4
Figure SH-3: Liquefaction Susceptibility Zones ......................................................................................... SH-5
Figure SH-4: Soil Classiflcations .................................................................................................................. SH-9
Figure SH-5: Flood Hazards ....................................................................................................................... SH-15
Figure SH-6: Dam & Reservoir Inundations Hazards ............................................................................... SH-16
Figure SH-7: Historic Fire Perimeter .......................................................................................................... SH-17
Figure SH-8: Wildflre Hazards .................................................................................................................... SH-18
Figure SH-9: Hazardous Waste Generators .............................................................................................. SH-23
Figure SH-10: Pollution Sites ...................................................................................................................... SH-27
Figure EJ-1: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 ................................................................................................................. EJ-5
Figure EJ-2: Pollution Burdens ..................................................................................................................... EJ-9
Figure EJ-3: Population Characteristics .................................................................................................... EJ-13
Figure EJ-4: Healthy Places Index ............................................................................................................. EJ-19
Figure EJ-5: Healthcare and Medical Access ........................................................................................... EJ-20
Figure EJ-6: Grocery Store Access ............................................................................................................ EJ-25
Figure EJ-7: Park Access............................................................................................................................. EJ-29
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas I-1
INTRODUCTION
This Lake Elsinore General Plan
Existing Conditions Map Atlas
(Atlas) provides a “snapshot” in
time of Lake Elsinore and the
adjacent unincorporated Riverside
County communities known here
as the “Sphere of Infiuence or SOI.”
In a concise and graphic format
including maps, tables, graphs,
and photographs, the Atlas
explores character, transportation
and mobility, market analysis,
natural resources, safety and
hazards, public services and
infrastructure, and environment justice. The Atlas is the foundational information for the Lake Elsinore
General Plan 2040.
Context
Lake Elsinore is located in the western portion of Riverside County, approximately 30 miles south of
downtown Riverside; Lake Elsinore is bordered by the cities of Wildomar, Canyon Lake, and Menifee,
and unincorporated communities of Meadowbrook, Lakeland Village, Terra Cotta, and Alberhill. Los
Angeles is approximately 60 miles northwest, Palm Springs 70 miles northeast, San Juan Capistrano 35
miles southwest, and San Diego 75 miles southwest.
The City surrounds Lake Elsinore, the largest freshwater lake in southern California. The Lake is a
popular recreational destination. Recreation activities include boating, waterboarding, flshing,
camping, swimming, and sunbathing. The Cleveland National Forest is to the southwest of the City’s
SOI.
Interstate 15 (I-15), also known as the Corona Freeway, runs northwest/southeast through Lake
Elsinore’s urbanized area connecting with nearby Corona and Murrieta. Ortega Highway (State Route
74 or SR-74) runs northeast/southwest connecting Lake Elsinore to Perris and Rancho Mission Viejo.
Planning Area
The City of Lake Elsinore encompasses approximately 43 square miles within Riverside County. Lake
Elsinore land uses are a mix of residential, commercial, and manufacturing, with a concentration near I -
15 and SR-74.
The City’s Sphere of Infiuence (SOI)1 extends into unincorporated County land and covers a total of 72
square miles. Most of this land is vacant/open space with terrain that is highly sloped.
1 A Sphere of Influence is unincorporated County area likely to receive city services and possibly annexed
to the city in the future. In California, the spheres of influence are determined by the Local Agency
Formation Commission (LAFCO).
Introduction
I-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
The area within the corporate City limits and the SOI are collectively called the Planning Area (Figure I-
1). While the City has no formal authority within the SOI, the State of California requires a city to
consider land use planning for areas that bear relation to the City’s future. This planning approach
provides cities with a means of shaping the future of areas they may eventually annex.
Originally, the Lake Elsinore Valley was located within San Diego County. However, in 1893, Lake
Elsinore Valley became a part of the newly created County of Riverside. Lake Elsinore incorporated as a
city on April 20, 1888. Lake Elsinore has flve-member City Council and is under the Council-Manager
form of government. In 2022, the City adopted new council districts as shown in Figure I-2.
Introduction
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas I-3
Introduction
I-4 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-1
LAND USE
Existing land use and adopted policy documents/plans provide a starting point for understanding past
planning efforts that have shaped and continue to shape Lake Elsinore. These plans include the
General Plan, Zoning Code, 16 District Plans, and 22 Speciflc Plans.
Existing Land Use Pattern
The City of Lake Elsinore contains nearly 30,849 parcels encompassing almost 22,052.4 acres
(excluding street rights-of-way). The Sphere of Infiuence adds an additional 17,971.9 acres to the
Planning Area (Planning Area is deflned as the City and Sphere of Infiuence). Like many cities in the
Inland Empire, large portions of Lake Elsinore are undeveloped, where 20 percent of land is vacant.
Parks and open space uses make up nearly one-third of the Planning Area (31.2 percent).
Approximately 19 percent of the Planning Area is residential, the majority of which is single -family
residential. Commercial, industrial, and agricultural/rural uses total 3.2 percent, 1.3 percent, and 23
percent, respectively (Figures LU-1 and LU-2 and Table LU-1).
Figure LU-1: Existing Land Use Distribution (Percent of Total Acres)
Source: Urban Footprint, 2023
A number of distinct neighborhoods within the City of Lake Elsinore are often deflned by the name of a
speciflc plan. For example, residents describe themselves as being from Tuscany Hills or Alberhill
Ranch neighborhoods, which are both speciflc plan areas. Other neighborhoods are deflned by the
Parks & Open Space
31.2%
Agriculture &
Natural Resource
Extraction
23.0%
Vacant
20.3%
Residential
19.2%
Commercial
3.2%
Public Facilities &
Institutions
1.7%
Industrial
1.3%Airport
0.2%
Land Use
LU-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
development name, such as Country Club Heights. Neighborhoods are also deflned by common
characteristics (e.g. the Historic District), location, or geography.
The Historic District acts as the heart of the City due to its central location, Main Street corridor, and
concentration of historic, cultural, and civic uses. Several registered and non -registered historic
buildings are located within the Historic District, many of which date to the late 1800’s and include sites
such as the Grand Armory of the Republic Building, Crescent Bath House, and the Santa Fe Depot.
To the north of the Historic District lies the Business District, which acts as Lake Elsinore’s business and
industrial hub. The Business District is anchored by the Outlets at Elsinore, the largest shopping
destination in Lake Elsinore, as well as other big box stores and industrial parks. In addition, other
commercial hubs include the Elsinore City Center (I-15 at Lake Elsinore’s eastern edge), the
commercial areas around the Central Avenue and Dexter Avenue intersection, and the commercial
areas surrounding Diamond Stadium in the Ballpark District. Small commercial clusters can also be
found throughout the city’s neighborhood centers and at major intersections.
Many of the Lake Elsinore neighborhoods primarily consist of single-family residences surrounded by
recreational uses, vacant land, open space, and conservation areas. These areas are characterized by
rolling hills offering expansive views of Lake Elsinore and the City. Residential developments in the
City’s flve Sphere Districts and outermost City Districts (Lake Elsinore Hills, Alberhill, and North Peak)
have low-density lots and a more rural feel than more urbanized parts of the City due to higher
amounts of vacant land and open space. Multi-family residences are mostly located in the areas
surrounding the Lake.
Land Use
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-3
Land Use
LU-4 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
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Land Use
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-5
Table LU-1: Existing Land Uses
Residential, Single-Family 3,421.2 15.5% 2,305.4 12.8% 5,726.6 14.3%
Residential, Duplexes and Triplexes 69.1 0.3% 21.5 0.1% 90.6 0.2%
Residential, 4+ Units 188.8 0.9% 199.1 1.1% 387.9 1.0%
Townhomes 11.6 0.1% -- -- 11.6 0.0%
Mobile Homes 302.1 1.4% 1,160.3 6.5% 1,462.4 3.7%
Regional Retail 126.9 0.6% 2.1 0.001% 129.0 0.3%
Local Retail 712.1 3.2% 260.0 1.4% 972.1 2.4%
Office 55.4 0.3% 11.1 0.1% 66.5 0.2%
Hotel/Motel 26.6 0.1% 0.3 0.0% 26.9 0.1%
Commercial Recreation Facility 70.5 0.3% 11.2 0.1% 81.7 0.2%
Heavy Industrial 0.6 0.0% -- -- 0.6 0.0%
Light Industrial 281.5 1.3% 161.7 0.9% 443.2 1.1%
Warehousing, Distribution,
Storage
4.9 0.001% 25.4 0.1% 30.3 0.1%
Public Storage 27.2 0.1% 3.4 0.001% 30.6 0.1%
Parks 3,413.6 15.5% 5,370.5 29.9% 8,784.1 21.9%
Open Space 3.7 0.0% 60.7 0.3% 64.4 0.2%
Cemeteries 22.6 0.1% -- -- 22.6 0.1%
Golf Courses 187.4 0.8% -- -- 187.4 0.5%
Natural Conservation 30.2 0.1% 11.1 0.1% 41.3 0.1%
Other Parks and Open Space 2,150.1 9.8% 1,247.2 6.9% 3,397.3 8.5%
Land Use
LU-6 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Table LU-1: Existing Land Uses
Emergency Services 214.1 1.0% 1.1 0.001% 215.2 0.5%
Primary and Secondary Education 245.6 1.1% 67.7 0.4% 313.3 0.8%
Religious Institution 31.3 0.1% 101.0 0.6% 132.3 0.3%
Other Public Facilities and
Institutions
0.2 0.0001% -- -- 0.2 0.0%
5,153.7 23.4% 4,066.4 22.6% 9,220.1 23.0%
73.1 0.3% -- -- 73.1 0.2%
5,228.4 23.7% 2,884.8 16.1% 8,113.2 20.3%
Source: Urban Footprint, 2023
Land Use
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-7
RESIDENTIAL LAND USES
Residential uses in the Planning Area account for approximately 19 percent of all land uses and are
found throughout Lake Elsinore. Three-quarters of the residential land uses are single-family (one-unit)
uses (Figure LU-3 and Figure LU-4). Mobile homes, the second largest residential use category,
accounts for 19 percent of residential land. Within the City of Lake Elsinore, mobile homes are primarily
located in the Lake View, Historic Village, and Lake Edge District. However, mobile homes are
predominantly found in the Lakeland Village, Meadowbrook, and North Central Sphere Districts. Multi-
family uses (duplexes/triplexes/quadplexes, townhomes, and buildings with 4+ units) account for six
percent of residential land and can be found throughout Lake Elsinore, generally along major arterials
and at key intersections. However, multi-family uses are largely clustered in the Lakeview District to the
west of the Lake and in the Riverview, Historic, and Business Districts to the north of the Lake.
Figure LU-3: Residential Uses (Percent of Residential Acres)
Source: Urban Footprint, 2023
Density is measured by how many units are in one acre of land. Housing units in Residential Mixed Use
(RMU) and High Density (R-2, R-3, CMU and RMU) zoned areas have the highest housing density
potential, at over seven units per acre (Figure LU-5). Typical residential types found in these higher
density zones include apartments, condos, townhouses, and row houses. Most single -family
neighborhoods have an allowed density range from one to six dwelling units per acre . Figure LU-5
shows that a majority of the City is developed at 15 dwelling units per acre or less.
COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL LAND USES
Commercial areas make up 4.5 percent of all land uses in the City alone and 3.2 percent in the overall
Planning Area. Most commercial uses are located along I-15, Ortega Highway (SR- 74), Grand Avenue,
North Main Street, and Lakeshore Drive. Commercial clusters are also found at major intersections.
Offlce uses occur in these same areas, but account for less than one percent of all commercial land.
Regional commercial uses include major shopping centers and big box stores such as the Lake
Elsinore Outlets located on Collier Avenue; Costco, Lowes, and Home Depot along Dexter Avenue,
Target at the I-15/Central Avenue intersection; and the “City Center” (Wal-Mart and Vons) at the I-
15/Railroad Canyon. Local commercial uses include low-intensity strip malls and Main Street
Mobile Homes
19%
Multi-Family
6%
Single Family
75%
Land Use
LU-8 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
businesses. Strip malls account for a majority of all commercial uses in the Planning Area. Most of the
commercial uses are commuter/auto-oriented and often characterized by large surface parking lots.
Industrial uses make up 1.2 percent of the Planning Area land, predominately located within the
Business District near I-15 and adjacent to the major shopping centers listed above. The majority of the
Planning Area’s industrial land is dedicated to light industrial uses.
Parks and open space comprise over 30 percent of the Planning Area land use acreage. Parks and
open space areas include State and City parks, Bureau of Land Management lands, Cleveland National
Forest, Links at Summerly Golf Course, Canyon Lake Golf and Country Club, Elsinore Valley Cemetery,
and Pioneer Cemetery. See Chapter 6: Public Services and Infrastructure for further discussion on parks
and recreation facilities.
Much of the Planning Area’s open space is designated for conservation under the Multiple Species
Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP). Furthermore, Lake Elsinore is surrounded by hills with steep
slopes that pose difflculties for land development. In many cases, open space uses may be most
appropriate to remain undeveloped due to conservation goals and physical constraints to
development.
Approximately two percent of the Planning Area’s total land area is devoted to public facilities and
institutional uses. The Public Facilities and Institutional land uses primarily include educational
facilities, emergency services, and religious institutions. The Public Facilities and Institutional land uses
are generally found in and adjacent to low-density residential areas and in Lake Elsinore’s civic hub, the
Historic District. Some educational uses are also located near industrial and commercial uses in the
Business District, such as Ortega High School.
Land used for agriculture and natural resource extraction is found throughout the Planning Area and
makes up 23 percent of all land uses. Agricultural uses include typical activities, such as the raising of
livestock and crop production, but can also include uses such as gravel pits and extraction of mineral
resources. Agriculture and natural resource extraction uses are mostly concentrated in the northern
City and Sphere Districts such as North Peak, Alberhill, Meadowbrook, and Northwest. Signiflcant clay
resources are associated with the Alberhill area in the north portion of the City and classifled by the
State Department of Conservation, Division of Mines and Geology. The mining activity is being phased
out in accordance with approved permits, and the continued use and ultimate reclamation of these
lands has been or will be addressed in the speciflc plans prepared for these areas. Additionally, City
records indicate that there are no major agricultural operations in Lake Elsinore, and agriculture use is
only allowed in the R-M-R (Rural Mountainous Residential District) and R (Recreational District). Overall,
agriculture and rural uses will continue to become less prominent as Lake Elsinore evolves into an
urbanized community.
The Skylark Field Airport is located in the East Lake District and totals 73.1 acres (less than one percent
of the Planning Area’s land use). It is privately owned/operated; Skylark Field Airport is home to
Skydive Elsinore, the oldest and longest running drop zone in North America and one of Lake
Elsinore’s main recreational attractions.
Land Use
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-9
<FIGURE: MAJOR LAND USE CATEGORIES - LOCATIONS>
Land Use
LU-10 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Land Use
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-11
Vacant land comprises 20 percent of land in the Planning Area (8,113 acres). Vacant properties are
distributed throughout the Planning Area, many of which include steep slopes that impact
development feasibility. The speciflc plans call for the conversion of vacant land into mostly residential
development or for the preservation of open space.
General Plan
Adopted in 2011, the General Plan guides long-term growth and promotes the Lake Elsinore
community’s fundamental values and vision for the City’s future development. State law mandates that
seven elements be addressed in the General Plan: land use, circulation, housing, open space,
conservation, noise, and safety. Although mandated, these elements do not have to be presented in
individual chapters. The City’s 2011 General Plan combined these topic areas into a smaller number of
integrated chapters since the elements were found to be interrelated. The General Plan contains three
Plan Chapters: Community Form, Public Safety and Welfare, and Resource Protection and Preservation.
Table LU-2 summarizes the elements and topic areas covered in each of these chapters . Figure LU-6
summarize the General Plan land use designations.
Table LU-2: 2011 General Plan Content
Community Form Land Use
Circulation
Housing
Neighborhoods, housing, circulation, urban
design, parks and recreation, special
treatment areas.
Additionally, this chapter identifles 17 land
use designations, eight of which allow for
residential development offering a mix of
housing types to Lake Elsinore residents.
The Housing Element, updated in 2022,
pertains to the 2021 – 2029 planning period;
it was certifled by the Department of Housing
and Community Development (HCD) as
compliant with State law.
Public Safety and
Welfare
Public Safety
Noise
Flooding, seismic activity, wildflres, hazards
and hazardous materials, community facilities
and services, flre and police, utilities, schools,
libraries, air quality, noise, and
telecommunications.
Resource Protection
and Preservation
Conservation
Open Space
Biological resources, Multiple Species
Habitat Conservation Plan, open space, water
resources, mineral resources, cultural and
paleontological resources, historic
preservation, aesthetics, greenhouse gas
emissions/sustainable environment, and
energy conservation.
Land Use
LU-12 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
The General Plan contains goals, policies, and implementation measures addressing issues of interest
with the Lake Elsinore community:
• The City is a predominantly residential community and it strives to be more than a bedroom
community for Los Angeles and San Diego. The City seeks to accomplish this by creating a
diverse and integrated balance of land uses.
• As the only natural lake remaining in Southern California, maintaining the Lake as a natural and
recreational resource is a top priority for environmental, visual, and economic reasons. There is
a desire to re-emphasize the Lake and expand lakeside opportunities.
• Sustainability is a central concern for the future of Lake Elsinore. Future development must
consider the needs of current and future residents. Sustainable green building practices
should also be incorporated into future development regulations and design criteria.
• There is increased interest in mixed-use, pedestrian oriented development that incorporates
urban design components to improve community livability. Speciflc components include
appropriate public service levels, scaled landscaping, user-friendly lighting, and public art.
• Lake Elsinore’s long history has produced numerus cultural and historic sites and structures
that should be preserved and revitalized.
• With growth and development, trafflc and infrastructure capacity become an increasing
concern. The City should evaluate growth impacts from individual and cumulative projects to
determine their effect on quality of life within the City.
• Parks and recreation facilities should continue to be distributed equitably throughout the City
and serve the current and future needs of the community.
• Air quality remains a regional issue that needs to be addressed. Pollutants loads of ozone,
PM2.5, and PM10 continue to exceed state and federal standards.
• Lake Elsinore is at risk of numerous natural hazards including fiooding, wildflres, and seismic
activity. Efforts should be taken to minimize risks to life, property, and the environment from
future natural hazards.
• Roadway trafflc is a major source of noise within the City. Other noise sources include industrial
and manufacturing facilities, Skylark Airport, schools, construction activities and recreational
activities.
• Future growth needs to be balanced with the conservation and enhancement of the area’s
natural resources as development can impact resources such as water quality and associated
watersheds.
The City has provided for 18 different land use designations guiding the future development of the
City. The location of the land use designations are shown in Figure LU-6 and key land use provisions
are summarized in Table LU-3.
Land Use
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-13
<MAP: CURRENT GENERAL PLAN LAND USE PLAN >
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LU-14 | Land Use Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-15
Table LU-3: General Plan Land Use Designations
Lakeside Residential 0-4 -- L 101.6 0.4%
Hillside Residential 0-1 -- R-M-R, R-H 1,829.4 7.4%
Low Density
Residential
1-3 0.40 R-R, R-E 645.6 2.6%
Low-Medium
Residential
1-6 0.40 R-1, MC 2,567.8 10.3%
Medium Density
Residential
7-18 0.50 R-2 394.0 1.6%
High Density
Residential
19-24 0.50 R-3 306 1.2%
Commercial Mixed Use 7-18 0.80 CMU 425.7 1.7%
Residential Mixed Use 19-24 1.00/1.2 RMU 127.2 0.5%
General Commercial -- 0.40 C-2 653.8 2.6%
Neighborhood
Commercial
-- 0.30 C-1, C-O 58.5 0.2%
Tourist Commercial -- 0.35/0.40 C-P 11.9 0.1%
Business Professional -- 0.45 C-M 166.5 0.7%
Limited Industrial -- 0.45 M-1, M-2, M-3 471.4 1.9%
Public/Institutional -- 0.20 PI 870.3 3.5%
Speciflc Plan Varies Varies Varies 14,490.5 58.4%
Recreational -- 0.20 R 420.1 1.7%
Open Space -- 0.01 OS 1,062.3 4.3%
Floodway1 -- -- F 231.2 0.9%
Total (within City Limits) 24,833.9 100%
1 This designation provides for the channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that
must be reserved in order to discharge the 100-year fiood without cumulatively increasing the water surface
elevation more than one foot.
Source: City of Lake Elsinore 2023
District Plans
In addition to the three topical chapters discussed above, the 2011 Lake Elsinore General Plan also
consists of 16 District Plans that cover speciflc, deflned geographic areas within the City and its Sphere
of Infiuence. The District Plans provide a more precise focus and recognize the unique and treasured
assets of the individual communities that make up the City. District Plan goals and policies aim to
refiect the goals and policies of the adopted Speciflc Plans within each district. If a confiict or
discrepancy exists between District Plan and Speciflc Plan goal and policies, the adopted Speciflc Plan
prevails. Table LU -4 and Figure LU-7 provide an overview of the City’s District Plans.
