We provide voters direct ballot input to help control the cost of runaway urban sprawl for taxpayers and preserves the best farmland that feeds our families and sustains local economies.
To give city resident voters a direct say over urban growth boundaries, helping control the runaway costs of an expanding city—including rising water and sewer rates, increased police and fire service costs, and higher expenses for maintaining city infrastructure and utilities.
Turning out voters for farmland protection ballot measures
Shaping land use policy at local levels
Yes on Urban Limits gives voters direct input of city expansion and redirects urbanization away from prime farmland.
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On the November 2026 ballot!
Prepared by Riverbank City Attorney
Ballot Title
Voter Approval Required to Allow Development of Urban Uses on Agricultural or Open Space Lands Located West of Riverbank City Limits.
Summary
This initiative measure would require a majority of City of Riverbank voters to approve any decision by the City Council that allows urban development on existing agricultural or open space lands located west of City Limits.
"City Limits" refers to lands within the jurisdiction of the City of Riverbank. The City's western boundary is generally located at the midpoint between Oakdale Road and Coffee Road. All lands west of City Limits are within the jurisdiction of Stanislaus County.
The proposed initiative would require any decision by the City Council that authorizes or facilitates development of urban uses west of City Limits to be subject to voter approval at an election. Any such decision, without voter approval, would not be valid until it has received voter approval at an election.
Voter approval would NOT apply to:
Where the City Council finds, and the California Department of Housing and Community Development certifies in writing, that development is necessary to meet the City's legal fair-share housing requirement.
City approvals that allow ancillary uses on existing agricultural or open space lands west of City Limits (for example, farm worker housing).
Where a development project has obtained a vested right to develop lands west of City Limits.
City approvals that establish or expand wastewater treatment facilities west of City Limits.
On the November 2026 ballot!
City of Riverbank Urban Limits Initiative — General Plan Amendment
The people of the City of Riverbank do ordain as follows this General Plan Amendment:
The City of Riverbank General Plan (as in effect January 1, 2024, and as amended through the effective date of this initiative measure) is amended as follows.
New Goal — Land Use Element
The decision to authorize development on existing agricultural land and open space represents one of the most significant and far-reaching decisions to be considered by the City. This goal is to provide direct long-term impact upon land-use choices to City voters, so as to protect and reflect the intentions of the voters.
New Policy
Any decision to approve a comprehensive development plan, specific plan, or other plan or zoning designation that authorizes or facilitates conversion of agricultural land or open space to urban uses west of the city limits of the City of Riverbank, as in effect and approved by Stanislaus LAFCO, as of January 1, 2024, shall not take effect unless that decision is approved by the voters of the City. This includes the area(s) north of Patterson Road to the Stanislaus River.
This policy is intended to assure full participation in land use decisions by the voters of the City, including but not limited to public debate and a vote of the people, and to assure that the principles set forth in the General Plan relating to agricultural preservation and conservation and the like are fully implemented. The City Council has the authority to enact an ordinance to establish processes and procedures for the voter approval requirement that are consistent with the purpose of the policy to assure full participation by the people in land use decisions.
Agricultural land or open space is defined as parcels or areas in the unincorporated area of Stanislaus County with a General Plan Land Use Designation of Agriculture (Ag) where the County retains land use authority.
Urban uses is defined as land use or zoning designations with an underlying City of Riverbank General Plan designation of the following: Low, Medium and High Density Residential (LDR, MDR, HDR), Reserve/Clustered Rural Residential (RR), Civic, Community Commercial (CC), Industrial/Business Park (I/BP), and Mixed Use (MU).
This voter-approval policy may not be amended or repealed without a vote of the people, other than as set forth in this policy.
This policy shall apply to all areas west of the boundaries designated and described as the City Limits for the City of Riverbank, including the area(s) north of Patterson Road to the Stanislaus River, as adopted by LAFCO and in effect July 27, 2016, and as shown on Exhibit A.
Any decision by the City to authorize or approve development on all or a portion of the parcels or areas subject to this policy shall require, and be contingent upon, approval by a majority vote of the City voters at a general or special local election. In the event the City approves development of such land, such approval shall not take effect unless and until that decision is approved by an affirmative majority vote of the voters of the City.
The requirement for voter approval shall not apply to any of the following, regardless of location:
Approvals where the City Council finds, based on substantial evidence, and the California Department of Housing and Community Development certifies in writing, that the approval is necessary to meet the City's legal fair-share housing requirement and no other land is available. The amount of land approved under this exemption shall be the minimum required to meet the City's legal fair-share housing requirement.
A use that is ancillary to a primary agricultural or open space use (e.g., farm worker housing), provided that this exemption shall be narrowly construed to apply only to the ancillary use.
A development project that has obtained a vested right, provided that the extent of vesting shall be narrowly construed, and the policy shall continue to apply to any portion of the project that is not vested.
Approvals related solely to establishing or expanding wastewater treatment facilities.