[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6640426,"mediaKeyId","2555974-3911eb724acb489a3b72d8d27d9b0ed7","parentId",2555974,"title","Planning commission recommends denial of Cortez Street rezoning after residents raise concerns about keeping animals and neighborhood character","audioSeconds",2153,"startMs",1241000,"endMs",3394000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2555974-3911eb724acb489a3b72d8d27d9b0ed7&start=1241&end=3394","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2555974-3911eb724acb489a3b72d8d27d9b0ed7/thumbnail_1241000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6640426/Redlands-City/San-Bernardino-County/California/Planning-commission-recommends-denial-of-Cortez-Street-rezoning-after-residents-raise-concerns-about-keeping-animals-and-neighborhood-character","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640426-ccd0edb13219ff31bb6c64b797522599/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206159&Signature=JZLVwJKl4tdjHezSulIT-f62HPWzN6OBctO4pqQNb0GcwT80afO-EBpE-cJ1AtEe3R6EDX~pV8QWGRATniNnciDWJmE3a6fqFTFvf24ew9D-ycLthjXxm41S9tJPNP03zgzjs4kOqB2SBEKcZtGKXLvSotahkuhuaKiGq7aIjGtAN~aJqbLn8tOS2ic35sHu1ecxJEBt4Bla2BsxAbLhNnbzojN7XtepD1WAjlyybM0vzxLKlMpoS9S0a0YzIXPIzVj-uswDGDRQR1Hw~Ac3WdUQD9ki-hkibXBgCVmUjjJT~vgPtn-r2d850njzB4~NDw9VXiXhjY7XHJtBZdWslA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Redlands","date","2025-03-11T00:00:00Z","article","The Redlands Planning Commission on March 11, 2025 voted to recommend denial to the City Council of Zone Change No. 480, a staff-initiated proposal to rezone parcels along Cortez Street from A-1 (agricultural) to R-E (residential estate).

Proposal and staff rationale

Planning staff presented the rezoning as an effort to reconcile the city’s zoning map with its General Plan land-use designation (the staff report described the General Plan designation as very low-density residential). Staff said the area is largely surrounded by residential development and public open space and that rezoning the properties would promote map consistency.

Staff noted the site area was described in the agenda materials as 18 parcels totaling about 5 acres; in the staff presentation there was also a reference to the site as consisting of 16 lots, eight of which are vacant and eight containing single-family homes. The transcript contains both figures; the number of parcels/lots differs between the agenda and staff presentation. Staff also said the property is accessed by Cortez Street, a privately owned road, and that future developments would still be subject to environmental review when a project is proposed. Staff advised that the rezoning would qualify for a CEQA “common-sense” exemption (cited in the transcript as “section 15,061 B 3”).

Public comments and concerns

Multiple residents spoke against the rezoning, saying the change would alter the rural character they value and could affect their ability to keep animals such as chickens. Jessica Batra Serrada and Marcela Juarez (residents) said they moved to the area for its agricultural and rural qualities; Andy Holder (resident) noted that residential zoning carries different rules for animal keeping and that code enforcement in the city is complaint-driven.

Staff and director responses

Planning staff and the director explained that agricultural zoning permits some uses that residential zoning would not, but also noted practical constraints: the A-1 agricultural standards include large setback requirements (staff read a 100-foot setback standard for certain poultry keeping under A-1), and many of the lots in the tract are small (staff cited typical lot dimensions of approximately 126 by 126 feet), which would make keeping animals under those setback standards effectively infeasible. Staff also reiterated that the city’s code-enforcement program operates on a complaint basis and that the rezoning itself does not authorize physical development.

Commission deliberations and action

Several commissioners said they could not make the required findings that the rezoning would serve the public health, safety and general welfare and noted the residents’ concerns about lifestyle changes. Vice Chair Ensley moved to recommend denial of the proposed rezoning (the motion as read referred to Resolution No. 1698 recommending denial); Commissioner Smith seconded. The commission voted in favor of the recommendation to deny by voice vote and the motion carried.

Next steps and implications

Because the commission recommended denial to the City Council, the rezoning proposal will not advance as presented; staff said the matter can be revisited in the future if conditions change or more properties develop as residential. The commission’s vote leaves the zoning/general-plan inconsistency in place for the affected parcels.