Land Use
LU-16 | Land Use Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Table LU-4: District Plans
Alberhill District Alberhill Ranch
Alberhill Villages
Murdock Alberhill Ranch
Nichols Ranch (partial)
Terracina
Approximately 4,240 acres consisting of
extractive uses, vacant lands, residential
uses, commercial uses, conservation areas,
and parks.
Abundance of high-quality natural
resources and extractive activities
including historic mining
operations.
Ballpark District Diamond Approximately 123.2 acres including a mix of
commercial, tourist, entertainment facilities,
and the Diamond Stadium.
Diamond Stadium, home to the
Lake Elsinore Storm professional
baseball team.
Business District Outlet Center Approximately 1,322.7 acres consisting of
the strongest concentration of industrial and
commercial uses in the City.
Outlets at Lake Elsinore and other
shopping centers.
Country Club Heights
District
- Approximately 995 acres of sparsely
developed residential uses.
Steep topography offering
expansive views of the lake,
mountains, and City. Limited
provision of sewer and water
provisions and transportation
infrastructure partially due to the
area’s steep terrain.
East Lake District East Lake Approximately 3,240 acres containing a mix
of industrial, single-family residential, active
recreational uses, wetland habitat, and
fioodway.
Proximity to Lake Elsinore and
“home” to extreme sport activities
including the Skylark Field Airstrip,
the Glider Launch Field, Skydive
Elsinore facilities and the Lake
Elsinore Motocross Park. Located in
the 100-year fioodplain.
Historic District Downtown Elsinore Approximately 474 acres, including civic,
commercial, and residential uses.
The physical and cultural heart of
the City. Home to most of the City’s
historic structures and civic uses.
Includes a pedestrian-friendly Main
Street that overlooks Lake Elsinore
and the Santa Ana mountains.
Land Use
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-17
Table LU-4: District Plans
Lake Edge District - Approximately 876.2 acres offering a range
of uses with an emphasis towards recreation,
custom homes with lake access, commercial
mixed uses, open space, and several miles of
shoreline.
Exceptional range of recreational
activities supported by the District’s
lake access.
Lake Elsinore Hills District Canyon Creek
Canyon Hills
Canyon Hills Estates
Ramsgate
Spyglass Ranch
Tuscany Hills
Elsinore City Center
Approximately 7,486 acres primarily
consisting of master planned residential
communities, vacant land, commercial uses,
and conservation areas.
Largest district within the City
including the largest and most
diverse open space landscape
areas.
Lake View District Cape of Good Hope
Cottage Lane
La Laguna Estates
Lakeshore Village
Village at Lakeshore
Approximately 2,935 acres primarily
consisting of single-family homes and vacant
lands with a limited amount of recreational,
commercial, and industrial activities.
Variety of recreational uses,
commercial services, and mixed-use
corridor along Riverside Drive.
Recreational amenities including
multiple parks and close access to
the Cleveland National Forest.
North Peak District North Peak Approximately 2,295 acres of isolated single-
family residential uses and designated open
space areas.
Very limited built environment due
to designated open space areas
and varied terrain.
Riverview District - Approximately 432 acres primarily consisting
of residential uses, along with commercial
and supporting institutional facilities.
Auto mall along the eastern edge of
the District that provides signiflcant
tax revenues for the City.
Lake View Sphere - Approximately 5,735 acres within the
jurisdiction of Riverside County primarily
consisting of residential uses, vacant lands,
open space, and portions of the Cleveland
National Forest.
Panoramic and accessible
viewpoints of Lake Elsinore and the
City, particularly from State Route
SR-74 that runs through the District.
Lakeland Sphere - Approximately 3,091 acres within the
jurisdiction of Riverside County primarily
consisting of low-density housing along with
Encompasses the only edge of Lake
Elsinore not included within the
City’s boundary.
Land Use
LU-18 | Land Use Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Table LU-4: District Plans
pockets of recreational, commercial,
industrial, and vacant uses.
Meadowbrook Sphere - Approximately 487 acres within the
jurisdiction of Riverside County primarily
consisting of vacant lands with limited
amounts of low-density single-family
residential uses.
Rural residential character and
proximity to SR- 74.
North Central Sphere Nichols Ranch (partial) Approximately 4,276 acres within the
jurisdiction of Riverside County primarily
consisting of vacant lands, open space areas,
and low-density single-family residential
uses.
Steep hillsides, signiflcant vacant
areas, and open space conservation
areas.
Northwest Sphere - Approximately 5,190 acres within the
jurisdiction of Riverside County primarily
consisting of low-medium density
residential, open space, limited agriculture,
and some manufacturing and industrial
areas.
Steep hillsides with open space, the
central valley with its master
planned neighborhoods, and its
proximity to numerous amenities
provided within the Lake Elsinore.
Source: City of Lake Elsinore, 2023
Land Use
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-19
<MAP: DISTRICT PLANS >
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-21
Specific Plans
Speciflc plans implement a city or county's general plan by establishing detailed regulations for a
deflned geographic area. Speciflc plans are put in place to regulate distinct character areas that cannot
be regulated through general development ordinances or citywide zoning. Speciflc plans can also be
used to achieve creative design by providing fiexibility in development standards beyond those
contained in the Zoning Code. Table LU-5 and Figure LU-8 provide an overview of the City’s Speciflc
Plans.
Land Use
LU-22 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Table LU-5: Specific Plans
Alberhill Ranch 1989, last
amended in
1997
Northwest Lake Elsinore,
bounded by I-15 to the
north and east, Terra Cotta
Road/Nichols Road to the
south, El Toro Road to the
east, and Robb Road/Lake
Street to the west.
Alberhill District Restore a 100-year-old
mining site into a master-
planned community
consisting of single-family
and multi-family units,
mixed uses, 41 acres of
riparian resource area, a
207-acre golf course, and
103 acres of open space.
Partially developed
Alberhill Villages 2016,
amended
and restated
in 2017
Northwest Lake Elsinore,
located south of I-15 and
west of Lake Street.
Alberhill District Restore a 100-year-old
mining site and develop a
1,375-acre sustainable
mixed-use planned
community that acts as a
northwestern gateway to
the City over 35 years.
Not developed
Canyon Creek Adopted
1984, last
amended in
2005
East Lake Elsinore, north of
I-15 and bounded by
undeveloped hilly terrain
to the north and the
Railroad Canyon
Wastewater Treatment
Facility to the east.
Lake Elsinore Hills
District
Development of 1,100
detached single-family
units supported by
commercial uses,
community park areas, and
open space. As of 2005,
638 units have been
developed.
Partially developed
Canyon Hills Adopted
1989, last
amended in
2009
Northeast Lake Elsinore,
south of Newport Road.
Lake Elsinore Hills
District
Development of a mixed-
use, master-planned
community consisting of
single-family detached and
multi-family attached units,
commercial, public
facilities, schools, open
space, and
parks/recreation uses.
Mostly developed
Land Use
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-23
Table LU-5: Specific Plans
Canyon Hills
Estates
2006 Northeast Lake Elsinore, to
the south of Canyon Hills
Road.
Lake Elsinore Hills
District
Development of a planned
246-acre community for
238 single-family detached
units, 64 detached
compact lot units, a
neighborhood park, and
open space.
Not developed yet,
implementation
applications currently
under review
Cape of Good
Hope
1993 Northwest Lake Elsinore,
directly south of the
Alberhill Ranch Speciflc
Plan area.
Lake View District Development of a 40-acre
private, gated residential
community consisting of
67 lots and open space.
Not developed
Cottage Lane 2005 Southwest Lake Elsinore,
located northwest of
Riverside Avenue,
southeast of Machado
Street, and north of Grand
Avenue.
Lake View District Development of a 12-acre
residential development
consisting of 48 single-
family detached lots and a
park.
Fully built-out
Diamond 2010,
amended in
2015
Southeast Lake Elsinore,
located in the Ballpark
District along Diamond
Drive.
Ballpark District Development of the
Diamond Project, an 87.2-
acre master planned,
mixed-use development
that creates a unique sense
of place and a regional
destination venue
surrounding the Diamond
Stadium
Partially developed
Downtown
Elsinore
2018 Downtown Lake Elsinore,
including Historic
Downtown Lake Elsinore.
Extends from Flint Street
along its northern edge to
the edge of Lake Elsinore.
Bounded by Riley Street
and the Lake Elsinore
Historic District To establish a vision, land
use plan, and
development standards to
create a vibrant, livable,
connected, and
sustainable 178-acre
downtown that acts as the
heart of the city.
Partially developed
Land Use
LU-24 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Table LU-5: Specific Plans
Outlet Channel to the west
and Ellis Street and
Chestnut Street to the East.
East Lake 1993, last
amended in
2017
East Lake Elsinore, located
along the eastern shore of
Lake Elsinore.
East Lake District Development of a 2,977-
acre planned community
consisting of a well-
balanced and functional
mix of action sports,
tourism, residential,
commercial, open space,
recreational, institutional,
and accessory industrial
land uses are provided.
Partially developed
Elsinore City
Center
1992, last
amended in
2001
East Lake Elsinore, located
directly to the north of I-15
and south of the Canyon
Creek Special Plan area.
Lake Elsinore Hills
District
Development of a 49.2-
acre commercial center
and multi-family residential
area.
Mostly developed
Lake Elsinore
Outlet Center
1990, last
amended in
2000
West Lake Elsinore, located
directly south of I-15 along
Collier Avenue.
Business District Development of a 46.78-
acre commercial retail
area.
Mostly developed
La Laguna
Estates
1998,
amended in
2003
West Lake Elsinore, south
of I-15 and directly east of
the Cleveland National
Forest.
Lake View District Development of 660
single-family detached
units and 140 acres of
open space.
Fully built-out
Lakeshore
Village
2003 West-central Lake Elsinore
bounded by Lakeshore
Drive to the northeast and
Walnut Drive to the
southwest
Lake View District Inflll development of a
37.7 acre planned mixed-
use community with
residences, recreational,
and neighborhood
commercial uses along
with the improvement of
street and infrastructure
components.
Mostly developed
Land Use
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-25
Table LU-5: Specific Plans
Murdock
Alberhill Ranch
1998, last
amended in
2008
Northwest Lake Elsinore Alberhill District Inflll development of a 511
acre planned mixed-use
community consisting of
single-family detached
units, multi-family units,
recreational, and
neighborhood commercial
uses.
Partially developed
Nichols Ranch 2019 North Lake Elsinore,
located north of I-15 and
bounded by El Toro Road
to the east.
Alberhill District
and North Central
Sphere
Development of a 72.5-
acre master planned
community that preserves
Stovepipe Creek while
establishing residential,
commercial, and
recreational uses.
Under construction
North Peak 1991,
amended in
1999
North Lake Elsinore,
located to the north of SR-
74.
North Peak District Development of a 1,964-
acre planned community
consisting of a mixture of
open space, residential,
commercial, and public
uses.
Not yet developed
Ramsgate 2008 North Lake Elsinore,
located to the north of I-15
and directly south of SR-74.
Lake Elsinore Hills
District
Development of a 1,366-
acre planned community
consisting of a mixture of
open space, residential
and public uses.
Mostly developed
Spyglass Ranch 2008,
amended in
2015
North of Downtown Lake
Elsinore, located directly
north of I-15.
Lake Elsinore Hills
District
Development of a 259-
acre planned community
consisting of single-family
detached units, multi-
family units, and
commercial, and open
space uses.
Not yet developed,
implementation
applications currently
under review
Land Use
LU-26 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Table LU-5: Specific Plans
Terracina 2015 West Lake Elsinore, located
southwest of I-15 and north
of Lakeshore Drive
between Dryden Street
and Terra Cotta Road.
Alberhill District Development of a 154-
acre residential
development consisting of
single-family units
(maximum of 452 dwelling
units), open space, park
lands, and graded slopes
and basins.
Under construction
Tuscany Hills 1990,
amended in
2005
Northeast Lake Elsinore,
located north of I-15,
southeast of CA 74, west of
Canyon Lake and south of
Greenwald Street.
Lake Elsinore Hills
District
Development of a 972.9-
acre planned community
consisting of single-family
detached units, community
parks, HOA parks,
recreational facilities, and
natural open space.
Partially developed
Village at
Lakeshore
2006,
amended in
2015
Southwest Lake Elsinore,
located near the
intersection of Riverside
Drive and Grand Avenue.
Lake View District Development of a 19.7-
acre planned private
residential community
consisting of
approximately 163 single-
family detached
condominium residential
units, a recreational facility,
an open space park area,
and a detention basin.
Fully built-out
Source: City of Lake Elsinore
Land Use
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-27
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Zoning
Zoning regulations implement the City’s General Plan policies. By State law, zoning regulations must
protect and promote the health, safety, and general welfare of residents. The Zoning Code identifles
speciflc land uses allowed within each zoning district and provides speciflc development requirements
such as density, setbacks, height, size, and development character and appearance (Table LU-6 and
Figure LU-9). The Lake Elsinore Zoning Regulations are contained in Title 17 of the Municipal Code.
Table LU-6: Zoning Districts
R-M-R Rural Mountainous Residential -- 1 dwelling unit per lot 30’
R-R Rural Residential -- 1 dwelling unit per lot 30’
R-E Residential Estate -- 1 dwelling unit per lot 30’
R-H Hillside Single Family Residential -- 1 dwelling unit per lot 30’
R-1 Single Family Residential -- 1 unit per lot 30’
R-2 Medium Density Residential -- 12 units per acre 30’
R-3 High Density Residential -- 24 units per acre 30’
L Lakeshore -- 1 unit per 10,000 sf 30’
MC Mobile Home Community -- 1 unit per lot 30’
RMU Residential Mixed Use 7 units per acre Varies
CMU Commercial Mixed Use -- 24 units per acre Varies
C-1 Neighborhood Commercial -- 35’
C-O Commercial Offlce -- 35’
C-2 General Commercial 25,000 sf per lot -- 45’
C-P Commercial Park -- 50’
C-M Commercial Manufacturing 20,000 sf per lot -- 45’
M-1 Limited Manufacturing 20,000 sf per lot -- 40’
M-2 General Manufacturing 1 acre per lot -- 45’
M-3 Mineral Resources/Related
Manufacturing
300 acres -- 45’
PI Public Institutional --
F1 Floodway --
OS Open Space -- 25’
R Recreation --
SP Speciflc Plan Refer to applicable Speciflc Plan
1 This designation provides for the channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in
order to discharge the 100-year fiood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than one foot.
Source: Title 17, Lake Elsinore Municipal Code
Land Use
LU-30 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Key Considerations
• The City is still largely comprised of vacant or agricultural/rural uses. The Speciflc and District
Plans should be re-evaluated to ensure their effectiveness in stimulating their intended
development.
• The City lacks a variety of commercial and mixed uses. Identifying the appropriate areas for
commercial development that respond to the demands of Lake Elsinore residents will be key in
encouraging this type of development.
• Land dedicated to mobile home parks is a key residential land use. Mobile homes are an
affordable housing option that should be preserved with the appropriate land use and zoning
designations.
• Lake Elsinore contains large portions of land used for parks and open space. As Lake Elsinore
becomes more urbanized it will be important to continue to balance development
intensiflcation with the preservation of recreational and open spaces.
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas LU-31
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Housing
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas H-1
HOUSING
The adopted 2021-2029 Housing Element serves as the basis for this Housing discussion, which
includes background information on current housing conditions, as well as policies to address the
existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of the community.
Housing Stock
Most of Lake Elsinore’s housing stock (81 percent) consists of single-family residences (Table H-1).
Multi-family units make up 15 percent of Lake Elsinore’s housing stock while mobile homes and other
housing make up just four percent of housing units.
Table H-1: Housing Stock Characteristics
Single-Family Detached Units 14,585 (77%)
Single-Family Attached Units 812 (4%)
Multi-Family Units 2,816 (15%)
Mobile home, other units 733 (4%)
Total Units 18,946 (100%)
Average Household Size 3.58 persons per household
Units Needing Replacement/Rehabilitation <10 units
Source: Lake Elsinore Housing Element (2022), 2020 CA DOF E-5 Population and Housing Estimates, US
Census Bureau 2018 5-year, CoreLogic May 2020
HOUSING TENURE, VACANCY, AND OVERCROWDING
Housing tenure refers to whether someone rents or owns the home they live in. In Lake Elsinore, most
homes are owner-occupied (68 percent) and only 32 percent are renter occupied (Table H-2 and
Figure H-1). In Lake Elsinore, nine percent of occupied housing units are overcrowded. Overcrowding
is more prevalent in rental units where 18 percent are considered overcrowded compared to owner
occupied housing where only five percent are considered overcrowded. The most overcrowded units
are in the East Lake, Lake Edge, and Lake View Districts (Figure H-2). Census data indicates that Lake
Elsinore has low vacancy rates, one percent of owner units and 4.5 percent of rental units are vacant.
Four percent is considered a healthy vacancy rate as it permits sufficient choice among a variety of
housing units.
Housing
H-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Table H-2: Housing Characteristics by Tenure
Total Housing Units 11,971 (68%) 5,693 (32%) 17,664*
Vacancy Rate 1.0% 4.5% 6.1%
Overcrowded Units 637 (3.8%) 883 (5.3%) 1,520 (9.0%)
Note: 2020 CA DOF E-5 Population and Housing Estimates did not include a breakdown of data by tenure.
*Total housing units is from the US Census Bureau 2018 5-year data.
Source: Lake Elsinore Housing Element (2022), 2020 CA DOF E-5 Population and Housing Estimates, US Census Bureau 2019 ACS
5-year Estimates
Housing age has a direct correlation to the quality and condition of housing units. Deteriorating
structures pose a safety hazard and can negatively impact property values within a neighborhood.
Commonly, housing over 30 years of age needs some form of major rehabilitation to maintain
compliance with building and safety codes. While most of the City’s housing stock is moderately new
(13 percent of housing units built in the last 10 years, more than half, or 51 percent, of housing units
built in the last 20 years), a third, or 33 percent, is over 30 years old.
Key Considerations
• Lake Elsinore will continue to need housing units of a variety of types, sizes, and price points to
serve current and future Lake Elsinore residents.
Housing
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas H-3
Housing
H-4 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
<MAP: PERCENT OF RENTER-OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas HC-1
HISTORIC AND CULTURAL HERITAGE
Prior to Western
settlement, areas within
present day Lake
Elsinore were occupied
by the Payómkawichum
or Luiseño indigenous
people who migrated
from the Great Basin
and lived along the
Paciflc Coast as well as
in the inland hills and
valleys. Some of the
indigenous inhabitants
lived in a village near
the lake known as
Páayaxchi.
Luiseño territory
comprised
approximately 1,500 square miles of Southern California. Villages were located in diverse ecological
areas, typically located along streams, valleys, or coastal strands near mountain ranges. The area
around and including the Elsinore hot springs was known to the Luiseño as iténgvu Wumówmu
(meaning “hot springs”). Several additional Luiseño place names are within the Lake Elsinore area and
SOI including We’éeva, Píi’iv, Qawiimay, Páayaxchi Nivé’wuna, Anóomay and others, refiecting this
diverse and well utilized region.
In 1769, Spanish colonizers set up missions throughout the area known as Alta California. These
missions had little impact on indigenous populations outside of their immediate vicinities. However, in
1822 Mexico gained independence from Spain. This led to the Secularization Act of 1833 , which had
disastrous consequences for the indigenous people of the area. As the land grants were developed,
local tribes were forced to relocate or to become laborers and workers on the ranches. The
comisionados, who were placed in charge of the land transfer, took advantage of the situation, and
became the powerful land holding class known as the rancheros.
In 1844, a Mexican land grant was awarded to Julian Manriquez for 13,340 acres , which included the
Lake. He named this area Rancho La Laguna. The property exchanged ownership several times before
being sold to Franklin Heald, William Collier, and Donald Graham in 1883 for $24,000. With Margaret
Collier Graham, they established the town site and sold lots. Margaret Graham gave the town its name
“Elsinore” as it reminded her of the Danish town in Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet”.1
Elsinore became a transcontinental railroad stop in 1885. The original route was abandoned; a new
station was built by the Santa Fe Railway Company in 1896. It is now home to the Lake Elsinore
Chamber of Commerce. In April 1888, Elsinore incorporated as a city and gained prominence for the
local hot springs and the area’s natural beauty. By the late 1800s, the economy was supported by coal
1 “Historic Downtown Walking Tour.” Lake Elsinore Historical Society, lakeelsinorehistoricalsociety.org/. Accessed
Nov. 2023.
Historic and Cultural Heritage
HC-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
and clay mining, ranching, and agricultural industries. Farmers in the area grew olives, grapes, apricots,
and other produce. Elsinore’s population was approximately 1,000 residents; the town boasted a
variety of stores, a lumberyard, daily mail service, brick buildings downtown; Elsinore’s water, soil, and
climate were good for agriculture. In addition, the mineral and hot springs attained regional
recognition.
In 1887, The Crescent Bath House, also known as The Chimes, was one of the flrst buildings downtown
and is a registered national historic site. By the 1920s, Elsinore was a popular destination for boat races
and Olympic swim team training. In the 1930s, Elsinore was a resort-style retreat/party destination
featuring the Laguna Vista Club and Mount Elsinore Country Club. During World War II, a Douglas
Aircraft located a factory assembling aircraft wings for bombers. The Lake was used to test seaplanes.
