Public Service

Dick regards Public Service as a full time commitment and being retired enables him to devote all of his free time to serve the residents of Yucaipa. He enjoys meeting with and listening to Yucaipians, talking about what is close to their heart and finding solutions if there are issues. Dick is a familiar sight at many public events in Yucaipa, be it Friday’s Market Night, the opening of a new business, or sports complex, a car show, and many more. Dick is always there to help and support the city and its people.

Under his guidance and leadership as a council man with the Yucaipa City Council, the city has grown and thrived without losing its quality of life and its rural charm. Dick has always been an advocate for making Yucaipa a place that people are proud to live in, a city that is safe and fun for families and that provides opportunities for individuals as well as businesses. He supports smart growth but he is also keen on protecting our cultural heritage and the beautiful environment of the Yucaipa Valley that we call home. The following sections elaborate on some of the projects and initiatives that Dick was involved with while in office.

Capital Improvement Projects

• Major upgrade of Bryant Glen Little League sports complex, including lighting, seating, snack shop and broadcasting booth.

• Purchase and improvement of 30+ acre Community Park including construction of amphitheater, gazebos, community center building, tennis courts, ball fields, covered parking and the solar installation for supplying electrical power to the entire complex.

• Construction of a complete civic complex including city hall, police station, transit center, civic park, and parking facilities.

• Purchase and installation of an Olympic size swimming pool in partnership with the Crafton Hills College. Pool is located on college grounds, but it can be used by both students and Yucaipa residents.

• Improvements to Seventh Street Park, including reconstruction of swimming pool, remodeling of teen center, upgrade of Baseball Park, including lighting, children recreation complex, and the installation of covered basketball courts.

• Major improvements to Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park, Wildwood Canyon City Park, Lilian Eaton Park, City Central Park across from the senior center, and the construction of Chapman Heights Park.

• Completion of a new Multi-Field Little League Baseball complex [location], including seating, restrooms, snack shack, and broadcasting booth.

• Expansion and improvements of soccer facilities (Jerry Lewis Regional Soccer Complex).

• Construction of BMX Bicycle Facility.

• Major improvements of equestrian center.

• Inception of the Performing Arts Center at the corner of Yucaipa Boulevard and California Street (estimated completion fall 2017).

The Art of funding local Projects

Dick is a firm believer in saving city funds. He promotes searching for and applying for grants that are available on federal, state, or county levels. As a result both he and city staff have been very successful at maintaining a balanced budget while still being able to invest heavily into the future of Yucaipa. Through this exploration of alternative means to fund new development in Yucaipa, taxpayers have been spared from development impact fees and tax increases.

Open Space Acquisition and Preservation

Open space is a vital component when planning today’s urban environment, especially in areas of fast growth such as Orange County and the Inland Empire. Therefore, Dick considers his involvement in the acquisition of permanent open space for the assuagement of Yucaipa’s residents as one of his most important responsibilities but also one of his most satisfying accomplishments.

Through his doggedly interventions and perseverance and with the assistance and cooperation of a number people and organizations, the Birmingham and Porter Ranches were converted into the Yucaipa Regional State Park. The coactive involvement of David Myers (Executive Director of the Wildlands Conservancy), Frank Sissons (former Executive Director of the Yucaipa Valley Conservancy), State Senator Jim Brulte, State Assemblyman Russ Gogh, and the State Department lead to this extraordinary acquisition, which required a considerable effort negotiating favorable conditions and securing sufficient funding.

El Dorado Ranch, a 360 acre large property with a set of historic buildings, ideally situated in the North Eastern periphery of the city were acquired in partnership with Frank Sissions and the generosity of David Myers and the Wildlands Conservancy which he represents. Dick coordinated and facilitated the securing of this precious estate to be transformed into a permanent open space for many generations of Yucaipians to enjoy and marvel.

The historic Five Winds Ranch which was built as a secondary residence by Yucaipa’s Atwood family was recently purchased by the City of Yucaipa with the generous help from David Miller of the Yucaipa Valley Conservancy. Five Winds was the missing puzzle piece to make El Dorado Ranch Park complete. The purchase also made sure that a huge area of open space (Over 370 acres), brimming with native wildlife and fauna, and with unique vistas of the San Bernardino Mountains, Crafton Hills, Yucaipa its valley is protected from further development.

Uptown Redevelopment

Dick was a member of the Uptown Revitalization Committee even before Yucaipa incorporated in 1989. He has been interested and involved in the revitalization of Yucaipa’s center ever since. Redevelopment of an area requires a majority (I.e., more than 50%) of adjoining property owners. The process was initially hampered because of the reluctance of some of the property owners. However, through diligence and persistence a majority of owners in Uptown Yucaipa could be convinced that the redevelopment will benefit everybody in Yucaipa as a whole, from citizens to businesses. A promise that was kept because local business is booming in Uptown. As a result of these initiatives, California Street was revitalized from Yucaipa Boulevard to A Street and more recently Yucaipa Boulevard was revived from 2nd Street up to Bryant Street.

The redevelopment of the Uptown has been a boon to the City of Yucaipa. Uptown has become the center for a variety of immensely popular activities, such as Yucaipa’s Autumn Fest, the Music and Arts Festival, or the weekly occurring Farmer’s Market. The city’s center has not only become an immensely popular place for Yucaipian’s and visitors from out of town, but it has also energized local businesses and increased the City’s tax base. The Performing Arts Center, which is now under construction on the corner of Yucaipa Boulevard and California Street, will only further shape Yucaipa’s Uptown character and enhance its appeal as one of the nicest city centers in our region.

While the recent dissolution of redevelopment funds by the State of California made it more difficult to secure external funding for projects like these, the City is still on track to extend the revitalization of Yucaipa’s Uptown, so that it eventually comprises all of Yucaipa Boulevard from 5th Street to Bryant Street.

City Infrastructure

Since first elected into the City Council, Dick Riddell has been Yucaipa’s representative as a member of the Board of Directors for San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) and a member of the Board of Directors for OmniTrans, San Bernardino County’s public transportation agency.

The Board of Directors of SANBAG consists of a mayor or councilman from each city in the county, in addition to five County Supervisors. The Board has many committees governing various functions. Dick belongs to all the committees and he has chaired all of them at one point or another. One of the important functions of SANBAG is to design, plan, finance, and administer freeway and road improvements throughout the county, including all incorporated cities in San Bernardino County. The annual budget, including federal, state and county funds exceeds 500 million dollars. As the senior member of the Board, Dick has become very familiar with the processes and procedures of the organization and he has established excellent relations with the staff and other board members. As a result of his commitment and engagement with SANBAG, Dick has been very effective in securing funds for road and other transportation infrastructure improvements for the City of Yucaipa.

Like SANBAG, OmniTrans’s Board of Directors consists of a mayor or councilman from each city in the county, in addition to four County Supervisors. Dick is a past Chairman of the board and he has presided over a variety of committees. In his function and as a representative for Yucaipa, Dick was able to secure a Dial-A-Ride and more recently an OmniLink and OmniGo connection for Yucaipa; both operations are subsidized by federal grants. Dick was also successful in acquiring a grant of two million dollars which was used to build Yucaipa’s Transit Center, including infrastructure flood control mitigation, and pubic parking facilities.

Finally, as the city representative on the San Bernardino County Flood Control Advisory Committee, Dick was instrumental in obtaining funds for the construction of several flood control projects in Yucaipa.