Watch a recording of the main meeting
Rio Vista Community Meeting #1 Summary – March 26, 2022
The first Rio Vista General Plan Community Workshop was held virtually on Saturday, March 26th from 10:00-11:30 am. A brief presentation by the consultant team, led by Interwest Consulting Group, provided an overview of the General Plan Update process. Attendees were invited to participate and answer a series of poll questions. A brainstorming session was also eld with meeting participants in breakout groups on the best things about Rio Vista today and how the City could be improved in the future. Four questions were asked in each of the breakout
groups and the responses from each of the groups are shown below.
Breakout Group One (Eric Norris)
What are the best things about Rio Vista today?
This group mentioned a variety of attributes about Rio Vista:
- Small-town feeling, including knowing friends and neighbors
- The city’s farming history and its role in the agricultural industry in California
- Recreation opportunities, including swimming, biking, and hiking
- Security of the gated communities (Trilogy, Homecoming, etc.)
- The municipal airport
What could be better about the City in the future?
This group mentioned several potential areas of improvement:
- Improved circulation to reduce congestion on Hwy 12, but also including better connections between various areas of Rio Vista
- More positive relations between the City and residents, and a more business-friendly attitude at city hall
- Better incorporating Trilogy, Homecoming, and other communities into the city
- Improved core/downtown area
What would you like to see in Rio Vista that’s not there today?
This group mentioned many potential additions to make Rio Vista a better place:
- More stores, including more grocery stores (but don’t bring in big stores if they would worsen traffic congestion)
- Better recognition of the role of farming in the community
- More amenities oriented to the waterfront: boat storage, marina, parkway, walkways, etc.
- More programs and amenities aimed a youth of Rio Vista
What are the 2-3 biggest issues in the City that should be addressed?
This group mentioned a variety of issues that need to be addressed (not in order of
importance):
- Defining a clear Vision for Rio Vista
- Make sure the City prospers
- Fostering the growth of small businesses
- Enhance the quality of life for residents: police and fire protection, performing arts center, ability to enjoy natural resources
- Improving the relationship between the City and the County (the County requires that growth occur inside the cities)
- Improved coordination with the Delta Stewardship Council
- Protecting the rural character of the southern portion of the city
- Addressing traffic issues on Hwy 12, but also ensuring that the downtown is not bypassed to the point where local businesses can’t succeed
Breakout Group Two (Nick Pergakes)
What are the best things about Rio Vista today?
- Small town and rural character (not suburban), as well as some urban pieces
- Active participation of non-profits in the City (16 currently)
- Agri-businesses in the community
- Farming and ranching
- Stewardship of the City and natural resources.
- Low crime and a safe place to live
What could be better about the City in the future?
- Roads should be improved as new development occurs
- More walkable and bikeable
- Better access and circulation for bicyclists
- Highway 12 needs improvement with better management of traffic
- Improve ped/bike access from outer neighborhoods to downtown
- A better downtown area (Healdsburg provided as an example)
- More locally-owned businesses
- More diversity in leadership positions at the City
What would you like to see in Rio Vista that’s not there today?
- More medical services/doctors
- Specialty stores in downtown
- African-American history reflected in City (i.e. plaques/monuments)
- Highway 12 by-pass for non-local traffic
What are the 2-3 biggest issues in the City that should be addressed?
- Absentee landlords/owners not taking good care of their business or property
- Perception that it’s not easy to start a business in the City
- Traffic flow in and out of the City
- Public transportation is limited and needs to be improved
- The City’s water infrastructure needs to be improved in the future.
Breakout Group Three (Eunice Im )
What are the best things about Rio Vista today?
- The small town feel of the community
- Community parades and festivals such as Hog August Bites, Christmas festivals, and others
- River waterfront
- Opportunities to become a volunteer to help the community prosper
- The number of service organizations and non-profits that contribute to the city
What could be better about the City in the future?
- More signage and markers that indicate the historical significance of the downtown. A good example is the mural on the bookstore, it gives you the view of what the building was previously.
- More signage for other historical buildings (or QR code). For example, on the western entry to the City, right hand side, there is an unidentified cemetery (of Asian laborers).
- Having permanent performing arts stage
- Free car parking access to the river where people can drive up to the river and have lunch.
- Fire hydrants in downtown Rio Vista are rusted, re-touch on the hydrants
- Having fewer vacant storefronts on Main Street (ideally none)
- Attractive window signage on vacant buildings, teach historical significance
- Require maintenance on vacant buildings
- Transportation getting in and out of the city is difficult (through highway 12). It becomes backed-up. Need to improve traffic flow.
What would you like to see in Rio Vista that’s not there today?
- More medical offices
- Better City website
- More places for overnight stays
- More winery and art festivals
- More community evens – balloon festivals, etc.
- Better communication with local people for local news. (i.e. The Beacon is a great source, regular email newsletter (monthly or quarterly), mails)
What are the 2-3 biggest issues in the City that should be addressed?
- The encampments along the river
- Blighted properties (motel across Highway 12)
- Better code enforcement
- Improvement on trailers and large truck parking in residential area or waterfront
- Vacant storefronts
- Improve sidewalks, uneven and broken