In 1948, Lake Elsinore elected the flrst black city councilman in California, Thomas Yarborough.2 In
1972, Elsinore’s name was changed to the City of Lake Elsinore. The name change helped highlight
Lake Elsinore as a lake-oriented destination. The State of California Department of Parks and
Recreation owned the lake and a campground recreation area until 1993, when those assets were
conveyed to the City. 3
As shown in Figure HC-1,
below, the majority of the
City’s historic structures
are concentrated in the
historic downtown
neighborhood. Several of
these structures are
recognized on either
national or state level
historic registers. The
downtown area has
served as Lake Elsinore’s
cultural and economic
hub since the late 1800s.
In the Sphere of
Infiuence, many new
developments and
subdivisions constructed
in the last 20-30 years
show housing demand
continues to grow. Many
of the newest developments are concentrated on the east side of the city near Railroad Canyon Road
and the Canyon Lake area. The demand for growth is further depicted by Figure HC-2, which shows the
City’s annexation history since 1888. Since incorporating, the City has moderately expanded its
boundaries to include outlying areas within the Sphere of Infiuence predominantly to the north, east,
and west.
2 Forrey, Kathy (August 1, 1990). "More than 200 pay homage to Yarborough". Lake Elsinore Valley Sun-Tribune.
Accessed Nov. 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
3 “Lake Elsinore General Plan, Chapter 9.” Lake Elsinore General Plan | Lake Elsinore, CA, City of Lake Elsinore, Dec.
2011, www.lake-elsinore.org/465/Lake-Elsinore-General-Plan
Historic and Cultural Heritage
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas HC-3
(Map: Building Age)
Historic and Cultural Heritage
HC-4 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
(Map: Annexation History)
Historic and Cultural Heritage
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas HC-5
Lake Elsinore’s Historic Downtown
In the 1980’s, the Riverside County Historical Commission designated the Lake Elsinore downtown as a
local historic district. The historic downtown primarily encompasses Main Street, Heald Avenue, and
Graham Avenue. Two historic downtown buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places:
The Crescent Bath House (aka Chimes Building) and the Grand Army of the Republic Armory Hall. The
Crescent Bath House, built in 1887, was one of the flrst buildings to be constructed within the City of
Lake Elsinore. The Armory Hall was built in 1887 to serve the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal
organization for Civil War Union Army, Navy, and Marine veterans. Several other structures are listed in
the California Points of Historical Interest, Riverside County Historical Landmarks, and locally
recognized historic structures. In 2011, the City adopted the Downtown Elsinore Speciflc Plan to
maintain the important historical resources downtown while facilitating future growth and
development.4
Historic Preservation Organizations and Services
LAKE ELSINORE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Lake Elsinore Historical Society was founded in 1996 to collect, protect, preserve, display, and
further the preservation of items and documents of historical value and signiflcance from the Lake
Elsinore Valley. The Lake Elsinore Historical Society Museum, located at 183 North Main Street, displays
over 300 years of artifacts, and includes exhibits of the Elsinore Naval and Military Academy, Aimee
Semple McPherson’s Castle (also referred to as Aimee’s Castle), sports memorabilia, antique
household and farm tool items. The Historical Society reviews development applications that impact
historic resources and may provide comments to the Planning Department.
Historic Resources
The following is a list of offlcially and unofflcially recognized historic structures. Figure HC -3 illustrates
the locations of these historic resources.
National Register of Historic Places List5:
• Crescent Bath House/Chimes Building (P33-6998)
• Grand Army of the Republic Armory Hall (RIV-070)
California Points of Historical Interest List6:
• Grand Army of the Republic Armory Hall (RIV-070)
• Elsinore Women’s Club (RIV-071)
4 “Downtown Elsinore Speciflc Plan.” Downtown Elsinore Speciflc Plan | Lake Elsinore, CA, City of Lake Elsinore, 25
Sept. 2018, www.lake-elsinore.org/472/Downtown-Elsinore-Speciflc-Plan.
5 National Park Service, 2023
6 California Offlce of Historic Preservation, 2023
Historic and Cultural Heritage
HC-6 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Riverside County Signiflcant Historical Resource List7:
• Lake Elsinore Downtown Historic District (P33-7142) includes:
o Lake Elsinore Cultural Center/Methodist Episcopal Church (RIV-023)
o Santa Fe Train Station (P33-6997)
o Mary J. McDonald Fountain and Building
Locally/Unofflcially Recognized Signiflcant Historical Resourcesvii 8:
The sites listed below are not on offlcial historical registers but have been locally recognized for their
historical signiflcance.
• Aimee’s Castle
• The Adobe Machado House and Butterfleld Stage Stop
• Elsinore Naval Military Academy
• Lake Theater
• Heritage Home (Strickland Home)
• First Presbyterian Church
• Elsinore Valley Cemetery
Lake Elsinore Historic Homes of Interest vii:
The Downtown Elsinore Speciflc Plan identifles the following homes as locally historic.
• 219 Riley Street, 1920
• 226 East Franklin Street, 1924, Scotty’s Castle
• 228 Spring Street, 1912, Gardner Home
• 257 Hill Street
Key Considerations
• As time progresses and buildings and other potential resources age, the City must consider
policy to address identifying additional historic and cultural resources.
7 Downtown Elsinore Speciflc Plan, 2018
8 Lake Elsinore Historical Society, 2023
Historic and Cultural Heritage
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas HC-7
Map Historical Landmar
Historic and Cultural Heritage
HC--8 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas DE-1
DEMOGRAPHICS
Population
According to the 2020 U.S Census, Lake Elsinore’s population was 70,244; this represents a 24%
growth in ten years as shown in Table DE-1. Lake Elsinore’s population growth outpaced Riverside
County’s growth rate of 8%. The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) estimates that
the City’s population will continue to grow rapidly and at a faster rate than Riverside County over the
next 25 years.1
Figure DE-1 shows that areas with high population density (800 residents or greater per square mile)
occur sporadically throughout the Planning Area and coincides with the development intensity of
those areas. The Lake Edge and Lake View Districts contain the highest concentrations of population
density. These areas are where a majority of City’s multi -family residential uses are located. Areas with
the lowest population density occur in the Downtown and Business Districts.
Table DE-1: Historical and Projected
Population Growth
2010 51,821 2,203,332
2020 64,037 2,383,286
2045 111,600 3,252,000
Source: 2021-2029 Housing Element
Table DE-2: Historical and Projected Growth
Percent Change
Lake Elsinore Riverside County
% Change 2010-2020 24% 8%
% Change 2020-2045 74% 36%
Source: 2021-2029 Housing Element
1 “Adopted 2021 to 2029 Housing Element.” Adopted 2021 to 2029 Housing Element, City of Lake Elsinore,
www.lake-elsinore.org/466/Adopted-2021-to-2029-Housing-Element. Accessed Dec. 2023.
Demographics
DE-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
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Demographics
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas DE-3
(Map: Population Density)
Demographics
DE-4 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
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Demographics
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas DE-5
Age, Ethnicity/Race, Education Attainment
A community’s population’s age, education, and ethnicity/race help to determine the public services to
be provided by a local jurisdiction.
Lake Elsinore’s population is considered to be younger; Lake Elsinore’s median age is 30 years
compared to Riverside County’s 35 years (Figure DE-1).
Over half of Lake Elsinore’s population self-identifled as Hispanic as shown in Figure DE-1. White non-
Hispanic compromise one-third of Lake Elsinore’s population. Compared with the County of Riverside,
the City has a higher percentage of Hispanic residents and a lower percentage of white, non-Hispanic
residents.
Eighty-four percent of Lake Elsinore’s population are high school graduates; while 22% have college
degrees. The education level is consistent with the County’s overall population (83% high school
graduates, 24% college graduates).
Figure DE-2: Population Age
Source: 2021-2029 Housing Element
35%
37%
21%
7%
28%
34%
24%
14%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
0-19 age 20-44 age 45-64 age 65+ years
Lake Elsinore Riverside County
Demographics
DE-6 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Figure DE-3: Race and Ethnicity
Source: “2021 to 2029 Housing Element.”
Population Income and Disability
According to the US Census Bureau’s 2019 ACS 5-year estimates, the Lake Elsinore median household
income was $71,476, nearly seven percent higher than the County of Riverside’s median household
income of $67,005 as shown in Table DE-3.
Household income determines a household's ability to balance housing costs with other necessities.
Income levels can vary considerably among households, affecting preferences on housing type and
location, as well as needs and preferences related to transportation and social services.
Table DE-3: Median Household Income
Lake Elsinore $71,476
Riverside County $67,005
Source: 2019 ACS 5 Year Estimate
Census data report that 16 percent of Lake Elsinore residents live in poverty, as deflned by federal
guidelines. Neighborhoods around the lake and in the North Peak District have higher levels of poverty
as shown on Figure DE-4. The poverty rate is slightly higher than the County’s 14 percent. The
proportion of households living in poverty is much higher for Black or Hispanic residents, of which 25
percent and 20 percent live in poverty, respectively. Additionally, 21 percent of disabled residents and
30 percent of female-headed households live in poverty.
31%
53%
6%
0.30%
6%4%
35%
49%
6%
0.40%
7%
3%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
White
(non-Hispanic)
Hispanic Black American Indian
and Alaska Native
Asian/Pacific
Islander
Other
Lake Elsinore Riverside County
Demographics
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas DE-7
(Map: Poverty)
Demographics
DE-8 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
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Demographic
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas DE-9
Key Considerations
• Lake Elsinore’s population is younger than the County as a whole. This infers that local services
like library/education, daycare/afterschool, and recreation programs will be important during
this life of this General Plan.
• Lake Elsinore’s population is expected to grow signiflcantly and rapidly over the next 20 years.
This infiux of population is likely to increase demand for housing and related public services.
Demographics
DE-10 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas PS-1
PUBLIC SERVICES AND UTILITIES
City Public Facilities and Services
CITY HALL
Lake Elsinore’s City Hall is located in the historic downtown district at 130 South Main Street. All City
departments, except the Public Works department, are in City Hall. The Public Works Department
(Corporate Yard) is located at 521 North Langstaff Street. Figure PS-1 shows the location of Lake
Elsinore City Hall and other key community facilities.
LIBRARY SERVICES
Libraries services are provided by the Riverside County Library System (RCLS). Lake Elsinore has two
branch libraries located within City limits. The Lake Elsinore branch, located in Lake Elsinore’s historic
downtown at 600 West Graham Avenue, has a reservable community meeting room and offers a
variety of services such as tutoring, skill share classes, and literacy programs. The Lakeside branch is a
part of Lakeside High School located at 32593 Riverside Drive. The City of Lake Elsinore library facilities
contain a total of 17,500 square feet of library space with approximately 66,686 volumes of material. A
total of 12 people are employed by the City of Lake Elsinore library facilities.1
LAKE SERVICES
Lake Elsinore has more than 3,000 surface acres of water and 14 miles of shoreline and the City
maintains public beaches and facilities for the public to access the lake. There are two boat launches,
two city-operated campgrounds, and a public beach.
SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER
Lake Elsinore’s Senior Activity Center, 420 East Lakeside Drive, offers social, recreational, educational
programs, and other services such as health screenings, cool/warm center, and income tax services.
FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
The Riverside County Fire Department (RCFD) and the State of California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) provide Lake Elsinore with flre prevention, suppression, and emergency
medical services. The RCFD operates 93 flre stations in 15 battalions, providing flre suppression,
emergency medical, rescue, and flre prevention services. Equipment used by the Department can
respond to both urban and wildland emergency conditions. Battalion 2 in the Southwest Division of
1 “Nichols Ranch Speciflc Plan (PA 2017-29) - Approved June 11, 2019.” Nichols Ranch Speciflc Plan (PA 2017-29) -
Approved June 11, 2019, | Lake Elsinore, CA, City of Lake Elsinore, www.lake-elsinore.org/398/Nichols-Ranch-
Speciflc-Plan-PA -2017-29--. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
Public Services & Utilities
PS-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
RCFD services the City of Lake Elsinore. Below is a summary of RCFD assets and equipment in and
around Lake Elsinore.2
The following stations are located within city limits:
Lake Elsinore Fire Stations
Fire Station No. 10
(Elsinore)
410 W Graham
Ave
1 Medic Squad 3 staff assigned daily
Fire Station No. 94
(Canyon Hills)
21775 Railroad
Canyon Rd
1 Fire Engine 3 staff assigned daily
Fire Station No. 85
(McVicker Park)
29405 Grand Ave 1 Fire Engine 3 staff assigned daily
Fire Station No. 97
(Rosetta Canyon)
41725 Rosetta
Canyon Dr
1 Quint Ladder Truck 4 staff assigned daily, 1 Fire
Battalion Chief
The following stations, located outside city limits, provide additional flre protection services to the City
of Lake Elsinore, on as needed basis:
• Quail Valley Station No. 5
• Lakeland Village Station No. 11.
• El Cariso Station No. 51.
• Canyon Lake Station No. 1
• Wildomar Station No. 61.
• Sycamore Canyon Station No. 64
• Menifee Station No. 68
• Good Meadow Station No. 9
The City of Lake Elsinore Fire Plan contains four flre response categories (Urban, Suburban, Rural, and
Outlying) that are used to determine the response times/travel distances for primary and secondary
flre stations. The response categories are based on the amount of community build -out presumed in
the Master Fire Plan. The Fire Department assumes in any given region that one or six flre engines
respond depending on flre call type. Below are the average response times for the Lake Elsinore
stations:
• 2021: 5.1 Minutes
• 2022: 4.9 Minutes
• 2023 (10/31/23): 4.7 minutes
Furthermore, a majority of the Lake Elsinore residential areas are within a 1- to 3-mile drive time from a
flre station, as shown in Figure PS-2. Response times standards are measured using roadway miles per
hour not length of miles traveled.
2 Communications with Division Chief Lonny Olson, Riverside County Fire Department, November 2023.
Public Services & Utilities
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas PS-3
Public Services & Utilities
PS-4 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Public Services & Utilities
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas PS-5
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Local law enforcement services, provided by Riverside County Sheriff's Department, are located at 333
Limited Avenue. The Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station serves an area of 241 square miles, including the
City of Lake Elsinore, City of Wildomar, and the unincorporated communities of Alberhill, El Cariso,
Glen Eden Hot Springs, Glen Ivy Hot Springs, Good Hope, Lakeland Village, Quail Valley, and Sedco
Hills. The City of Lake Elsinore has set a minimum standard of 0.85 offlcers per 1,000 residents. The
Sheriff Department indicates that its desired stafflng level is 1.0 offlcer per 1,000 residents.3 Below are
average response times from the Lake Elsinore Sheriff station for 2023 (November 2023).4
Priority 1 7.25 minutes
Priority 2 18.55 minutes
Priority 3 34.44 minutes
Priority 4 46.96 minutes
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
Lake Elsinore Unifled School District operates 12 elementary schools, four middle schools, three
comprehensive high schools, two K-through-8 schools, and four alternative education schools. LEUSD
boundaries stretch over 144 square miles through Southwest Riverside County, serving families in Lake
Elsinore, Canyon Lake, and Wildomar, and several unincorporated Riverside County communities,
including Lakeland Village and Horsethief Canyon. Below is a description of each LEUSD campus and
their capacities in Figure PS-2. Schools outside of Lake Elsinore’s city limits and SOI are excluded. All
but two schools within LEUSD operate below capacity. However, Elsinore Middle School and Keith
McCarthy Academy’s (high school) 2021-2022 enrollment exceed capacity.5
Private schools and daycare centers also serve Lake Elsinore and surrounding communities.
Expectations Academy is a private K-12th grade private school and Stepping Stones Preschool is also
located within the city limits.
3 “Nichols Ranch Speciflc Plan (PA 2017-29) - Approved June 11, 2019.” Nichols Ranch Speciflc Plan (PA 2017-29) -
Approved June 11, 2019, | Lake Elsinore, CA, City of Lake Elsinore, www.lake-elsinore.org/398/Nichols-Ranch-
Speciflc-Plan-PA -2017-29--. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
4 Communications with Lt. David Clark, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, December 2023.
5 Lake Elsinore Unifled School District 2023 Master Plan, LEUSD, November 2023.
Public Services & Utilities
PS-6 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Table PS-1: Lake Elsinore Unified School District Campuses
Alberhill 4170 Brianna Cir, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 379 427
Cottonwood Canyon 32100 Lost Rd, Lake Elsinore, CA 92532 801 1,025
Earl Warren 41221 Rosetta Canyon Dr, Lake Elsinore, CA 92532 835 902
Elsinore 512 W Sumner Ave, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 505 788
Machado 15150 Joy St, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 594 1,138
Railroad Canyon 1300 Mill St, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 778 801
Rice Canyon 29535 Westwind Dr, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 614 913
Tuscany Hills 23 Ponte Russo, Lake Elsinore, CA 92532 656 802
Withrow 30100 Audelo St, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 660 851
Canyon Lake 33005 Canyon Hills Rd, Lake Elsinore, CA 92532 923 1,227
Elsinore 1203 W Graham Ave, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 905 890
Terra Cotta 29291 Lake St, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 1,059 1,416
Keith McCarthy
Academy
1405 Education Way, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 658 486
Lakeside 32593 Riverside Dr, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 1,670 2,523
Ortega 520 Chaney St, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 409 593
Temescal Canyon 28755 El Toro Rd, Lake Elsinore, CA 92532 2,023 2,346
Lakeland Village 18730 Grand Ave, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 873 1,231
Source: Lake Elsinore Unifled School District 2023 Master Plan, LEUSD, November 2023.
Public Services & Utilities
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas PS-7
SCHOOL MAP
Public Services & Utilities
PS -8 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
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Public Services & Utilities
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas PS-9
Key Considerations
• Currently, the City funds a total of 33 flre suppression personnel and 3 flre marshal staff. If the
city were fully built out, it would require a total of 72 flre suppression personnel and 8 flre
marshal staff. To cover future services gaps the City will need to add flre facilities in the
northwest, northeast and southeast areas of the City.6
• Most LEUSD schools operate below their enrollment capacity except Elsinore Middle School
and Keith McCarthy Academy. The District forecasts that TK-12 enrollment is expected to
slightly increase by 20257. Additional facilities or expansions may be needed to meet this
growing demand.
Water
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) provides water, wastewater, and reclaimed water
services to the Elsinore and Temescal divisions, which encompass an area of 96 square miles, including
the City of Lake Elsinore, and the cities of Canyon Lake and Wildomar, as well as portions of the City of
Murrieta and unincorporated areas of Riverside County. EVMWD water system is primarily divided into
two divisions, the Elsinore Division, and the Temescal Domestic Service Area (TDSA). The water system
currently includes 41 pressure zones. Within these zones, there are approximately 3,618,000 feet (685
miles) of pipelines ranging in diameter from 4 inches to 42 inches, 73 storage reservoirs with an
approximate total storage capacity of 93 million gallons (MG), and 54 booster pump stations.
EVMWD obtains its potable water supplies from local groundwater from the Elsinore Basin, local
surface water from Canyon Lake, and imported water from Metropolitan Water District (MWD).
Approximately 24% of the division water supply comes from local ground water. Water demands for
future scenarios are determined based on water duty factors (WDF), speciflc plans, and future
projected growth. EVMWD provides collection system services to a population of approximately
74,000 in the City of Lake Elsinore alone. Table PS-2 summarizes the population and project water
demands projection for the City of Lake Elsinore.
Table PS-2 Population and Project Water Demands
Projection for the City of Lake Elsinore
2023 74,000 33.1
2025 78,500 34.6
2030 86,200 38.6
2035 93,100 42.3
2040 100,500 46.2
6 Communications with Division Chief Lonny Olson, Riverside County Fire Department, November 2023.
7 Lake Elsinore Unifled School District 2023 Master Plan, LEUSD, November 2023.
Public Services & Utilities
PS-10 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
EXISTING POTABLE WATER SYSTEM
The existing water system in the City of Lake Elsinore consists of 29 active storage reservoirs, 21 pump
stations, 8 groundwater wells, and approximately 320 miles of pipeline. The water system is shown on
Figure PS-4.
GROUNDWATER WELLS
There are 8 EVMWD operating production wells within the City of Lake Elsinore. In the Elsinore
Division, the total capacity of active wells is 12,300 gallons per minute (gpm).
WATER PUMP STATIONS
EVMWD operates 49 booster pumping stations, and a total of 142 pumps, not including well pumps.
21 pumps stations are located within the City of Lake Elsinore. Each booster pump station has between
two to four pumps, and the pumps vary in size from 7.5 hor sepower (hp) to 250 hp. The individual
booster pump capacities vary from about 35 gpm to 5,510 gpm (0.05 million gallons per day (MGD) to
7.9 MGD). These booster pumping stations either transfer water between zones or pump water from
the Auld Valley Pipeline connections. The total capacity of all booster stations is approximately 132,400
gpm (190.6MGD) with a total flrm capacity of approximately 89,700 gpm (129.2 MGD).
WATER STORAGE RESERVOIRS
There are 25 active storage reservoirs in the City of Lake Elsinore. The storage reservoir’s capacity
ranges from 0.05 MG to 8 MG, with a total reservoir capacity of approximately 52 MG.
