Riverside taking aspirational approach to looking into its economic future

By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL
The Press-Enterprise

When shown the Inland region's fate involved mere modest job growth in high-paying, skilled industries, Riverside leaders didn't want to go gently into an economic future they didn't feel was theirs.

Instead, they spent hundreds of hours and solicited the hopes and dreams of Inland residents to craft a vision for economic development focused squarely on improving the city's quality of life.

The result, a manifesto of sorts with a rally cry of a title, will be presented to Riverside's City Council on Dec. 15 for approval.

"Seizing Our Destiny: The Agenda for Riverside's Innovative Future" focuses on four qualities leaders hope define the city for decades: an "outstanding quality of life," "catalyst for innovation," "location of choice" and "unified city for common good," the report reads.

Figuring out how to make the city's dreams come true, including how to fund various efforts, will be the next step.

"We've never had this kind of aspirational strategic plan in my 30 years at City Hall," said Mayor Ron Loveridge. Previously, the city entertained any business owner who walked through the door, he said.

"We tended to have a passive rather than active economic development approach," he said. More here.