The Rio Vista project site encompasses an area of 917.3 acres, 406.5 of which are designated for development of a combination of residential, light industrial, business park, a school, and parks; 510.8 acres of the project area are designated for natural open space. The open space areas are primarily made up of steep granite slopes that are not physically amenable to development; the primary reason they are designated as open space. The particular open space island where the Jurupa Oak is located consists of an approximately 27-acre conical hilltop composed of steep slopes and large granite outcroppings. The development of proposed “light industrial” and “business park” uses are identified for construction at the base of the hill that the Oak is located on. As of project approval the distance between the visible above ground portion of the Oak and development construction is 450 feet (expanded from 200 feet in 2023 DEIR .
The Development Footprint of Rio Vista
Sage scrub covered hills surrounding the Oak will be blasted, demolished, and graded. The area below including the large hill is entirely within the development footprint
The Rio Vista Specific Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report here:
43400004 Jurupa Valley Rio Vista Specific Plan Project EIR.pdf (ca.gov)
The Rio Vista Specific Plan Final Environemtal Impact Report here:
43400004 Jurupa Valley Rio Vista Specific Plan Project Final EIR.pdf
The Rio Vista Specific Plan Mitigation Measures and Monitoring Program here:
43400004 Rio Vista Specific Plan Project MMRP.pdf (jurupavalley.org)
Fontana Herald News (2018): Effort is underway to preserve historic old oak in Jurupa Hills
The Press-Enterprise (2019): Is Jurupa Valley oak tree – a 13,000-year-old Ice Age relic – threatened by new homes project?https://www.pressenterprise.com/2019/05/25/is-jurupa-valley-oak-tree-a-13000-year-old-ice-age-relic-threatened-by-new-homes-project/
L.A. Times (2023): California’s oldest tree may be threatened by proposed Riverside County development https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2023-11-06/californias-oldest-tree-is-threatened-by-a-huge-development
SFGate (2023): Calif.'s newest city, Jurupa Valley, could endanger the state's oldest tree
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/ca-city-jurupa-valley-palmer-oak-development-18488527.php
NBC4 (2023): New development plans pose threat to California's oldest living tree
L.A. Times (2024): One of Earth’s oldest known plants takes center stage in California development battle
Development fight centers on California's oldest plant - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
The Press-Enterprise (2024): California’s oldest plant is near housing proposed in Jurupa Valley https://www.pressenterprise.com/2024/06/27/californias-oldest-plant-is-near-housing-proposed-in-jurupa-valley/
The Washington Post (2024): This tree survived the last ice age, it's now threatened by development
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/07/04/jurupa-oak-tree-development-california