DISTRIBUTION NETWORK SYSTEM
EVMWD’s distribution system network consists of approximately 685 miles of pipeline, which range in
diameter from 4 inches to 42 inches. There are approximately 320 miles of pipeline within the City of
Lake Elsinore.
FUTURE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS
The following improvements list aims to address existing system deflciencies and meet future growth.
EVMWD capital improvements projects within the City of Lake Elsinore are recommended according to
system needs. A summary of the recommended improvements is shown Table PS-3 through Table PS-
5.
Public Services & Utilities
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas PS-11
Public Services & Utilities
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas PS-13
Table PS-3 Future Improvements: Transmission and Distribution Pipelines (2023
Dollars)
1434 Zone Transmission in Alberhill Villages
(Deflcient Pipeline)
24 5,400 $5,715,000 2025-2030
1434 Zone Transmission from Baker/Nichols
to Nichols/Collier
24 1,714 $1,814,000 2025-2030
1601 Zone Transmission in Alberhill Villages 16/30 4,482/10,562 $16,846,000 2025-2030
1601 Transmission from Alberhill PS to
Nichols/Terra Cotta (Future Growth)
16 3,200 $2,527,000 2025-2030
1901 Ortega Transmission 8/16 1,673 $1,102,000 2035-2040
Zone 1601 pipelines on Stoddard Street to
Lash Avenue
8 395 $100,800 2035-2040
Zone Alberhill 1601 pipeline on Jernigan
Street and Lakeshore Drive
8 382 $92,264 2035-2040
Zone 1801 pipeline from Rosetta Canyon 2
Reservoir to Rosetta Canyon 2 PS along
Wasson
Canyon Road
16 2,739 $1,380,292 2035-2040
Zone 1601 pipeline from Terra Cotta Road to
El Toro
Reservoir along Nichols Road
20 7,971 $5,021,646 2035-2040
Table PS-4 Future Improvements: Booster Pump Stations (2023 Dollars)
Rosetta Canyon 1 PS Upgrade 250 1,300 $504,000
Rosetta Canyon 2 PS Upgrade 150 1,300 $403,000
Cottonwood PS Upgrade 200 1,000 $403,000
Rice Canyon PS Upgrade 75 1,300 $403,000
Alberhill PS Upgrade - 3,000 $8,400,000
Ortega PS Upgrade - 1,700 $2,520,000
Table PS-5 Future Improvements: Storage Reservoirs Tanks (2023 Dollars)
1601 Rosetta Canyon 1 Additional Tank 0.7 $3,175,000
1571 City Tank Replacement (Existing Capacity 1.73 MG) 4.2 $11,995,000
1622 Canyon Lake Additional Tank 2.0 $8,064,000
1676 Alberhill Zone New Tank 1.0 $4,536,000
1800 Rice Canyon/Alberhill 2 New Tank 1.7 $6,854,000
1801 North Tuscany Hills New Tank 0.5 $9,173,000
1896 Meadowbrook 2 Additional Tank 1.3 $5,242,000
1901 Ortega Zone New Tank 0.5 $2,520,000
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PS-14 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Several wells within Lake Elsinore have well pumps past their 20 years of useful life period and should
be considered for replacement. The cost of the well pump replacements due to aging infrastructure is
shown in Table PS-6.
Table PS-6 Future Improvements: Wells (2023 Dollars)
PWRR-W1 Cereal No. 1 Well 2 $1,024,000 2023-2025
PWRR-W2 Cereal No. 3 Well 2 $1,024,000 2023-2025
PWRR-W3 Cereal No. 4 Well 2 $1,024,000 2023-2025
PWRR-W6 Joy Street Well 2 $1,024,000 2023-2025
PWRR-W9 Machado Street Well 2 $1,024,000 2023-2025
PWRR-W13 Terra Cotta Well 1 $512,000 2040-2045
RECYCLED WATER
EVMWD’s existing recycled water demands are supplied by tertiary-treated wastewater from the
Regional Water Reclamation Facility (WRF), Railroad Canyon WRF, and Horsethief WRF. In the effort to
minimize the need for imported water, EVMWD plans to expand its recycl ed water system to provide
recycled water for irrigation users and to maintain water levels in Lake Elsinore during normal and dry
years. Recycled water is used to irrigate parks, street medians, golf courses, and wildlife habitat and
provide lake stabilization. It is the goal of EVMWD to build additional lines and expand recycled water
services in order to free up water for additional residential uses. The recycled water facilities are shown
in Figure PS-5.
The Railroad Canyon WRF has a total design capacity of 1.3 mgd. There are existing storage
opportunities for the Railroad Canyon Service Area within the City of Lake Elsinore; Canyon Hills
Recycled Tank A and B.
The Regional WRF discharges an effiuent of approximately 5.5 mgd to Lake Elsinore. During periods
when Lake Elsinore levels are high, all Regional WRF effiuent is discharged to Temescal Creek. As
population and water demands continue to increase within the City of Lake Elsinore infiuent fiows will
increase to the Regional WRF. EVMWD completed an Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) feasibility study
that will help increase water supply reliability to reuse recycled water.
The Railroad Canyon Water Reclamation Facility system does not have any plans for expansion, and
there is no additional water available for new recycled water customers. While there is a possibility of a
slight increase in future demands, the system has adequate capacity to accommodate it, and no
capacity-based or growth-related CIP projects are recommended for this system. However, the pumps
at the Canyon Lake Golf Course pump station and the Cottonwood Hills pump station have exceeded
their useful life and require replacement. The flve pumps will be replaced in the 2023-2025 cycle, and
then again in the 2040-2045 cycle, as they reach the end of their useful life 20 years from installation.
The cost of this pump replacement project due to aging infrastructu re is $880,000, as shown in Table
PS-7.
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Table PS-7 Future Improvements: Pump Replacement Costs (2023 Dollars)
Cottonwood Hills Pump Station 3 $300,000 2023-2025
Canyon Lake Golf Course Pump Station 2 $140,000 2023-2025
Cottonwood Hills Pump Station 3 $300,00 2040-2045
Canyon Lake Golf Course Pump Station 2 $140,000 2040-2045
Total Cost $880,000
The recommended projects to address existing systems deflciencies and provide facilities necessary to
meet recycled water demands are shown in Table PS-8.
The Railroad Canyon Water Reclamation Facility (RRCWRF) is a scalping plant that treats wastewater
fiows from the Canyon Lake and Canyon Hills areas. Wastewater fiows that cannot be treated at the
plant along with all waste activated sludge (WAS) generated at the plant are conveyed to the Regional
Water Reclamation Facility for treatment. Sunlight, speciflcally ultraviolet (UV) radiation, degrades
chlorine residuals in uncovered chlorine contact basins. A permanent cover is proposed to prevent
degradation and to protect the Chlorine Contact Basin from UV. This Project involves the installation of
a permanent retractable cover for the Chlorine Contact Basin to replace the existing temporary cover.
The District funded $500,000 in FY 2022, bringing total Project funding to $1,150,000.
The IPR project, which involves the construction of flve new injection wells and an Advanced Water
Puriflcation Facility (AWPF), will be completed in two phases. The flrst phase will include the
construction of three injection wells in 2030-2035, and the second phase will involve the construction
of two more injection wells in 2036. The phasing of the project is based on the Indirect Portable Reuse
Feasibility Study conducted by EVMWD in 2017. The phasing of the new pump projects is determined
based on the age of the pumps and the future growth needs. The pumps in the EVMWD system are
beyond their useful life and are recommended for replacement in the 2023-2025 planning period.
The Regional IPR study is included in the 2023 EVMWD Recycled Water System Master Plan.
Table PS-8 Future Improvements: Recycled Water Facilities (2023 Dollars)
Railroad Canyon Water Reclamation Facility - Chlorine Contact Basin
Permanent Cover
- $1,150,000
Regional WRF IPR in Back Basin - $164,000,000
Sewer
The EVMWD Sewer District provides service for the City of Lake Elsinore, the cities of Canyon Lake and
Wildomar, portions of the city of Murrieta, and unincorporated portions of Riverside County. The
“backbone” of the system consists of trunk sewers, generally 10 inches in diameter and larger, that
convey the collected wastewater to EVMWD’s WRFs. EVMWD’s existing wastewater collection systems
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PS-18 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
consist of approximately 358 miles of sewer mains up to 54 inches in diameter, 33 lift stations and
three WFRs. Sewer (wastewater) facilities are shown in Figure PS-6.
EVMWD provides collection system services to a population of approximately 74,000 in the City of
Lake Elsinore alone.
EVMWD’s sewer current service area is delineated into four separate collection systems. The collections
systems are Regional, Canyon Lake, Horsethief, and Southern. Wastewater fiow generated within the
Regional collection system is treated at the District operated Regional WRF. This facility is located near
the intersection of Chaney Street and Treleven Avenue and serves the District’s customers in the City of
Lake Elsinore.
The Regional WRF was constructed in 1985 with a capacity of 2.0 million gallons per day (mgd). The
plant was expanded in 1989 to a total capacity of 4.0 mgd (Train A). In 2002, a new 4.0 mgd process
train (Train B) was added to the existing 4.0 mgd Train A, expanding the Regional WRF to
accommodate an average fiow of 8.0 mgd. The disinfection process with chlorine was replaced with an
ultraviolet disinfection system designed to treat 8.0 mgd average fiow and 16.0 mgd peak fiow.
Currently the Regional WRF is in design for increasing fiows.
GRAVITY MAINS
The Regional collection system contains approximately 203 miles of sewer mains up to 54 inches in
diameter, approximately 66 miles of which are 10 inches in diameter and larger.
LIFT STATIONS
The Regional collection system contains 16 lift stations and associated force mains within the limits of
the City of Lake Elsinore. These stations range in capacity from 120 gpm to 2,400 gpm. Some lift
stations serve small communities while others serve as the main lift station conveying fiow into a
treatment plan.
WATER RECLAMATION FACILITIES
There are two Water Reclamation Facilities in the City of Lake Elsinore: Lake Elsinore Regional WWRF
and Railroad Canyon WWRF.
CAPACITY BASED IMPROVEMENTS
Separate from the age-based analysis, a CIP project list was developed for the EVMWD system using
the hydraulic model. As discussed further in the Design Criteria section, a depth over Diameter ratio
(d/D) greater than 0.85 at any point during the hydrauli c model run for Peak Design Flow would trigger
an improvement that is planned for future years. Improvements that are recommended for both
capacity and age-based replacement are shown in Table PS-9.
The existing sewers lines in downtown Lake Elsinore are undersized and over 100 years old. The
existing 6-inch sewer lines have signiflcant structural damage and require frequent cleaning and
fiushing. To avoid sewer blockages and sanitary sewer overfiows and reduce operations and
maintenance costs, certain sewer lines in this area need to be replaced, repaired, and/or upsized to an
8-inch pipe. The Downtown Sewer Replacement project proposes to replace approximately 3,700
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas PS-19
linear feet of aged sewer main. An amount of $300,000 was previously budgeted for this Project in FY
2021, and $2,000,000 was budgeted in FY 2023. This will increase the budget to $2,300,000 in total.
EVMWD currently has over 10,000 manholes. Many of the manholes within the City of Lake Elsinore are
not lined, and have structural damage to the concrete, due to hydrogen sulflde gasses. District staff
routinely evaluates the condition of existing sewer ma nholes for corrosion and structural integrity. The
Sewer Manhole Rehabilitation project will rehabilitate existing manholes that have been identifled to
be in critical condition and that have the potential to fail or collapse.
Table PS-9 Future Improvements: Wastewater Facilities capacity based
improvements (2023 Dollars)
Replace 8” Force Main with 16” at Riverside Dr.
from Steele Valley Rd to Ambridge St.
16 358 - $245,840
Install new 8” Force main for new Tuscany Hills LS 8 3,835 - $1,020,040
Upsize pump at Palomar St and Cape Cod Dr.
New Tuscany Hills LS
- - 60 $945,000
Downtown sewer replacement (1) 6 3,700 - $4,300,000
Replace 14” Force main with 21” at A-2 LS in
Riverside Dr
21 1,720 - $722,540
Replace 8” pipe with 10” pipe at Lake Terrace Dr.
from Grandview Ave to Macy St.
10 1,022 - $414,960
Replace 8” pipe with 12” at Tiller Ln from Keel Dr
to Machado St.
12 708 - $307,160
Pipe replacement from 16” to 24”. New Intake for
Nichols LS
24 72 - $40,460
Pipe replacement from 8” to 12” at Grand Ave
from Wood St to Tetterington.
12 1,671 - $772,240
Sewer Manhole Rehabilitation (2) - - - $475,000
Storm Drainage
The existing storm drain facilities (Figure PS-7) within the City boundary and Master Drainage Plan
study area are separated to three major categories based on the maintenance responsibility:
• City and privately owned/maintained facilities –The City facilities (mapped in 2013) range from
underground pipe systems and concrete lined channels to culverts and basins. Some of the
water quality basins and detention basins are maintained by the HOAs or POAs. Some of the
facilities shown in the City’s map database may be duplications of the District’s facilities (in the
West Elsinore MDP area).
• The Riverside County Flood Control District (RCFCD) “District” owned and maintained facilities
– The Master Drainage Plan study area is located in the District’s Zone 3. Among the District
facilities, Outlet Channel is a unique facility designed by the Arm y Corp of Engineers. With its
crest (high point) located at mid Wasson Canyon Channel inlet, it conveys half of the Wasson
Canyon runoff to Lake Elsinore in normal storm events. It also discharges Lake’s overfiow to the
Temescal Wash when the 1,255-foot water surface elevation is reached.
• Caltrans facilities – Integrated within the I-15’s right-of-way, Caltrans allow the stormwater runoff
to cross under I-15 along the existing drainage courses as well as provide for de-watering of
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the I-15. These culverts are maintained by Caltrans. Typically, neither culvert design capacity
nor hydraulics data are depicted on the “as built” plans. For any extension, connection or
modiflcations of these culverts, a Caltrans encroachment permit would need to be obtained.
EXISTING FACILITIES AND DRAINAGE ISSUES
The City identifled approximately 79 drainage issue locations. These locations are characterized by any
combination of street fiooding, private property fiooding, dirt or roadway erosion, long-term ponding,
hillside runoff, and maintenance issues.
Most of the drainage issue locations are between I -15 and the northeast side of the Lake. This area of
Lake Elsinore is older with few to no storm drain facilities. Frequent drainage issues are caused by low
points on the street or property, streets not having proper slopes and crowns, lack of curbs and/or
gutter facilities, unimproved land, and insufflcient maintenance of existing facilities.
The top ten fiooding locations, as identifled by City staff, and shown in Figure PS -8, are:
• 1209 N. Sumner Avenue
• 3rd Street / Pasadena Street
• Avenue 6 / Lakeshore Drive
• Pepper Drive / Dawes Street
• Mission Trail south of Olive Street
• High Street / Alley east of Lakeshore Drive
• East side of Lakeshore Drive from Morton Avenue to 100 feet past Lake Park Street
• Lakeshore Drive / Kansas Street on north side of Lakeshore Drive
• W/S Machado Street south of Joy Street by guard rail
• Franklin Street by Cell Tower
Power and Natural Gas
Southern California Edison (SCE) provides electricity to the City of Lake Elsinore and Southern
California Gas Company (The Gas Company) provides gas to the City of Lake Elsinore. Both SCE and
The Gas Company anticipate the ability to accommodate future growth within the city.
Key Considerations
• While the City anticipates resolving current water, recycled water, sewer, and storm drainage
deflciencies, the City (and County) need to ensure that the proposed projects provide sufflcient
capacity to accommodate future growth.
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PS-22 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas C-1
CIRCULATION
2023 Conditions
EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE
The City of Lake Elsinore is served by two regional highways, I-15, running north to south, and SR-74,
running east to west. Though continued coordination with regional and state agencies is
recommended, these highways present a constraint to the City’s mobility network in terms of available
infrastructure or programming improvements.
City-operated roadways present a number of constraints and opportunities in the update to the City’s
Circulation Element. These are summarized below (Figure C-1):
Figure C-1: Opportunities and Constraints Presented by Existing Roadway
Network
TRAVEL CHARACTERISTICS
About nine out of every 10 Lake Elsinore residents are employed outside the City (Figure C-2). This
presents an opportunity to address the heavy outbound and inbound commute fiows for residents
leaving and returning to the City each day through policies to expand employment options within the
City and expand efforts in creating sustainable options for commutes, especially given that about 90%
of trips to and from Lake Elsinore are within the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG).
Layered
Network
•An ITE approach, a layered roadway network prioritizes specific modes (pedestrian, bike,
auto, truck, and/or transit) and accommodates other modes to achieve a practical and
flexible network of complete streets.
LOS
•Multi-Modal LOS (MMLOS) evaluates the Level of Service (LOS) of all modes on a
roadway. For example, a designated bicycle corridor may have high LOS for cyclists but a
lower service from a driver's perspective.
•Differential LOS (DLOS) sets thresholds of minimum service based on roadway type or
geographic area. A street segment in downtown, for example, may accept LOS E or F
whereas collectors may set an LOS of D as a minimum.
Network
Constraints
•The majority of the existing system is currently auto-centric. Major infrastructure projects
may be needed to implement a significant mode shift.
Circulation
C-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Figure C-2: Inflow and Outflow Job Counts for Lake Elsinore (2019)
Source: Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD), 2019.
In terms of modal share, driving alone makes up the largest proportion of commute trips (79%), which
is higher than the Riverside County average (78%) and state average (72%) (Figure C-3). Though
constrained by the 90% share of commuters who work outside of Lake Elsinore, the opportunity to
induce demand on other modes, such as biking, walking, or transit, should be considered.
Figure C-3: Mode Share (Percent) for Commute Trips (2016-2020)
Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; 2020. Table B08301.
Another opportunity related to mode-share lies with Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), a measure of the
distance each vehicle travels on a daily basis. The City can help its residents improve their travel
efflciency through a reduction in VMT through mode shifts, as described above, as well as increasing
options for carpooling or working from home, to decrease the current 35.9 VMT/Service Population
(Figure C-4).
79%
12%
0%1%4%3%
78%
12%
1%1%6%2%
72%
10%5%4%8%
1%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Drive Alone Carpool Transit Bike/Walk Work From Home Other
Lake Elsinore Riverside County California
Circulation
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas C-3
Figure C-4: VMT Per Service Population Comparison in the Neighboring Cities
(2018)
Source: Origin-Destination (OD) VMT per Service Population Base Year (2018) RIVCOM Model
TRANSIT
Lake Elsinore is served by regional transit, Riverside Transit Agency (RTA), which provides three routes
to the City: Routes 8, 9, and 205/206 (Figure C-5). These routes may, as they stand, present a constraint
in terms of attracting a larger audience of ridership, but also present an opportunity to partner with
RTA to develop routes that may better serve the community.
FREIGHT
The Inland Empire has seen tremendous growth in freight and logistics. Designated truck routes
(Figure C-6) help facilitate the movement of goods throughout Lake Elsinore. Truck trafflc may present
challenges to other modes, especially bicyclists, as well as cause additional wear and tear on City
facilities. These can be mitigated through designated truck routes and partnering with the freight and
logistics community.
34.4 35.9 33.5
29.2
32.4 33.0 35.3 34.7
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Figure C-6: Transit Routes and Stops
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C-6 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas C-7
Mobility of the Future
The ways in which people, goods, and services move around have undergone many recent changes;
they continue to evolve. Some key disruptors to the transportation industry are outlined below.
Figure C-7: Disruptive Transportation Trends
MOBILITY HUBS
Mobility hubs offer a centralized location that integrate a variety of mobility choices, services and
technologies to enhance connectivity in an area, particularly in closing the gap of flrst/last mile travel.
To succeed, a mobility hub should consider the following components:
• Easily accessible by foot, bicycle, or scooter
• Proximity to key transportation infrastructure and services
• Residents with lower levels of mobility and accessibility
• Mixed land use
• Areas with a potential for future growth
Electrification
•Electric vehicles, from personal cars to freight to electric bikes, are a growing means of transportation that can reduce
emissions and the effects of climate change.
•Charging infrastructure and cost are primary barriers to the adoption of electric vehicles.
Connected Cities
•Connected Cities and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) can provide real-time and historical trends on volume,
LOS, safety, and more. Some examples include:
•Camera-based signal detection
•Passive pedestrian detection
•Vehicle-to-infrastructure communications
•Real-time updates to travelers via messaging boards or mobile applications
•These systems may have high costs to implement and additional costs to operate.
Event Management
•The City of Lake Elsinore has a number of attractions that attract visitors, both local and regional. From extreme sports to
wildflower blooms, the circulation of the City may see large and rapid increases of roadway volumes. Event congestion
can be mitigated through a combination of the following:
•Adequate parking supply at or near the destination
•Shuttle access from a central parking location
•Coordination & partnership with other agencies and businesses
Ridesharing
•Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), such as Uber or Lyft, have shown increasing usage in the past decade. Usage
of TNCs can decrease parking demand and provide options for those who are unable to drive themselves. They also can
help travelers in their first/last mile of travel.
•The demand for curb space for pick-up and drop-off areas increases. Additional considerations for staging or loading
zones should be considered.
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C-8 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Legislative Landscape
Since the adoption of the current general plan, there have been several updates to state and regional
policies that impact the Circulation Element and other updates to the General Plan.
CIRCULATION ELEMENT
The Circulation Element is primarily affected by four state policies (Figure C-8).
Figure C-8: State Policies Affecting Circulation Element
1Note, Fehr & Peers is currently assisting the City in the development of these safety focus areas as part of a
separate project.
•Opportunity to encourage
GHG reduction through
decrease in single-occupancy
vehicle travel.
•Opportunity to identify
areas with high levels of
collisions and implement
safety improvements.1
•Opportunity/Constraint:
Revisit VMT thresholds of
significance to reflect
goals & policies of the
City.
•Opportunity to develop
circulation system that meets
needs of all users of all
abilities & ages.
AB 1358:
Complete
Streets Act
SB 743: VMT
AB 32: Global
Warming
Solutions Act
SB 932: Safety
Focus Areas
Circulation
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas C-9
Key Considerations
• The majority of Lake Elsinore workers travel outside the City to reach their jobs. This presents
an opportunity for the City to address the heavy commute fiows and focus on policies that
promote inflll and redevelopment to increase the share of residents who work within the Ci ty.
These policies can also assist with the City’s climate action goals in reducing VMT and
greenhouse gases.
• Under SB 932, local jurisdictions are required to identify high-injury streets and intersections
and develop safety improvements to reduce trafflc collisions. Fehr & Peers is currently
partnering with the City on a Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP), which is expected to be completed
in Spring of 2024.
• Evacuation Safety – Under AB 747, Lake Elsinore is required to include an evacuation route
assessment for capacity, safety, and viability under a range of emergency scenarios. Though
this work will be completed under a different scope. Pertinent to this analysis are a series of
maps included as part of this Atlas’ Safety and Hazards Chapter and included here as Figure C -
9, Zero Vehicle Households.
• The City needs to consider developing policy regarding autonomous vehicles, ride -sharing,
mobility hubs, and other circulation “disruptors”, which infiuence transportation in the next
twenty years.
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PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE
The City of Lake Elsinore parks system has 20 parks that contain hundreds of acres of open space,
recreational opportunities, and facilities. These facilities include three skate parks, a BMX track, four
dog parks, two splash pads/spray parks, ball fields, playgrounds, and trails. The City also operates
three indoor facilities with spaces available for private rentals and community events.
Parks and Recreation
CLASSIFICATIONS
The City of Lake Elsinore provides the following types of recreational facilities for its residents and
visitors:
1. Pocket Parks (less than 1 acre) – Parks of this nature are typically developed in conjunction with
specific plans. Linear Park is an example of a pocket park.
2. Neighborhood Parks (1 – 10 acres) – These facilities are typically population based to serve
the immediate and surrounding residents, which is usually 3,500 –5,000 persons within a one-
half (1/2) to three quarter (3/4) mile radius. Neighborhood parks may adjoin school sites where
possible to encourage joint use. Typical amenities include play areas, turf, multi -purpose
courts, and picnic facilities. Tuscany Hills Park and Yarborough Park are examples of
neighborhood parks.
3. Community Parks (11 – 40 acres) – These parks are designed to serve 15,000 –20,000
residents within a one and one-half mile (1 ½) service radius and are utilized for active and
passive recreation. The actual size and development depends on the specific resource
involved, available land, anticipated use, and location. Typical amenities include lighted sports
fields and courts, picnic facilities, play areas, restrooms, and off-street parking. McVicker
Canyon Park and Lakepoint Park are examples of community parks.
4. Regional Parks (25 – 100 acres) – Regional parks offer a broad range of amenities to attract the
greatest range of users from within and beyond the City limits. Amenities can include open
space, bodies of water, structures (such as museums and nature centers), and trails. Their
typical service radius typically corresponds to a one (1) hour drive.
5. Recreational Facilities – The City also provides recreational facilities that can service either
residents or visitors. These facilities range from passive landscaped areas, hang -gliding, hiking
trails, and community centers. These facilities also feature special programs, activ ities, and
classes that help make up the City of Lake Elsinore's public recreation system. Examples of
recreation facilities include Lake Community Center, the Senior Activity Center, and the Cultural
Center.
PARK STANDARDS
The Parks and Recreation Master Plan (2008-2030) identifies the approximate park land to population
ratio is approximately 2.6 acres per 1,000 population. An additional 114 acres of developed park
facilities were needed to serve the 2007 population. Since the creation of that plan, Lake Elsinore’s
population has grown significantly and additional parks and facilities have been developed. Lake
Elsinore now has approximately 194.7 acres of park land. With a population of 70,244 (2020 Census),
the current park land to population ratio is approximately 2.8 acres per 1,000 residents, requiring an
additional 156 acres of park land to meet the 2007 Master Plan ratio. The Master Plan sets a minimum
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PR-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
park land standard of 5 acres per 1,000 residents.1 Table PR-1 shows the established facility standards
by amenity type established in the Parks Master Plan. Figure PR-1 shows park and recreation facilities’
locations.
Table PR-1: Recreational Facility Standards (2008)
Softball Field
Organized Youth
Organized Adult
1/7,300
1/5,500
Baseball Field
- Little League
- Adult League
1/5,300
1/8,000
Multi-Purpose Fields 1/5,000
Picnic Tables 1/1,000
Picnic Shelter 1/5,000
Tot Lot / Playground 1/5,000
Swimming Pool 1/50,000
Tennis Court 1/10,000
Basketball Court 1/30,000
Volleyball Court – Sand 1/10,000
Racquetball Court 1/10,000
Exercise Course 1/10,000
Horseshoe Pit 1/5,000
Handball Court 1/10,000
Restroom Facilities 1/4,000
Classrooms 1/5,000
1 Parks and Recreation Master Plan (2008-2030), City of Lake Elsinore.
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(map of existing park facilities
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PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES
The City of Lake Elsinore provides the following types of recreational facilities for its residents and
visitors:
Table PR-2: Park Facilities
1 Alberhill Park
28200 Lake Street
Barbeques, Basketball Court, Community Building,
Concession Stand, Drinking Fountains, Football
Field, Picnic Shelters, Picnic Tables, Playground,
Restrooms, Soccer Field
22
2 Canyon Hills
Community Park
34360 Canyon Hills
Road
Barbeques, Baseball / Softball Diamond, Basketball
Court, Canine Area, Concession Stand, Drinking
Fountain, Parking, Picnic Shelters, Picnic Tables,
Playground, Restrooms, Soccer Field, Splash Pad
18
3 Christensen Park
36300 Piedmont Drive
Baseball / Softball Diamond, Soccer Field,
Playground, Basketball Court, Restroom, Picnic Area
6
4 Channel Walk
Heald Avenue and
Spring Street
Paved walking path, benches, and lighting. Channel
Walk also provides opportunities for wildlife viewing.
5.8
5 City Park
243 S Main Street
Barbeques, Basketball Court, Concession Stand,
Drinking Fountain, Parking, Picnic Shelters, Picnic
Tables, Playground, Restrooms, Trails
4
6 Creekside Park
3200 Lost Road
Barbeques, Concession Stand, Drinking Fountain,
Football Field, Parking, Picnic Tables, Playground,
Restrooms, Soccer, Sports Lights, Tennis Court,
Walking Track
7
7 Lakepoint Park
420 E Lakeshore Drive
Baseball / Softball Diamond, Concession Stand,
Drinking Fountain, Football Field
Parking, Playground, Restrooms, Soccer, Sports
Lights, Volleyball
12.5
8 Lincoln Street Park
14986 Lincoln Avenue
Barbeques, Basketball Court, Drinking Fountain,
Picnic Shelters, Picnic Tables, Playground, Walking
Track
2.2
9 Linear Park
31717 Canyon Estates
Drive
Seating Areas, Small Turf Areas, Paved Walking Path 0.5
10 Machado Park
15150 Joy Street
Barbeques, Drinking Fountain, Parking
Picnic Areas, Picnic Shelters, Picnic Tables,
Playground, Restrooms, Tennis Court, Volleyball,
Walking
5
11 McVicker Canyon Park
and Skate Park
29355 McVicker Canyon
Park Road
Barbeques, Baseball / Softball Diamond
Canine Area, Concession Stand, Drinking Fountain,
Parking, Picnic Areas, Picnic Shelters, Picnic Tables,
Playground, Restrooms, Sports Lights, Walking
26
12 Oak Tree Park
15340 Lincoln Street
Picnic Areas, Picnic Tables, Walking 2
Parks and Recreation
PR-6 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
13 Rosetta Canyon
Community Park and
Dog Park
39423 Ardenwood Way
Barbeques, Baseball / Softball Diamond, Dog Area,
Concession Stand, Drinking Fountain, Football Field,
Grill, Picnic Shelters, Picnic Tables, Playground,
Restrooms, Soccer Field, Sports Lights, Tennis Court,
Trails
21.6
14 Serenity Park
19685 Palomar Road
Basketball Court, Canine Area, Drinking Fountain,
Football Field, Picnic Shelters, Picnic Tables,
Playground, Restrooms, Skate Park, Soccer, Tennis
Court, Walking
2.1
15 Summerhill Park
31613 Canyon Estates
Drive
Barbeques, Drinking Fountain, Football Field,
Parking, Picnic Tables, Playground, Restrooms,
Soccer
5
16 Summerlake Park
900 W Broadway
Barbeques, Drinking Fountain, Football Field,
Parking, Picnic Tables, Playground, Restrooms,
Soccer, Sports Lights
16
17 Summerly Community
Park
18505 Malaga Road
Barbeques, Drinking Fountain, Football Field,
Parking, Picnic Tables, Playground, Restrooms,
Soccer, Sports Lights
24
18 Swick & Matuch Park
402 Limited Street
Baseball / Softball Diamond, Concession Stand,
Drinking Fountain, Parking, Picnic Tables,
Playground, Restrooms, Sports Lights
7
19 Tuscany Hills Park
30 Summerhill Drive
Baseball / Softball Diamond, Concession Stand,
Drinking Fountain, Football Field, Parking,
Playground, Restrooms, Soccer, Sports Lights
5
20 Yarborough Park
419 N Poe Street
Barbeques, Drinking Fountain, Football Field,
Parking, Picnic Tables, Playground, Restrooms,
Soccer, Splash Pad
3
Figure PR-1 also identifies Lake Elsinore’s recreational facilities. The City operated recreational facilities,
described in Table PR-3, and are concentrated in the downtown area. Lake Community Center was the
City’s first Senior and Community Center and offers programming for all ages and reservable spaces
for events. The Senior Activity Center is another facility that is geared toward providing recreation,
education, and self-enrichment programs for participants 55 and older. In addition to a variety of
recreational programs, the Center also offers services including paralegal services, LIHEAP, health, and
other educational programs. The Lake Elsinore Cultural Center is where the City Council meets and can
accommodate various public meetings and community events. It is also home to the Lake Elsinore
Historical Society Museum and Research Library.
Parks and Recreation
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas PR-7
Table PR-3: Recreation Facilities
A Lake Community
Center
310 W Graham Avenue
Gymnasium, restrooms, parking, volleyball, drinking
fountains, kitchen, two (2) meeting rooms and
benches.
8,000
B Senior Activity Center
420 E. Lakeshore Drive
Restrooms, game room, computer lab, dining area,
parking, horseshoe court, shade structure, drinking
fountain, benches, and gardening planters.
5,000
C Lake Elsinore Cultural
Center
183 North Main Street
Performance stage, restrooms, meeting room, drinking
fountains, museum, and research library.
4,000
Open Space
In addition to City owned park facilities, hundreds of acres of public and private open space are
located within the Planning Area as identified in Figure PR -1. The open space is managed by several
agencies including the City of Lake Elsinore, Riverside County, United States Forest Service, Bureau of
Land Management, Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority, and the Riverside
County Regional Park and Open Space District. Table PR-4 is an inventory of open space land and the
agency managing the land.
Table PR-4: Open Spaces
Name Agency Acres
Lake Elsinore State Recreation Area City of Lake Elsinore 5,436
Alberhill Conservation Area Riverside County 1,075
Perret Park Riverside County 3
North Peak Preserve Riverside County 280
Unnamed BLM Land Bureau of Land Management 951
Steele Peak Reserve Bureau of Land Management 228
Cleveland National Forest U.S. Forest Service 7,392
Unnamed Western Riverside County Regional
Conservation Authority Land
Western Riverside County Regional
Conservation Authority
3,253
Unnamed Riverside County Parks and Open
Space District Land
Riverside County Parks and Open Space
District
19
Source: Riverside County GIS
Parks and Recreation
PR-8 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
A portion of the Cleveland National Forest , a national park, is also within the Planning Area. The
Cleveland National Forest is the southernmost national forest in California and encompasses
approximately 460,000 acres in total. Landscapes in the park range from dense forests, canyons, high
desert, and meadows. The national park offers opportunities for hiking, camping, horsebac k riding,
and hunting.
In addition to these formal open spaces, other open spaces include the Lake Elsinore levee (3.5 mile
multi-use trail), golf courses, campgrounds, and undeveloped spaces including wetlands, steep slopes,
and wooded areas not suitable for development.
LAKE ELSINORE
With over 3,000 surface acres of water and 14 miles of shoreline, Lake Elsinore is one of the most
valuable recreational assets for the City of Lake Elsinore. The lake is a popular destination for fishing,
motorboating, kayaking, jet skiing, and swimming. It features public beaches, campgrounds, and picnic
areas. The Lake also features a three-mile levee for hiking, nature walking, and fishing in some areas. As
Southern California’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Elsinore can have a complex biology. While it
contains several varieties of freshwater fish, it is also susceptible to algae blooms and other water
quality issues. The City has started a pilot study, funded by a Proposition 1 grant, for harvesting algae
biomasses to evaluate different methods of improving water quality and minimizing algae growth in
the lake.
Key Considerations
• The 2008 Parks and Recreation Master Plan identified a deficit in park land and amenities.
While additional parks land is planned, improving existing parks and facility amenities may also
be needed to meet established facility standards.
• Furthermore, Lake Elsinore’s rapid growth has meant that an additional 156 acres of park land
is needed to meet the standard of 5 acres per 1,000 population established in the Parks and
Recreation Master Plan.
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas NR-1
NATURAL RESOURCES
Open Space and Natural Resources
Open space and natural areas in Lake Elsinore consist of local parks, mountains, rugged hillsides, and
the lake. Lake Elsinore’s park system consists of 20 parks, flve dog parks, three skate parks, one BMX
park, two gyms/auditoriums, sports flelds, public beaches along Lake Elsinore, four fltness trails
including workout stations, and the 2.75-mile downtown riverwalk and nature trail.1 The Cleveland
National Forest, located to the west of the City, encompasses most of the Santa Ana Mountains. Natural
resources within the City’s mountains and hillsides include water, fiora, and fauna. Mineral resources,
such as sand, gravel, and clay, are also found in the Alberhill, Rice Canyon, Temescal Wash, and
Cottonwood Hills areas.
NATURAL COMMUNITIES AND WILDLIFE HABITAT
The Planning Area provides a range of complex vegetation communities and habitats resulting from
the soils, slope, hydrology, and regional climate. Sixteen major natural communities have been
identifled in the Planning Area, several of which are considered “sensitive” or “special status” habitats
due to their unique qualities, high wildlife value, and/or limited distribution across the region.2 Natural
communities include:
• Coastal sage scrub
• Riversidian sage scrub
• Diegan coastal sage scrub
• Riversidian alluvial fan sage scrub
• Chaparral
• Oak woodland
• Coast live oak woodland
• Dense englemann oak woodland
• Riparian forest
• Riparian scrub
• Southern willow scrub
• Southern cottonwood-willow riparian forest
• Southern sycamore-alder riparian forest
• Coastal and valley freshwater marsh
• Open water/reservoir/pond
• Vernal pools
The natural communities are further discussed in Table NR-1 and shown in Figure NR-1.
1 “Parks,” Lake Elsinore Visitors Bureau, October 20, 2023, https://visitlakeelsinore.com/parks/.
2 City of Lake Elsinore General Plan (2011).
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NR-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Table NR-1: Planning Area Natural Communities
Riversidian Sage Scrub*
Diegan Coastal Sage Scrub
Riversidian Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub*
6,727
32
112
3,262
680
205
9,989
712
317
Chamise Chaparral
Chaparral
213
4,148
6
8,544
219
12,692
Coast Live Oak Woodland*
Dense Engelmann Oak Woodland*
Oak Woodland
73
0
5
392
5
57
465
5
62
Riparian Forest
Riparian Scrub
Southern Cottonwood/Willow
Southern Willow Scrub*
56
186
0
27
32
111
22
30
88
297
22
57
Coastal and Valley Freshwater Marsh
32
0
32
Field Croplands
Grove/Orchard
89
26
289
198
378
224
*Considered to be a special-status/sensitive habitat because it is unique, has relatively limited
distribution in the region, has high wildlife value, and/or is directly or indirectly protected federal,
state, or local regulations and policies.
**Individual vernal pools and vernal pool complexes were not mapped in the MSHCP or for the
City General Plan but are known to occur in the City and SOI.
Source: Lake Elsinore General Plan (2011), GIS Database for MSHCP (July 2003)
Natural Resources
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<FIGURE XX: VEGETATIVE COMMUNITIES>
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CONSERVATION AREAS
The City is part of a multi-jurisdictional species and habitat conservation effort known as the Western
Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MS HCP). The MSHCP designates open
space areas for either permanent conservation or authorizes a “take” of these lands in exchange for the
assembly of conservation areas.3
Authorized “takes” require plan participants to assemble a reserve system of approximately 500,000
acres to connect current and future conserved lands.4 Approximately 3,500 acres in the City and the
SOI are part of the existing reserve system within the MSHCP. The City’s conservation target under the
MSHCP is to add between 4,830 and 7,870 acres to the reserve system over the next 25 years. To
achieve these targets, the City has focused on adding lands to existing core reserves and linkages
within the Elsinore Area Plan, public and quasi-public lands that are part of the existing MSHCP
conservation area, and the criteria area in and adjacent to the City and SOI as shown in Figure NR-2.
The 2021 MSHCP annual report shows that a total of 3,642 acres have been conserved between 2000
and 2021.
Water Resources
Lake Elsinore is located within an arid region of southern California where water is a limited resource.
Fortunately, the City has access to multiple water resources such as Lake Elsinore, the San Jacinto River,
the Temescal Wash, and treated water plants (Figure NR-3). Lake Elsinore’s water supply is managed by
the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) and consists of a blend of local groundwater,
surface water from Railroad Canyon Reservoir (Canyon Lake), and imported water.5
WATERSHED
The Lake Elsinore Planning Area is located in the Santa Ana River and San Jacinto River Watersheds
(Figure NR-3). The Santa Ana River Watershed includes the approximately 100-mile-long Santa Ana
River and more than 50 tributaries, making it the largest river basin in Southern California. The San
Jacinto River Watershed includes the 42-mile-long San Jacinto River. The river’s headwaters are in
Santa Rosa and the San Jacinto Mountains National Monument from which water fiows downstream
until reaching Lake Elsinore.6 The San Jacinto River includes 23 tributaries. The City of Lake Elsinore is
primarily located within the Lake Elsinore sub-watershed area, which covers 45 square miles at the
lowest point of the San Jacinto River watershed at the end of the San Jacinto Ri ver.
3 Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (2003).
4 Ibid.
5 “Water Resources,” Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, November 22, 2023, https://evmwd.com/who-we-
are/water-resources/.
6 “The San Jacinto River Watershed,” Lake Elsinore and San Jacinto Watersheds Authority LESJWA, n.d.,
https://mywatersheds.com/the-san-jacinto-river-watersheds/.
Natural Resources
NR-6 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
GROUNDWATER
Lake Elsinore is underlain by the Elsinore Groundwater Basin, which covers 25,700 acres (40.2 square
miles) in western Riverside County (Figure NR-4).7 The Basin is bounded by the Santa Ana and Elsinore
Mountains along the Willard fault to the southwest, the Temecula Valley Groundwater Basin to the
southeast, the Temescal Sub-basin of the Upper Santa Ana River Valley Groundwater Basin to the
northwest, and the Peninsular Ranges along the Glen Ivy fault to the northeast.8 The Basin is primarily
served by precipitation inflltration as well as inflltration along the San Jacinto River channel upstream of
Lake Elsinore and agricultural and residential return fiows.9 Average annual precipitation ranges from
12 to 14 inches. Municipal pumping for potable water is the only major outfiow from the Basin.
The EVMWD has 13 active municipal wells that provide quality drinking water from 35% of the District’s
groundwater wells. 10 Groundwater is disinfected with chlorine and chloramines and represents 40 -
50% of Lake Elsinore’s drinking water supply.11
SURFACE WATERS
Surface water features in the Planning Area include Lake Elsinore, the San Jacinto River, and Temescal
Wash. Surface waters released from the Railroad Canyon Reservoir fiow into the San Jacinto River,
which fiows into Lake Elsinore and lastly into the Temescal Walsh during periods of high lake levels
(Figure NR-5).12 These fiows are supported by over a dozen tributaries, including intermittent streams
and creeks. Intermittent streams contribute to distinctive riparian vegetation and play a major
biological role by supplying sediment, water, and organic materials to downstream water channels.
Lake Elsinore is southern California’s largest natural freshwater lake, measuring approximately 5 miles
long by 2 miles wide. To maintain consistent lake levels, a levee was constructed in 1995 to reduce
water surface size, minimize evaporation, and provide fiood protection for the southern end of the lake.
Lake Elsinore is fed by three primary water sources including runoff from local tributaries (8%), direct
precipitation (20%), and infiows from the San Jacinto River (72%).13 The Lake’s reliance on runoff water
brings water quality issues and associated ecological concerns such as flsh die -offs and algal blooms.14
7 “B118 Basin Boundary Description” (California Department of Water Resources, January 2006).
8 Ibid.
9 City of Lake Elsinore General Plan (2011).
10 “Water Resources,” Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, November 22, 2023, https://evmwd.com/who-we-
are/water-resources/.
11 Ibid.
12 City of Lake Elsinore General Plan (2011).
13 Ibid.
14 “The San Jacinto River Watershed,” Lake Elsinore and San Jacinto Watersheds Authority LESJWA, n.d.,
https://mywatersheds.com/the-san-jacinto-river-watersheds/.
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Natural Resources
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FLOOD PROTECTION
The Riverside County Flood Control District manages the region’s fiood protection and drainage. The
District oversees several fiood control facilities such as debris dams, storm channels, and storm drains
that are referred to as the “backbone” system of fiood control for the region.15 The City of Lake Elsinore
also owns and maintains multiple fiood control facilities that are generally constructed as part of the
drainage plans for individual projects. Naturally occurring fiood protection, such as natural
channelization, allows water to percolate into local groundwater basins. Two dams operated by the
EVMWD impact the Planning Area. The Canyon Lake Dam (also referred to as the Railroad Canyon
Dam), located at Canyon Lake northeast of the Planning Area, maintains the level of Canyon Lake
Reservoir and regulates fiows from the San Jacinto River watershed to Lake Elsinore.16 The Elsinore
Valley Dam (also referred to as the Lee Lake Dam), located at Corona Lake in the northwest corner of
the Planning Area, regulates a man-made storage reservoir for non-drinking water that was previously
used for agricultural irrigation and recreation but dried up almost completely during the flve-year
drought.17
For more information, see section on Flooding and Dam Inundation.
Mineral Resources
The City and SOI encompass areas with economically viable deposits of clay, sand, and gravel. As of
2023, two clay, sand, and gravel mines were active in the Lake Elsinore area. Both mines are going
through reclamation processes.
Signiflcant clay resources are located in the northern portions of the Planning Area, particularly in the
Alberhill area. Clay resources have been used to produce heavy products such as brick and tile and
refractory products such as flre brick and pottery.18 In addition, red “bone clay” is sold directly for
cement use. The mining activity is being phased out and reclamation processes are addressed in the
speciflc plans for areas with mineral resources.
15 Lake Elsinore General Plan (2011).
16 “EVMWD Dams and Dam Safety,” Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, July 31, 2023,
https://evmwd.com/who-we-are/operations/evmwd-dams-and-dam-safety/.
17 Ibid.
18 Lake Elsinore General Plan (2011).
Natural Resources
NR-12 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
• Mining operations have been slowly phased out through careful reclamation processes and
will ultimately be terminated.
Topography and Terrain
Elevations in the Planning Area range from 1,230 to 2,932 feet above sea level. The shoreline areas
along Lake Elsinore and the Lake View District, Lake Edge District and East Lake District to the west and
east of the lake are predominantly fiat. Terrain in the remaining areas of the Planning Area consist of
rolling hills and heavily vegetated steep slopes that steadily increase outward from the Lake. As a
result, Lake Elsinore’s land use includes a high amount of vacant, development-constrained land across
its many steep slopes. These steep slope areas pose various natural hazard concerns such as
heightened landslide susceptibility and wildflre risk. Lake Elsinore is also located within the Elsinore
Fault Zone, which includes multiple active faults directly to the northwest and southwest. Refer to the
Safety and Hazards section for more information on the City’s active faults and natural hazards.
Key Considerations
• The natural communities and conservation areas are home to a variety of animal and plant
species, some of which are either protected or threatened.
• The City will need to reconsider the challenges and beneflts of future development growth in
natural areas, particularly in the hillsides and around the Lake, versus focusing future growth
around inflll opportunities.
• Many developed areas in the Planning Area occur on varied terrain, including rolling hills and
steep hillsides. These areas may experience unstable soils and high flre hazards associated
with the steeper, highly vegetated slopes.
• Steep slopes and high elevations limit development on signiflcant portions of the Planning
Area’s vacant lands and pose numerous natural hazard risks.
• The City’s water resources play a major role in supporting several plant and animal species.
• Continued local, regional, and state coordination is required to maintain water quality that
supports the well-being of residents and natural areas.
Natural Resources
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas NR-13
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas SH-1
SAFETY AND HAZARDS
Lake Elsinore is bounded by the Lake Elsinore Mountains of the Santa Ana Mountain Range to the
southwest and the Temescal Mountains to the north. The steep terrain and dense natural vegetation
present wildland flres and slope failure hazards. Multiple areas throughout Lake Elsinore also
experience routine fiooding during heavy rain events that overwhelm the City’s storm drainage system.
Each of these hazards are expected to increase in severity with climate change. For this reason, t he City
understands that comprehensive planning within the context of safety must address both public safety
and environmental conditions such as potential earthquakes, wildflres, fioods, and the presence of
hazardous materials. Public safety responsibilities continue to evolve to address changing conditions.
The City is committed to taking preventative measures including emergency preparedness to reduce
their negative effects. The focus is on maintaining a healthy and safe physical environment and
ensuring community welfare through access to effective and efflcient high -quality public services.
Natural Hazards
SEISMIC HAZARDS
Seismic hazards pose a signiflcant threat to Lake Elsinore. A signiflcant seismic event could cause
casualties, property damage, disruption in communications, utility, supply, and distribution systems,
and cascading natural disasters such as landslides, liquefaction, and fiooding. Building damage caused
by seismic activities also represents an ever-present hazard. Over a third of Lake Elsinore’s housing
stock is over 30 years old. These older structures could be vulnerable to considerable damage as result
of a signiflcant seismic event. For these reasons, the City recognizes the importance of addressing
seismic hazards and taking preventative measures to reduce their negative effects.
The most signiflcant earthquake affecting Lake Elsinore was the May 15, 1910, Elsinore Earthquake
(magnitude 6) that hit just northwest of the City. The 1910 earthquake struck at 7:47 AM. Signiflcant
damage was not recorded beyond a few toppled chimneys and alarm expressed by residents. The
1910 earthquake is the largest historically recorded earthquake in the Elsinore Fault Zone. Table SH-1
shows the earthquakes that have struck within 10 miles of Lake Elsinore since 1930.
Table SH-1: Recent Earthquake History
1930 27 5 1 - 33
1940 3 1 - - 4
1950 2 1 1 - 4
1960 2 3 - - 5
1970 5 1 1 - 7
1980 42 5 - - 47
1990 16 3 - - 19
2000 17 4 1 - 22
2010 14 3 - - 17
Safety and Hazards
SH-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Table SH-1: Recent Earthquake History
2020 9 2 - - 11
Total 136 28 4 0 168
Source: Southern California Earthquake Center, Caltech, 2023.
Southern California is an area well known for its seismicity. The region sits across two tectonic plates:
the North American and the Paciflc. Movement along this boundary has resulted in many earthquakes
from the region’s numerous faults. Due to the numerous active faults within Lake Elsinore and the
broader region, the Planning Area is likely to experience moderate to signiflcant seismic activity in the
foreseeable future. Figure SH-1 shows the regional faults’ locations.
The City of Lake Elsinore is located within the Elsinore Fault Zone, one of Southern California’s largest
active fault zones, which extends approximately 190 miles from San Diego County to the northern end
of the Santa Ana Mountains. The Elsinore Fault Zone consists of multiple fault strands including the
Glen Ivy North and Glen Ivy South faults directly northwest of Lake Elsinore, the Wildomar and Willard
faults directly southeast of Lake Elsinore, and numerous other unnamed faults. The Elsinore Fault Zone
is known to be one of the historically quietest fault zones in the region with the last major rupture
reported in 1910. It is estimated that the zone can produce a magnitude- 6.5-7.5 earthquake, with a
recurrence interval of approximately 250 years between major events.1 Smaller events are expected to
occur more frequently.
The San Andreas fault and the San Jacinto fault, both further than 10 miles from the City, have the
capability of producing a large earthquake that could affect Lake Elsinore. The San Andreas fault could
produce a magnitude- 8.0 earthquake, while the San Jacinto fault could produce a magnitude- 7.5
earthquake.2
Landslides and liquefaction represent two seismically induced hazards. Earthquake induced landslides
are secondary earthquake hazards that occur from ground shaking. While the State of California has
not yet issued seismically induced landslide maps for the Lake Elsinore area , landslides are likely to
occur in hillside areas. A substantial portion of the Planning Areas is located on slopes of 25-35 percent
or steeper, much of which is at substantial risk of seismically induced slope failure.3
Soil liquefaction is a seismically induced form of ground failure, which has been a major cause of
earthquake damage in Southern California. Liquefaction occurs when ground shaking causes wet
granular soils to change from a solid state to a liquid state, destabilizing the ability of the soil to
support structures. In Lake Elsinore, very high liquefaction hazards are present along Grand Avenue
directly south of Lake Elsinore and along I-15 in the Business and Historic districts, as depicted in
Figure SH-2 and Figure SH-3. High liquefaction potential is also expected along the area’s principal
tributary drainages and in the valley fioor corridor formerly occupied by the axial riverine drainage.
1https://scedc.caltech.edu/earthquake/elsinore.html#:~:text=Northwest%20of%20Lake%20Elsinore%20are,easterl
y)%20and%20the%20Willard%20fault.
2 https://scedc.caltech.edu/earthquake/faults.html#s
3 Lake Elsinore Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (2017)
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas SH-3
<FIGURE XX: REGIONAL FAULTS>
Safety and Hazards
SH-4 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
<FIGURE XX: LOCAL SEISMIC HAZARDS>
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Geologic Hazards
Figure SH-4 identifles local geologic conditions and shows that a signiflcant portion of the City is
underlain by soils that are well-drained, undulated to steep, moderately deep to shallow, formed on
gabbro or latite bedrock, and have a surface layer of flne sandy loam and loam. Most of the soils found
in the City are suitable to support development, recreational uses, and wildlife habitats.
Soils characteristics are based on observations of slope, length, drainage patterns, fioral activity, and
bedrock types. Soils proflles note color, texture, size and shape of aggregates, amount and type of rock
fragments, plant root distribution, reaction, and other identifying features. The soil characteristics
include limitations, such as susceptibility to erosion, that may affect development.
FLOODING AND DAM INUNDATION
Large portions of the Planning Area are located within the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) mapped 100-year special fiood hazard zones, see Figure SH-5. In the past decade, the City has
experienced fiood damage from numerous winter storms that have overwhelmed the City’s storm
drainage system and created localized fiood problems.4 Flood sources in Lake Elsinore include the
following:
• Arroyo del Toro
• Channel H
• Elsinore Spillway Channel
• Lake Elsinore
• Leach canyon Channel
• Lime Street Channel
• McVicker Canyon
• Ortega Wash
• Ortega Channel
• Rice Canyon
• San Jacinto River
• Stovepipe Canyon Creek
• Temescal Walsh
• Wash G
• Wash I
• Murrieta Creek
• Wasson Canyon Creek
Failure of the Railroad Canyon Dam would pose extreme high downstream hazards to large portions of
Lake Elsinore (Figure SH-5). The Railroad Canyon Dam is owned and operated by the Elsinore Valley
Municipal Water District (EVMWD). In 1996, the EVMWD spent $9.1 million to upgrade and widen the
dam to withstand a 1,000-year fiood event. The dam is inspected monthly by the EVMWD and yearly
by the Division of Safety of Dams to ensure the dam is properly maintained and protected against an
earthquake or fiood. The Railroad Canyon Dam was rated “Satisfactory” by the 2022 condition
assessment utilizing the National Dam Safety Review Board rating system.5
4 Lake Elsinore Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (2017)
5 California Department of Water Resources Division of Safety of Dams Jurisdictional Dams Inventory, 2022.
Safety and Hazards
SH-8 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Wildfire Hazards
While the Elsinore Mountains of the Santa Ana Mountain Range and surrounding hills frame Lake
Elsinore’s picturesque backdrop, they also facilitate wildflre hazard risks. Wildflres are an ever-present
concern in the adjacent mountain ranges and steep terrain—especially considering much of the areas
to the southwest, west, and northwest of the SOI are fueled by vegetative shrub and chaparral
overgrowth. Risk is further elevated by high temperatures, occasional Santa Ana winds, and periodic
high velocity winds through the valley and steep canyons that form a natural wind funnel. In the past
decade, one notable flre has occurred within the Planning Area, and seven others have been
documented in the area since 1984. In August 2018, the Holy Fire burned 92 square miles in the
Cleveland National Forest, impacting approximately 160 buildings in Lake Elsinore. Figure SH-6
illustrates the flre perimeters of wild flre that have occurred within the Planning Area and surrounding
communities.
The majority of the Planning Area is designated “Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones” (VHFHSZs) by
Riverside County and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) as depicted
in Figure SH-7. Developments within the zone are required develop Fire Protection Plans. Lake Elsinore
contracts flre services with the Riverside County Fire Department and CAL FIRE, providing a full range
of flre protection services including flre prevention, suppression, and emergency medical response .
The Riverside County Fire Department provides flreflghting services to Lake Elsinore’s portion of the
Local Responsibility Area (LRA) while CAL FIRE is the primary emergency response agency responsible
for lands within State Responsibility Areas (SRA).
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas SH-9
See Table SH-2 for glossary of abbreviations.
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Table SH-2 Soil Categories (Legend for Figure SH-3)
Legend
116, Blasingame loam, 9 to 30 percent slopes
120, Blasingame-Vista complex, 9 to 15 percent slopes
121, Blasingame-Vista complex, 15 to 30 percent slopes
135, Capistrano sandy loam, 2 to 9 percent slopes
142, Cieneba sandy loam, 30 to 75 percent slopes, eroded
143, Cieneba-Blasingame-Rock outcrop complex, 9 to 30 percent slopes
144, Cieneba-Rock outcrop complex, 9 to 30 percent slopes
145, Cieneba-Rock outcrop complex, 30 to 75 percent slopes
146, Corralitos loamy sand
151, Escondido very fine sandy loam, 15 to 30 percent slopes
153, Friant fine sandy loam, 30 to 75 percent slopes
156, Hanford sandy loam, 2 to 9 percent slopes
159, Las Posas gravelly loam, 15 to 50 percent slopes
186, Ramona fine sandy loam, 2 to 9 percent slopes
187, Ramona gravelly fine sandy loam, 9 to 15 percent slopes
191, Riverwash
192, Rock outcrop-Cieneba complex, 30 to 75 percent slopes
196, San Emigdio fine sandy loam, moderately fine substratum, 0 to 2 percent
slopes
197, Soboba gravelly loamy sand, 0 to 5 percent slopes
198, Soboba cobbly loamy sand, 0 to 15 percent slopes
213, Vista coarse sandy loam, 9 to 15 percent slopes, MLRA 20
216, Vista-Rock outcrop complex, 9 to 30 percent slopes
AaD, Altamont clay, 5 to 15 percent slopes
AaE2, Altamont clay, 15 to 25 percent slopes, eroded
AaF, Altamont clay, 25 to 50 percent slopes
AbF, Altamont cobbly clay, 8 to 35 percent slopes
AkC, Arbuckle loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes
AkD, Arbuckle loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes
AlC, Arbuckle gravelly loam, 2 to 9 percent slopes, dry, MLRA 19
AlD, Arbuckle gravelly loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes
AlE, Arbuckle gravelly loam, 15 to 25 percent slopes
AtD2, Arlington and Greenfield fine sandy loams, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
BfD, Bosanko clay, 9 to 15 percent slopes
CaC2, Cajalco fine sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
CaD2, Cajalco fine sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
CaF2, Cajalco fine sandy loam, 15 to 35 percent slopes, erode d
CbD2, Cajalco rocky fine sandy loam, 5 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
CbF2, Cajalco rocky fine sandy loam, 15 to 50 percent slopes, eroded
Cf, Chino silt loam, drained, saline-alkali
ChC, Cieneba sandy loam, 5 to 8 percent slopes
ChD2, Cieneba sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
ChF2, Cieneba sandy loam, 15 to 50 percent slopes, eroded
CkD2, Cieneba rocky sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
CkF2, Cieneba rocky sandy loam, 15 to 50 percent slopes, eroded
ClC, Cortina gravelly loamy sand, 2 to 8 percent slopes
CmC, Cortina cobbly loamy sand, 2 to 8 percent slopes
CnC, Cortina gravelly coarse sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes
CP, Clay Pits
CrD, Cortina cobbly sandy loam, 2 to 12 percent slopes
CyF2, Crouch rocky sandy loam, 25 to 50 percent slopes, eroded
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SH-12 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Legend
DaD2, Delhi fine sand, 2 to 15 percent slopes, wind-eroded
DgB, Dello loamy sand, 0 to 5 percent slopes
DrA, Dello loamy fine sand, gravelly substratum, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Dw, Domino silt loam, strongly saline-alkali
EcC2, Escondido fine sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
EcD2, Escondido fine sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
EcE2, Escondido fine sandy loam, 15 to 25 percent slopes, eroded
EnC2, Exeter sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
EoB, Exeter sandy loam, slightly saline-alkali, 0 to 5 perce nt slopes
EwB, Exeter very fine sandy loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes
FaD2, Fallbrook sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
FbC2, Fallbrook sandy loam, shallow, 5 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
FcD2, Fallbrook rocky sandy loam, shallow, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
FfC2, Fallbrook fine sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
FkD2, Fallbrook fine sandy loam, shallow, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
FwE2, Friant fine sandy loam, 5 to 25 percent slopes, eroded
FyE2, Friant rocky fine sandy loam, 8 to 25 percent slopes, e roded
GaA, Garretson very fine sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
GaC, Garretson very fine sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes
GaD2, Garretson very fine sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
GdA, Garretson gravelly very fine sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
GdC, Garretson gravelly very fine sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes
GdD2, Garretson gravelly very fine sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
GhC, Gorgonio loamy sand, 0 to 8 percent slopes
GhD, Gorgonio loamy sand, 8 to 15 percent slopes
GkD, Gorgonio loamy sand, channeled, 2 to 15 percent slopes
GlC, Gorgonio loamy sand, deep, 2 to 8 percent slopes
GmD, Gorgonio gravelly loamy fine sand, 2 to 15 percent slop es
GoB, Grangeville loamy fine sand, drained, 0 to 5 percent slopes
GP, Gravel pits
GpB, Grangeville sandy loam, drained, saline-alkali, 0 to 5 percent slopes
GsB, Grangeville sandy loam, sandy substratum, drained, saline-alkali , 0 to 5
percent slopes
GtA, Grangeville fine sandy loam, drained, 0 to 2 percent sl opes
GtD, Grangeville fine sandy loam, drained, 5 to 15 percent s lopes
GuB, Grangeville fine sandy loam, poorly drained, saline-alk ali, 0 to 5 percent
slopes
GvB, Grangeville fine sandy loam, saline-alkali, 0 to 5 percent slopes
GyA, Greenfield sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
GyC2, Greenfield sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
GyD2, Greenfield sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
GyE2, Greenfield sandy loam, 15 to 25 percent slopes, eroded
HaC, Hanford loamy fine sand, 0 to 8 percent slopes
HcC, Hanford coarse sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes
HcD2, Hanford coarse sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
HdD2, Hanford cobbly coarse sandy loam, 2 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
HnC, Honcut sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes
HnD2, Honcut sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
HoE, Honcut cobbly sandy loam, 2 to 25 percent slopes
HuC2, Honcut loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
LaC, Las Posas loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes
LaC2, Las Posas loam, 5 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
Safety and Hazards
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas SH-13
Legend
LaD2, Las Posas loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
LaE3, Las Posas loam, 8 to 25 percent slopes, severely eroded
LkF3, Las Posas rocky loam, 15 to 50 percent slopes, severely eroded
LoF2, Lodo gravelly loam, 15 to 50 percent slopes, eroded
LpE2, Lodo rocky loam, 8 to 25 percent slopes, eroded
LpF2, Lodo rocky loam, 25 to 50 percent slopes, eroded
MmB, Monserate sandy loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes
MmC2, Monserate sandy loam, 5 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
MmD2, Monserate sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
MmE3, Monserate sandy loam, 15 to 25 percent slopes, severely eroded
MnD2, Monserate sandy loam, shallow, 5 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
MnE3, Monserate sandy loam, shallow, 15 to 25 percent slopes, severely eroded
PaA, Pachappa fine sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
PaC2, Pachappa fine sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
PlB, Placentia fine sandy loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes
PlD, Placentia fine sandy loam, 5 to 15 percent slopes
PmE, Placentia cobbly fine sandy loam, 8 to 25 percent slope s
PoC, Porterville clay, 0 to 8 percent slopes
RaB2, Ramona sandy loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes, eroded
RaB3, Ramona sandy loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes, severely eroded
RaC2, Ramona sandy loam, 5 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
RaC3, Ramona sandy loam, 5 to 8 percent slopes, severely eroded
RaD2, Ramona sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
RaD3, Ramona sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, severely eroded
RaE3, Ramona sandy loam, 15 to 25 percent slopes, severely eroded
ReC2, Ramona very fine sandy loam, 0 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
RsC, Riverwash
RtF, Rockland
RuF, Rough broken land
SrE, Soboba cobbly loamy sand, 2 to 25 percent slopes
SsD, Soboba stony loamy sand, 2 to 15 percent slopes
TbF2, Temescal rocky loam, 15 to 50 percent slopes, eroded
TeG, Terrace escarpments
Tp2, Traver loamy fine sand, eroded
Tr2, Traver loamy fine sand, saline-alkali, eroded
Ts, Traver fine sandy loam, saline-alkali
TvC, Tujunga loamy sand, channeled, 0 to 8 percent slopes
TwC, Tujunga gravelly loamy sand, 0 to 8 percent slopes
VaE3, Vallecitos loam, 8 to 25 percent slopes, severely eroded
VdF2, Vallecitos rocky loam, 8 to 50 percent slopes, eroded
VeD2, Vallecitos loam, thick solum variant, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
VlC2, Visalia sandy loam, 0 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
VmA, Visalia fine sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
VmC, Visalia fine sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes
VsC, Vista coarse sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes
VsD2, Vista coarse sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
VsF2, Vista coarse sandy loam, 15 to 35 percent slopes, eroded
VtF2, Vista rocky coarse sandy loam, 2 to 35 percent slopes, eroded
W, Water
Wa, Waukena loamy fine sand, saline-alkali
Wb, Waukena fine sandy loam, saline-alkali
Wg, Willows silty clay, saline-alkali
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SH-14 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Legend
Wm, Willows silty clay, deep, saline-alkali
Wn, Willows silty clay, deep, strongly saline-alkali
WxD2, Wyman fine sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
WyC2, Wyman loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes, eroded
YbD2, Yokohl loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, eroded
YbE3, Yokohl loam, 8 to 25 percent slopes, severely eroded
YsC2, Ysidora gravelly very fine sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent s lopes, eroded
YsE2, Ysidora gravelly very fine sandy loam, 8 to 25 percent slopes, eroded
YsE3, Ysidora gravelly very fine sandy loam, 8 to 25 percent slopes, severely
eroded
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas SH-15
<FIGURE XX: FEMA FLOOD ZONES>
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SH-16 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
<FIGURE XX: DAM AND RESERVOIR INUNDATION>
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas SH-17
<FIGURE XX: HISTORIC FIRE PERIMETERS>
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SH-18 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Safety and Hazards
Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas SH-19
Climate Vulnerability
The California Energy Commission divides California into several distinct climate zones. Lake Elsinore is
within Zone 10, which encompasses San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego counties. In Lake
Elsinore and the broader region, climate change is expected to intensify existing climate hazards and
create new hazards, posing a signiflcant threat to Lake Elsinore’s diverse populations, infrastructure, key
services, and natural environment. Top hazards of concern include drought, extreme heat, fiooding,
landslides, mudfiows and debris fiows, severe weather, and wildflre (some of which were discussed in
prior sections of this report). As part of the General Plan Update and to meet state requirements, the
City completed the Climate Resiliency Vulnerability Assessment (Vulnerability Assessment) under a
separate cover to assess climate change vulnerability, increase resiliency in Lake Elsinore, and enable
the community to prepare for, respond to, withstand, and recover from disruptions created or
worsened by climate change.
POPULATIONS AND ASSETS OF CONCERN
To assess communitywide resilience to climate change, the Vulnerability Assessment explored the
impacts of climate change hazards on selected populations and assets that may be disproportionately
harmed by climate hazards. State guidance provides a general list of populations and assets, which
Lake Elsinore reflned to develop 15 distinct asset types and 17 distinct population types as shown in
Table SH-3. Each population and asset were then given an impact score describing overall climate
impact from the identifled hazards of concern.
ADAPTIVE CAPACITY
The City, partner agencies, and countywide organizations have already taken steps to build resilience
and protect sensitive populations and assets from climate hazards in Lake Elsinore. To determine the
ability of the City to adapt to each of the identifled climate hazards of concern, the Vulnerability
Assessment reviewed existing plans, policies, and programs. Existing efforts to manage climate
impacts include:
• Lake Elsinore General Plan (updated 2011)
• Lake Elsinore Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (updated 2018)
• Lake Elsinore Climate Action Plan (updated 2011)
• Riverside County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (updated 2023)
• Riverside County Climate Action Plan (updated 2019)
• Western Riverside Council of Governments Western Riverside County Vulnerability Assessment
(updated 2019)
Each population and asset were then given an adaptive capacity score based on the magnitude of risk
posed to populations and assets, and any existing measures in place to mitigate these impacts.
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SH-20 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Table SH-3: Lake Elsinore Populations and Assets of Concern
Populations Financially Constrained
Households
Low-income Households
Households in Poverty
Cost-Burdened Households
Severely Overcrowded Households
Renters
Physically or Socially
Isolated Communities
Mobile Homes
Persons without Access to Transportation or
Telecommunications
Linguistically Isolated Communities
Persons with High
Outdoor or Hazard
Exposure
Outdoor Workers
Healthcare Workers, First Responders, and
Protective Service Occupations
Houseless Population
Low-Resourced Racial or
Ethnic Minorities Low-Resourced Racial or Ethnic Minorities
Persons with Limited
Mobility, Chronic Health
Conditions, or Who May
Be Dependent on
Individuals or Services
Children
Persons with Disabilities
Persons with Chronic Health Problems
Seniors
Persons Living Alone
Assets Transportation Services
and Infrastructure
Energy Infrastructure
Water and Wastewater
Infrastructure
Key Services
Buildings
Natural and Managed
Resources
Source: Lake Elsinore Vulnerability Assessment
VULNERABILITY SCORES
Utilizing the impact and adaptive capacity scores, the Vulnerability Assessment assigned a flnal
vulnerability score on a scale from 1 to 5 for each of the selected City populations and assets. The
vulnerability score refiects how susceptible the population or asset is to the harm posed by the climate
hazard. Populations and assets that score at least a V4 for one or more exposures are considered
substantially vulnerable. Tables SH-4 and SH-5 show the most vulnerable populations and assets in
Lake Elsinore. Moving forward, the City will develop Safety Element goals and policies to address these
vulnerabilities and improve community resilience.
Refer to the Climate Resiliency Vulnerability Assessment for more detailed information on Lake
Elsinore’s climate vulnerability.
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas SH-21
Table SH-4: Highly and Severely Vulnerable Populations
Source: Lake Elsinore Vulnerability Assessment
Table SH-5: Highly and Severely Vulnerable Assets
Source: Lake Elsinore Vulnerability Assessment
Drought Extreme Heat Flooding Landslides and
Mudflows Severe Weather Wildfire
Populations
Low-Income Households _V4 V5 V5 V4 V4
Households in Poverty _V5 V5 V5 V5 V5
Cost-Burdened Households _
Severely Overcrowded Households _
Renters _V4 V4 V4
Mobile Homes _V4 V4
Persons Without Access to Transportation or Telecommunications _V5 V5 V5 V5
Linguistically Isolated Communities _V4
Low-Resourced Racial or Ethnic Minorities _V4 V4 V4 V4
Outdoor Workers V5 V4 V4 V4 V4 V4
Healthcare Workers, First Responders, and Protective Service Occupations V5 V4 V4 V4 V4 V4
Houseless Population V5 V4 V5 V4 V4 V4
Children (under 14 years of age)_V5 V5
Persons with Disabilities _V4 V4 V4 V5
Persons with Chronic Health Problems _V5 V5
Seniors (65+)_V4 V5
Persons Living Alone _
Drought Extreme Heat Flooding Landslides and
Mudflows Severe Weather Wildfire
Infrastructure
Airports ___
Transit Routes ___
Major Roads and Highways __V4 V4 V4 V4
Freight __V4 V4 V4 V4
Electrical Substations _V4 V4 V4
Electrical Transmission and Distribution Lines _V4 V4 V4
Water and Wastewater Infrastructure V4 V4
Flood Control Infrastructure V4 _V4 V4
Key Services
Emergency Services _V4 V4 V4 V4 V4
Communication Services _V5 V5
Buildings
Areas of Concentrated Residential Development _V5 V5 V4
Government Buildings and Sites _
Key Employment or Commercial Centers _
Schools _
Natural and Managed Resources
Wildlands and open spaces V4 V4
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SH-22 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
Hazardous Waste and Pollution Sites
Hazardous materials are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA deflnes
hazardous materials as chemicals that can cause harm to people, plants, or animals when released into
the environment. Hazardous materials are used in many everyday activities and common service
facilities such as painting a house or dry cleaning. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
regulates the management of municipal and industrial waste to ensure the safe handling and disposal
of hazardous materials. Facilities that transport, generate, or treat hazardous waste must report their
activities to the California and U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies and comply with waste
management standards. These facilities are tracked through the RCRA’s national program management
and inventory system for hazardous waste handlers and generators known as RCRAInfo.
HAZARDOUS WASTE
The EPA categorizes hazardous waste generators as either Small Quantity Generators (SQG) or Large
Quantity Generators (LQG). VSQGs produce no more than 220 pounds of waste per month; SQGs
produce 220 pounds to 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste per month; LQGs produce more than 2,200
pounds of waste per month. Additionally, there are two categories for handlers of hazardous waste as
either a transporter (waste transportation) or transfer facility (temporary storage facility). The EPA also
identifles other hazardous waste activities for anything that falls outside the realm of a generator,
transporter, or transfer facility. The number and location of hazardous waste handlers and generators
are summarized in Table SH-56 and illustrated on Figure SH-8.
The City and Sphere of Infiuence have few generators and transporters , which mostly include industrial
uses. These are largely located in the Business District – the City’s industrial and commercial hub. Only
one location in the Planning Area has been identifled by the EPA as an LQG. This LQG is attributed to
the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). According to the EPA, a generator of waste
does not have to be the entity that produces the waste but could be the entity that removes the waste.
While it is unclear from the RCRAInfo database what Caltrans activities are contributing to hazardous
waste, it could be possible that Caltrans removed or handled hazardous waste at one of their
construction sites. The majority of hazardous waste generators are attributed to miscellaneous
hazardous waste activities, such as automotive repair, maintenance yards, and the generation of
common waste products like batteries, lamps, or pesticides.
Table SH-6: Hazardous Waste Handlers and Generators
Large Quantity Generator (LQG) 1 --
Small Quantity Generator (SQG) 22 7
Very Small Quantity Generators (VSQG) 4 --
Transporter 5 5
Other Hazardous Waste Activities 117 28
Total 149 40
Source: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information (RCRAInfo), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 2023
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POLLUTION SITES
The Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act are two key pieces of federal legislation that regulate air and
water pollution. The EPA is the implementing agency for several programs under the Clean Air Act and
Clean Water Act to mitigate the impacts of air and water pollutants on the environment and human
health. According to the RCRAInfo database, six sites producing hazardous air and water pollutants are
located within the city’s boundaries and are mostly located within the Business District.
Hazardous air pollutants are those known to cause cancer and other serious health impacts. Common
examples include asbestos, lead compounds, and perchloroethylene, which is emitted from some dry
cleaning facilities. Five facilities within the City produce air pollutants. These include the Skylark Field,
Elsinore Valley Cemetery, and three other manufacturing/industrial businesses, as summarized in Table
SH-7 and shown in Figure SH-9. The emissions from the Elsinore Valley Cemetery are likely caused by
cremation, which is known to produce signiflcant amounts of carbon dioxide.
Water pollution occurs when harmful substances (e.g. sewage, chemicals, etc.) contaminate
waterbodies. Water pollution can either originate from point sources or nonpoint sources. Point source
means contamination originated from a single source, such as an oil reflnery. Nonpoint sources
originate from diffuse sources, such as stormwater runoff.
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is a permit system for discharging point
source pollutants into waterbodies. One unpermitted facility in the City has been identifled by this
program, which is a storm drain located near the lake on South Poe Street (see Figure SH-9). It could be
possible that the storm drain is carrying runoff from industrial uses located to the north.
Table SH-7: Pollutant Discharge by Type
Air Minor 1 --
Hazardous Air Pollutant Major 3 --
Pesticide Producer 1 --
Water Pollutant Discharge
ICIS-NPDES Unpermitted 1 --
Source: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information (RCRAInfo), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 2023
Key Considerations
• The City updated its Local Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2017. However, the document did not
address the heightened risk of natural hazards such as fiooding and wildflres associated with
climate change.
• The City lies on an active fault line in a seismically active region. Earthquakes and the effects of
seismically induced landslides and liquefaction threaten human safety, public infrastructure,
and older buildings.
• Winter storm fiooding is the most frequently occurring natural hazard since 2000.
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SH-26 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
• Flooding inundation from the Railroad Canyon Dam is possible if there were a catastrophic
break in the dam. If so, properties along the shore of Lake Elsinore and in the East Lake District
are susceptible to fiooding.
• Much of the Planning Area is located within “Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones,” which will
require State, regional, local, and tribal coordination for best practices in wildflre mitigation
and resiliency.
• Pollution sources and hazardous waste facilities are generally clustered around the Business
District and along I-15, which is typical of land use planning practices.
• The City has been able to provide a good degree of separation between industrial uses and
sensitive uses such as schools and residences. As the City continues to develop, particularly in
the Business and Downtown District, it will be critical to employ lan d use planning practices
that mitigate negative environmental impacts on the health of current and future residents.
• The City should continue to coordinate with local industrial businesses to mitigate
environmental impacts and ensure continued compliance with state and federal environmental
regulations.
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas SH-27
FIGURE XX: POLLUTION SITES>
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Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas EJ-1
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, HEALTH AND
WELLNESS
Environmental justice is deflned as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people
regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation,
and enforcement of environmental regulations and policies implemented by local agencies. Fair
treatment means that no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative
environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental, and c ommercial operations and
policies.
Disadvantaged Communities
Disadvantaged communities refer to areas that are most affiicted with a combination of economic,
health, and environmental burdens. California law requires local governments to identify any
disadvantaged communities that exist within their jurisdiction. CalEnviroScreen 4.0 was developed by
the California Environmental Protection Agency to identify disadvantaged communities using the
following indicators of pollution burden and population characteristics (see Table EJ-1):
• Pollution Burden. Areas disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other
hazards that can lead to negative public health effects, exposure, or environmental
degradation
• Population Characteristics. Areas with concentrations of people that are of low income, high
unemployment, low levels of homeownership, high rent burden, sensitive populations, and/or
low levels of educational attainment
Table EJ-1: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Indicators
Exposure Indicators:
• Ozone concentrations in air
• PM 2.5 concentrations in air
• Diesel particulate matter emissions
• Drinking water contaminants
• Children’s Lead Risk from Housing
• Use of certain high-hazard, high volatility
pesticides
• Toxic releases from facilities
• Trafflc density
Environmental Effect Indicators:
• Toxic cleanup sites
• Groundwater threats from leaking
underground storage sites and cleanups
• Hazardous waste facilities and generators
• Impaired water bodies
• Solid waste sites and facilities
Sensitive Population Indicators:
• Asthma emergency department visits
• Cardiovascular disease (emergency
department visits for heart attacks)
• Low birth weight infants
Socioeconomic Factor Indicators:
• Educational attainment
• Housing burdened low-income households
• Linguistic isolation
• Poverty
• Unemployment
Source: California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool (CalEnviroScreen 4.0), Offlce of
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), 2021.
Environmental Justice
EJ-2 Lake Elsinore General Plan Update | Atlas
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 produces a percentile ranking of Lake Elsinore’s census tracts (small, relatively
permanent statistical subdivisions of a city or county). The percentile ranking for each census tract
demonstrates the degree of burdens present in that tract relative to the rest of the State’s census tracts.
Using the 20 indicators listed in Table EJ-1, an overall CalEnviroScreen 4.0 score for is created for each
census tract (see Table EJ-2). All census tracts across the State are then put in order from highest to
lowest and assigned a percentile rank. Percentile ranking for a census tract above 75 would mean that
the census tract is in the top 25 percent of all CalEnviroScreen 4.0 scores statewide.
Table EJ-2 shows three census tracts in the Planning Area (429.01 is largely outside of the Planning
Area) have an overall percentile score in the top 25 percent, qualifying those tracts as disadvantaged
communities (DAC). While these three census tracts do not have signiflcant pollution impacts, they do
possess signiflcant socioeconomic and health burdens. The following sections discuss these scores in
more detail. Figure EJ-1 the percentile ranking for all census tracts in the Planning Area.
Table EJ-2: CalEnviroScreen (CES) 4.0 Percentile Scores
427.14 12 5 26
427.33 32 16 46
430.06 83 60 90
430.09 26 7 51
432.74 26 7 50
464.04 60 48 62
420.07 59 80 42
427.15 49 58 40
429.01 82 70 81
429.02 73 46 85
430.01 75 55 81
430.03 64 21 95
430.05 73 51 81
430.07 11 14 14
430.08 42 18 62
430.10 27 4 63
464.01 55 37 63
464.02 59 31 75
464.03 43 13 72
419.11 37 56 27
Source: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 the Offlce of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, June 2018.
Note: Census tracts with a percentile of 75 or greater are highlighted in red, indicating these areas are
within the top 25 percentiles in the State.
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POLLUTION BURDEN
The pollution burden for each census tract is calculated by measuring the average exposure and
environmental effects. Tract 429.01 experiences the highest pollution burden as it scores in the top 25
percent for four pollution burden indicators. However, only six percent of this census tract’s total area is
located within the boundaries of the Planning Area and encompasses a few residential uses that are
rural in character. The area is bound by Greenwald Ave to the west and south, Tyson Road to t he north,
and Dowling Road to the east. The majority of tract 429.01 is located within the City of Perris. Tracts
430.06 and 430.01 are wholly within the Planning Area boundaries. These two tracts score in the top 25
percent for two pollution burden indicators. All census tracts in the Planning Area are heavily impact ed
by ozone pollutants (see Table EJ-3).
All but two census tracts in the Planning Area score in the 80 th percentile or greater for ozone, which
means the summed concentration of ozone in these tracts is higher than 80 percent of census tracts in
California. Lake Elsinore is in the South Coast Air Basin (SCAB), which also includes the highly polluted
Los Angeles region and San Bernardino Valley. Prevailing winds transport pollutants from congested
urban areas throughout the SCAB. Signiflcant and long-term exposure to relatively high amounts of
ozone causes respiratory issues and chronic respiratory diseases.
Other pollution indicators scoring in the top 25 percent of the State’s census tracts are noted and
described below:
• Cleanup Sites. Cleanup sites are places contaminated with hazardous chemicals that require clean
up by the property owners or government. Chemicals at cleanup sites can move through the air or
groundwater. People living near these sites have a greater potential to be exposed to chemicals from
the sites than people living farther away. The three census tracts scoring above the 75th percentile for
the cleanup site indicator (census tracts 420.07, 429.01, and 429.02) contain a cleanup site.
• Hazardous Waste. Hazardous waste is potentially dangerous or harmful to human health and the
environment. Potential health effects associated with living in proximity to hazardous waste
processing and disposal sites include diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Only certa in licensed
facilities are allowed to treat, store, or dispose of this type of waste. Hazardous waste can range from
used automotive oil to highly toxic waste materials produced by factories and businesses. Census
tracts 427.15, 429.01, and 429.02 score above the 75th percentile for this indicator; each contain
several businesses or other facilities generating hazardous waste.
• Solid Waste Sites and Facilities. Solid waste facilities are places where household garbage and
similar kinds of waste are collected, processed, or stored. These include landfllls and composting or
recycling facilities. Solid waste disposal can release waste gases such as methane and carbon dioxide
and may do so for decades after site closure. Exposure to landflll leachate can have adverse impacts
on reproductive and respiratory systems. Census tracts 420.07, 427.15, and 429.01 score above the
75th percentile for this indicator. The facilities found in these census tracts include a Caltrans
Maintenance Station, recycling facilities, and the Elsinore Sanitary Landflll.
• Traffic. Trafflc density measures the number of vehicles on the roads. Major roads and highways are
signiflcant sources of air pollutants and noise due to vehicle-emissions. Asthma rates are higher
amongst children who live or go to school near busy roads than those who live farther away. In Lake
Elsinore the census tracts (430.06, 420.07, 427.15, 430.05, and 430.07) that encompass I -15 and SR-
74 score in the top 25 percent.
• Drinking Water. Drinking water sometimes becomes contaminated with chemicals or bacteria
above the State’s health standards. Both natural and human sources can contaminate drinking water.
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Natural sources include rocks, soil, wildlife, and flres. Human sources include factories, sewage, and
runoff from farms. Tracts 420.07 and 464.01 score above the 75th for drinking water contaminants and
contain signiflcant levels of perchlorate. Perchlorate is a contaminant that can come from geologic,
industrial, industrial, and agricultural sources, but also occurs naturally in arid environments. Exposure
to perchlorate during pregnancy can affect thyroid hormone levels in newborns, which can disrupt
normal development.
Figure EJ-2 shows the pollution burden percentile scores for the entire Planning Area. Although the
aforementioned census tracts score above 75 percent for several indicators, only one census tract
(420.07) has a pollution burden score in the top 25 percent.
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Table EJ-3: Pollution Burden Indicators Percentile Scores
C e n s u s
Tr a c t s
P e r c e n til e s a n d I n d i c a t o r s Pollution Indicators Cleanup Sites Hazardous Waste Groundwater Threats Solid Waste Facilities Toxic Release Inventory PM2.5 Trafflc Diesel PM Drinking Water Ozone Impaired Water Bodies Pesticides Lead Exposure C i t y o f L a k e E l si n o r e
4 2 7 . 1 4 5 0 10 0 0 21 50 46 6 32 8 5 12 0 4
427.33 16 0 61 0 0 18 4 7 19 2 1 71 8 5 12 10 23
4 3 0 . 0 6 60 17 7 7 7 10 2 9 53 83 65 32 82 51 0 79
430.09 7 0 2 0 0 4 2 53 0 30 32 80 0 0 12
432.74 7 0 0 0 53 1 5 47 19 2 73 80 0 0 7
464.04 48 0 71 31 10 1 9 50 6 8 47 69 80 51 0 41
C e n s u s Tr a c t s t h a t O v e r l a p C it y a n d S p h e r e o f I n fi u e n c e
4 2 0 . 0 7 79 7 5 71 32 9 3 49 5 8 8 3 4 7 9 8 5 0 6 6 3
427.15 58 8 80 3 8 76 2 3 52 83 20 6 9 8 5 51 0 14
4 2 9 . 0 1 70 8 1 93 25 9 3 2 7 52 1 7 2 1 7 2 9 4 12 3 6 38
429.02 46 7 7 1 7 0 53 31 53 5 12 6 9 8 9 0 6 2 56
4 3 0 . 0 1 55 17 7 9 38 22 2 4 5 1 66 48 3 2 80 51 0 68
430.03 21 0 5 0 0 38 5 3 51 43 3 2 78 51 0 41
430.05 51 0 5 5 0 70 38 53 94 46 32 8 3 51 0 30
430.07 14 0 7 14 0 4 5 55 97 8 32 78 0 0 6
430.08 17 0 0 0 0 4 1 5 1 20 11 55 74 9 2 0 35
430.10 4 0 9 0 0 40 5 3 0 7 32 80 0 0 4
4 6 4 . 0 1 37 17 0 31 59 21 3 9 24 1 99 7 1 9 2 17 25
464.02 30 2 0 47 7 6 23 50 27 4 32 77 51 0 73
464.03 13 17 4 7 0 14 49 52 10 32 78 51 0 29
C e n s u s Tr a c t s i n S p h e r e o f I n fi u e n c e
4 1 9 . 1 1 56 0 56 28 70 53 56 99 9 98 78 24 0 1
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T h i s p a g e i n t e n ti o n a ll y l e ft b l a n k .
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POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS
Table EJ-4 shows CalEnviroScreen 4.0 population characteristics indicators related to health conditions
(asthma, low-birth weight, and cardiovascular disease) and socioeconomic factors. Socioeconomic
factors are related to commonly found characteristics of low -income populations such as lower
educational attainment, linguistic isolation, and lower material well-being measured in poverty,
unemployment, and housing burden.
The disadvantaged communities score in the top 25 percent for three to flve of the population
characteristics indicators. Most of the census tracts in the Planning Area show very high rates of
cardiovascular disease, poverty, and unemployment. Many of the pollution issues captured in the
pollution burden indicator analysis contribute to the respiratory and other health issues local residents
face.
Population characteristics indicators scoring in the top 25 percent of the State’s census tracts are noted
and further described below:
• Cardiovascular Disease. Cardiovascular disease can lead to acute myocardial infarction (heart
attack) and other heart problems and is the leading cause of death both in California and the United
States. Survivors of a cardiovascular event are highly vulnerable to future cardiov ascular events,
especially following short- or long-term exposure to particulate matter. Risk factors for developing
cardiovascular disease include diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and exposure to air pollution. This
indicator has the highest average score of all indicators in the Planning Area’s CalEnviroScreen 4.0
dataset, with 16 of 20 census tracts scoring above the 75th percentile.
• Poverty. Members of low-income communities are more likely to be exposed to pollution and to
suffer from poor health effects as a result of that exposure than residents of wealthier communities.
Income can affect health, as people with limited means often cannot afford healthy living and working
conditions, nutritious food, and necessary medical care. Low-income communities are often located
in areas with high levels of pollution. Poverty can cause stress that weakens the immune system and
causes people to become ill from pollution. The U.S. Census Bureau determines the federal poverty
level each year. The poverty level is based on the size of the household and the ages of family
members. If a person or family’s total income before taxes is less than the poverty level, the person
or family is considered in poverty. The indicator used by CalEnviroScreen is the percent of the
population with incomes less than two times the federal poverty level. Seven census tracts have
higher rates of people living below twice the poverty level than 75 percent of the census tracts in
California.
• Unemployment. The U.S. Census Bureau counts as unemployed people over 16 years old who are
out of work and able to work but not working. This does not include students, active -duty military,
retired people, and people who have stopped looking for work. Stress from lon g-term
unemployment can lead to chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, and can shorten a person’s life.
Ten census tracts face unemployment at higher rates than the rest of the State.
Figure EJ-3 shows the cumulative population characteristic percentile scores for the entire Planning
Area.
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EJ-12 L a k e El si n o r e G e n e r a l P l a n U p d a t e | A tl a s
Table EJ-4: Population Burden Indicators Percentile Scores
C e n s u s
Tr a c t s
P e r c e n til e s a n d I n d i c a t o r s Population Indicators Asthma Low Birth Weight Cardiovascular Disease Educational Attainment Linguistic Isolation Poverty Unemployment Housing Burden C i t y o f L a k e E l si n o r e
4 2 7 . 1 4 26 4 1 18 70 33 0 27 0 41
427.33 4 6 4 6 2 5 9 4 31 12 4 2 6 1 50
4 3 0 . 0 6 90 6 6 4 9 99 83 82 93 93 71
430.09 5 1 6 7 24 99 44 32 2 7 7 3 11
432.74 5 0 39 2 7 93 59 3 5 36 93 9
464.04 62 37 2 8 88 66 5 6 74 97 31
C e n s u s Tr a c t s t h a t O v e r l a p C it y a n d S p h e r e o f I n fi u e n c e
4 2 0 . 0 7 42 44 54 70 42 26 3 9 38 16
427.15 40 33 41 8 4 50 11 48 29 3 1
4 2 9 . 0 1 81 6 5 3 8 89 86 77 83 75 6 7
429.02 85 63 73 89 86 75 81 92 26
4 3 0 . 0 1 81 64 51 98 68 62 82 6 2 7 9
430.03 95 6 7 8 8 9 9 7 4 64 89 93 78
430.05 81 63 5 9 9 9 7 5 50 74 80 5 8
430.07 14 16 4 60 32 12 38 2 4 12
430.08 62 58 14 9 7 55 2 5 7 9 5 83
430.10 63 6 7 32 9 9 70 47 44 77 18
4 6 4 . 0 1 63 5 6 58 9 6 5 9 6 6 52 11 49
464.02 75 6 7 2 8 9 9 5 9 43 86 67 89
464.03 72 43 5 5 9 1 6 5 41 7 5 7 7 73
C e n s u s Tr a c t s i n S p h e r e o f I n fi u e n c e
4 1 9 . 1 1 27 17 31 64 33 19 24 71 12
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Key Considerations
• Three census tracts within the Planning Area qualify as a Disadvantaged Community, as
deflned by State of California. One of these is largely located outside of the Planning Area.
• The Planning Area is not heavily impacted by pollution, but does have considerable health and
socioeconomic burdens, such as high rates of cardiovascular disease, poverty, and
unemployment.
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Healthy Places Index
This Health and Wellness section presents data and analysis that identify the relationship between
economic, education, healthcare, housing, transportation, and environmental decisions and their
effects on health and wellness of disadvantaged communities and populations that historically have
experienced inequities, institutionalized racism, exclusion, and/or isolation.
One’s health is shaped dramatically by community characteristics—housing, education, economic, and
other social factors, which often are shaped through policy. The California Healthy Places Index 3.0
(HPI) combines eight indicators comprising 23 community characteristics with weighted scoring into a
single indexed HPI Score, as seen in Table EJ-5. Within the datasets, scores are displayed in quartiles,
allowing for straightforward comparisons within a speciflc geography and across the State.
The results shown in Figure EJ-4 and Table EJ-6 can be used to explore, identify, and strategize existing
healthy community conditions. In contrast to the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 data, where higher percentiles
equate to worse conditions, lower HPI percentiles equate to worse conditions for both the overall HPI
score and contributing indicators.
Table EJ-5: Healthy Places Index Indicator Weights and Community
Characteristics
Economic
• Above Poverty
• Employed
• Per Capita Income
Education
• Pre-School Enrollment
• High School Enrollment
• Bachelors Attainment
Transportation
• Automobile Access
• Active (healthy) Commuting
Social
• 2020 Census Response
• Voting
Neighborhood
• Retail Density
• Park Access
• Tree Canopy
Clean Environment
• Clean Air - Diesel PM
• Clean Air - Ozone
• Clean Air - PM 2.5
• Safe Drinking Water –
Contaminants Housing
• Low Income Homeowner
Severe Housing Costs
Burden
• Low Renter Severe Housing
Costs Burden
• Homeownership
• Housing Habitability
• Uncrowded Housing
Healthcare
• Insured Adults
Source: The California Healthy Places Index (HPI), Public Health Alliance of Southern California, 2020.
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Table EJ-6: Healthy Places Index Percentile Scores (Citywide)
Healthy Places Index Indicators and
Community Characteristics Percentiles
Above Poverty 33.1
Employed 43.3
Per Capita Income 31.9
Pre-School Enrollment 33.0
High School Enrollment 19.7
Bachelor’s Degree Attainment 43.8
Active (Healthy) Commuting 12.1
Automobile Access 64.0
2020 Census Response 54.5
Voting 33.5
Retail Density 48.7
Park Access 59.2
Tree Canopy 11.3
Insured Adults 33.0
Low-Income Homeowner Severe Housing Costs
Burden
47.6
Low-Income Renter Severe Housing Costs Burden 31.8
Homeownership 53.5
Housing Habitability 52.0
Uncrowded Housing 25.1
Clean Air - Diesel PM 42.8
Clean Air - Ozone 17.6
Clean Air - PM2.5 28.1
Safe Drinking Water – Contaminants 57.3
Source: The California Healthy Places Index (HPI), Public Health Alliance of Southern California, 2022.
Note: Lower percentiles equate to worse conditions when compared to the rest of the State.
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COMPARATIVE HEALTH INDICATORS
Lake Elsinore’s HPI Score of 32.6 means the City has healthier community conditions than just 32.6
percent of other California cities (meaning that 67.4 percent of other cities in California have healthier
community conditions). Particularly, the Education indicator and its contributing community
characteristics score in the bottom 25 percent of California cities. Compared to other communities in
Southwestern Riverside, Lake Elsinore scores lower than most of its neighbors. See Table EJ-7 for a
comparison of Lake Elsinore to surrounding communities (with higher scores being more favorable).
Table EJ-7: Healthy Places Index Score
Jurisdiction Healthy Places Index Score
Eastvale 75.8
Temecula 68.4
Canyon Lake 61.8
Murrieta 61.2
Corona 55.1
Menifee 53
Wildomar 44.9
Riverside 39.5
Lake Elsinore 32.6
Moreno Valley 27.3
Jurupa Valley 26.2
Perris 20
Hemet 12.5
Source: The California Healthy Places Index (HPI), Public Health Alliance of Southern California, 2020.
Note: Lower percentiles equate to worse conditions when compared to the rest of the State.
GENERAL HEALTH CONDITIONS
Table EJ-8 provides health estimates from UCLA Health Policy Center’s California Health Interview Survey
(CHIS), the largest state health survey in the United States. Survey respondents in Lake Elsinore show
comparatively similar outcomes as other large neighboring cities, county, and State.
Table EJ-8: Health Condition and Healthcare Service Comparisons
Health Conditions (2016) for
Population Age 18 and Older in Past
12 months
Lake
Elsinore Hemet Eastvale
Riverside
County
State of
California
Fair or poor health 17.4% 18.4% 13.4% 15.6% 13.3%
Needed help for mental health
problems
19.4% 20.0% 17.4% 19.7% 21.2%
Delayed prescriptions/medical services 23.9% 23.8% 21.3% 23.6% 22.0%
Serious psychological distress 12.1% 12.0% 11.7% 12.1% 12.6%
Ever diagnosed with:
Diabetes 12.8% 16.3% 13.3% 12.9% 11.1%
Asthma 12.8% 14.3% 14.9% 13.0% 16.1%
Heart Disease 5.2% 8.0% 4.3% 6.0% 6.9%
Source: AskCHIS Neighborhood Edition, California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), UCLA, 20 20.
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HEALTH INSURANCE AND HEALTHCARE ACCESS
Access to comprehensive, quality health care services is important for promoting and maintaining health,
preventing and managing disease, reducing unnecessary disability and premature death, and achieving
health equity for all Americans. People without medical insurance are more likely to lack a usual source
of medical care, such as a primary care provider, and are more likely to skip routine medical care due to
costs, increasing their risk for serious and disabling health conditions. When they do access he alth
services, they are often burdened with large medical bills and out-of-pocket expenses. Increasing access
to both routine medical care and medical insurance is vital toward improving health.
Table EJ-9 shows the percentage of Lake Elsinore’s population with health insurance coverage. Lake
Elsinore residents generally have good health insurance coverage and is on par with Riverside County.
Additionally, Lake Elsinore residents have reasonable access to medical care facilities, as shown in Figure
EJ-5. About 34 percent of residents live within one mile of a health clinic or urgent care facility. These
medical facilities are small in scale and offer various outpatient services. The closest hospital is Southwest
Healthcare Inland Valley, located six miles south of Lake Elsinore in the City of Wildomar.
Table EJ-9: Health Insurance Coverage
Health Insurance Status
Lake Elsinore Riverside County
Percent
With Health Insurance Coverage 91.6% 91.5%
No Health Insurance Coverage 8.4% 8.5%
Demographics – With Health Insurance Coverage
Age
Under 19 years 95.8% 95.9%
19-64 years 88.7% 87.7%
65 years and older 96.3% 98.8%
Race and Ethnicity
White Alone 94.5% 93.0%
Hispanic/Latino (of any race) 89.8% 88.3%
Black or African American Alone 87.8% 93.6%
Asian Alone 91.5% 94.2%
Native American Alone 92.7% 87.6%
Nativity and U.S. Citizenship Status
Native Born 94% 93.8%
Foreign Born – Naturalized Citizen 90.9% 91.8%
Foreign Born – Not a Citizen 75.0% 73.7%
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020.
Food Access
FOOD INSECURITY
The U.S. Department of Agriculture deflnes food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food
for an active, healthy life. A household being unable to afford sufflcient, quality food correlates with
experiences of unemployment and poverty. Participation in programs designed to address hunger, such
as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps), rises in response to food
insecurity.
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Approximately 10 percent of households in Lake Elsinore received Food Stamps/SNAP (also known as
CalFresh, California’s food stamp program) in 2020 compared to about nine percent in Riverside
County.1 SNAP can buffer participants against food insecurity and poor health.
Additionally, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal income supplement program designed to
help aged, blind, and disabled people who have little or no income and to meet basic needs for food,
clothing, and shelter. Participation in disability assistance programs is relatively high among adults with
disabilities, particularly those who are unable to work due to their disability. Food insecurity is more
prevalent among SSI recipients, including higher rates of food insecurity due to more severe disab ilities.
About 4 percent of households in Lake Elsinore receives SSI income compared to about 3 percent of
Riverside County residents.2
Families with school-aged children may receive free and reduced-price meals as part of the National
School Lunch Program (NSLP), a federally assisted meal program that provides free, nutritionally
balanced lunches to children whose families meet eligibility income requirements. The NSLP provides
nutritious foods that help reduce the harmful impact of food insecurity and improve outcomes for
children. Research sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service found that
children receiving free or reduced price NSLP lunches consume fewer empty calories and more flber,
milk, fruit, and vegetables than income eligible nonparticipants, both at lunch and during a full 24 hours.
Free and reduced-price school meals also free up some household resources for other necessary
purchases. Table EJ-10 summarizes the portion of students eligible for free or reduced priced meals at
school districts located within and in close proximity to the Planning Area. These school districts, except
for Perris Elementary and Union High, have eligibility rates either on par or lower than the County and
State, which have only 65 percent and 59 percent eligibility, respectively.
Table EJ-10: Students Eligible for Free or Reduced Priced Meals
Lake Elsinore Unifled 65.4%
Murrieta Valley Unifled 35.2%
Corona-Norco Unifled 42.6%
Menifee Union Elementary 45.8%
Temecula Valley Unifled 27.7%
Perris Elementary 75.6%
Perris Union High 75.3%
Source: California Department of Education, Free and Reduced Prices Meals, 2020.
GROCERY STORE ACCESS
Limited access to supermarkets, grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and other sources of healthy and
affordable food may make it harder for some residents to eat a healthy diet. Expanding the availability
of nutritious and affordable food by developing and equipping grocery stores, small retailers, corner
markets, and farmers’ markets in communities with limited access is an important part of creating a
1 2020 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, S2201: Food Stamps/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP)
2 2020 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, B19057: Public Assistance Income for Households
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healthy community. Food deserts are areas in which it is difflcult to buy affordable or good -quality fresh
food.
Figure EJ-6 shows the locations where healthy food options (e.g., produce, fresh meats and seafood,
dairy) can be purchased. Twenty-four percent of residents live within one-mile from an establishment
that sells healthy foods and even fewer (7 percent of residents) live with a 10-minute walk.
Physical Activity and Park Access
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Research demonstrates that participating in regular moderate to vigorous physical activity provides
many health beneflts. Some beneflts of physical activity can be achieved immediately, such as reduced
feelings of anxiety, reduced blood pressure, improveme nts in sleep, some aspects of cognitive function,
and insulin sensitivity. Other beneflts—such as increased cardiorespiratory fltness, increased muscular
strength, decreases in depressive symptoms, and sustained reduction in blood pressure —require a few
weeks or months of participation in physical activity.
Physical activity can also slow or delay the progression of chronic diseases, such as hypertension and
Type 2 diabetes and public health professionals recommend at least 30 -minutes of daily moderate to
vigorous exercise. Beneflts persist with continued physical activity. Table EJ-11 shows the level of self-
reported physical activity in the City and surrounding areas per the CHIS survey. Respondents in Lake
Elsinore fair similarly to Riverside County and neighboring cities.
Table EJ-11: Weight and Physical Activity
Weight and Physical
Activity
Lake
Elsinore
Hemet Eastvale Riverside
County
State of
California
Obese Adults (BMI> 30)
(Ages 18+)
32.6% 34.4% 24.5% 30.4% 28.2%
Overweight or Obese Teens
(Ages 12 to 17)
31.3% 42.9% 25.6% 32.1% 31.2%
Overweight Children (Ages 2
to 11)
17.0% 19.0% 14.5% 16.9% 13.9%
Regular Physical Activity*
(Ages 5 to 17)
12.6% 14.9% 15.6% 13.0% 16.5%
Walked at least 150 Minutes
in Past Week (Ages 18+)*
36.8% 35.1% 37.3% 36.9% 38.9%
Source: AskCHIS Neighborhood Edition, California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), UCLA, 2020.
*Latest data available is from 2016.
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MAP FOOD ACCESS
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PARK ACCESS
Parks, playgrounds, greenways, trails, and community open spaces help keep residents flt and healthy
by providing access to places that support physical activity. Physical activity increases strength, fiexibility,
and endurance; relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety; improves mood; and enhances
psychological well-being.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 25 percent of American adults
engage in recommended levels of physical activity, and 29 percent engage in no leisure -time physical
activity at all. This sedentary lifestyle is contributing to an increased incidence of obesity along with
obesity-related diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and stroke. As
one solution to the increased incidence of obesity, the CDC has called for more parks and playgrounds.
Studies have shown that when people have access to parks, they exercise more. Parks provide children
with opportunities for play, and play is critical in the development of muscle strength and coordination,
language, and cognitive abilities.
In Lake Elsinore, 22 percent of City residents live within one-half mile—or a 10-minute walk—to one of the
20 City parks in the City limits (see Figure EJ-7). While this number is lower than the national average of
55 percent, there are a number of recreational and open space opportunities found throughout Lake
Elsinore, particularly in the Hillsides.3 The City is adjacent to the Ortega Mountains and Cleveland
National Forest, which provide opportunities for hiking, skydiving, and paragliding. The Lake is also a
key recreational destination.
Key Considerations
• Many residents live farther than a 10-minute walk from key community resources such as
healthcare facilities, grocery stores, and city parks.
• The General Plan should focus on creating more walkable and economically vibrant
neighborhoods to improve health and socioeconomic outcomes.
3 Trust for Public Land, 2018.
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MAP Park ACCESS
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