Why it matters

The decision preserves the current agricultural zoning for the parcels along Cortez Street and reflects neighborhood concerns about rural character and animal keeping. The hearing highlighted a tension between map consistency and individual property-owner expectations about allowable uses; it also surfaced a numerical inconsistency in the record (agenda vs. staff presentation) about the number of parcels/lots affected.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Redlands - Planning Commission - Mar 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Redlands Planning Commission on March 11 recommended denial to the City Council of Zone Change No. 480, a staff-initiated proposal to rezone parcels along Cortez Street from A-1 agricultural to R-E residential estate.","taxTitle","Redlands City, San Bernardino County, California","taxId",12807,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6640430,"Planning commission approves Tom Bell Chevrolet addition of nearby display lot",447,762000,1209000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2555974-3911eb724acb489a3b72d8d27d9b0ed7&start=762&end=1209","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2555974-3911eb724acb489a3b72d8d27d9b0ed7/thumbnail_762000.jpg","/articles/6640430/Redlands-City/San-Bernardino-County/California/Planning-commission-approves-Tom-Bell-Chevrolet-addition-of-nearby-display-lot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640430-ae66e3ccd8548228d3fdcf859f52de07/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206159&Signature=cVKz6iAWgaPZyuDC9wYCh9RQd4-3e2wB41eyAr~LNcSTvACoY4QUpsbxxGfwFjBwA5g8MShIEa~o9NSlqnEwAORdaTx77uQG3Ct4sLZ1bzHq9yjxU8LySdJuLEV1rGpf78kz0GOAGBPqVa41U-GIoHzOetbhV20hLXa4gVsIzg4o4ygnvfH3WwHSHxZ1goJDhHu3KhPT5Gc06bh-q0eW3cleDkY~f9OhwnNJ1YRTRHnY~7MqRDu6npguBWkqk8DE9~YSHEBt0uaJ66wB0-mYOzcBq2aEx2GJ8Rs4Hb4RMEtuGh4jFUhF~gXxBYyaXQO0zSC7D9mV65ZbNk5I5tGrKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Redlands Planning Commission on March 11, 2025 unanimously approved Revision No. 1 to Conditional Use Permit No. 75, allowing Tom Bell Chevrolet to formally incorporate a nearby vehicle display lot into its dealership operations.

Staff summary and findings

Planning staff presented the request to add an existing 1.61-acre vehicle display lot at 1590 Industrial Park Avenue to the dealership covered by CUP No. 75 at 800 Alabama Street. Staff said the lot historically operated as a vehicle display area since the 1960s under earlier zoning and that the current proposal does not include new construction or additional site improvements. Staff reported the site is paved and currently used for display; with the added display lot, automobile-sales parking requirements would call for approximately 59 spaces in excess of the first 10,000 square feet, while the dealership currently provides 115 spaces (40 customer and 75 staff), and it typically displays 210 to 275 new vehicles.

Staff advised that the proposal qualifies for exemptions from CEQA under local provisions cited in the staff report (sections referenced in the presentation included “section 15,301” and “section 15,332” as stated by staff), because it involves negligible expansion of an existing use and meets infill criteria. Staff recommended approval subject to conditions in the staff report.

Commission deliberations and action

Commissioner Wells moved to adopt Resolution No. 1699 approving Revision No. 1 to CUP No. 75; Commissioner Stanson seconded the motion. Commissioners noted the proposal largely formalizes an existing use; there were no public comments, no written comments and no questions about operating hours beyond those listed in the staff report. The motion passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Why it matters

The approval recognizes and formalizes the dealership’s long-standing use of the display lot and ties it administratively to the main CUP for Tom Bell Chevrolet. Staff said no further environmental review is required for this administrative consolidation under the cited local CEQA exemptions.","The commission approved a revision to Conditional Use Permit 75 to incorporate an existing 1.61-acre vehicle display lot at 1590 Industrial Park Avenue into Tom Bell Chevrolet’s dealership permit; staff said the change requires no new construction and is exempt from CEQA under local exemptions noted in the staff report.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6640435,"Planning commission approves design revisions for Meadowlark subdivision",614,135000,749000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2555974-3911eb724acb489a3b72d8d27d9b0ed7&start=135&end=749","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2555974-3911eb724acb489a3b72d8d27d9b0ed7/thumbnail_135000.jpg","/articles/6640435/Redlands-City/San-Bernardino-County/California/Planning-commission-approves-design-revisions-for-Meadowlark-subdivision","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640435-8d5b629b98a3485f02005348e6a3695e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206159&Signature=oAE7JUIPw9uY9Rdwawb5BUPBPNFicF2fo1YMIW3a5p4W3htqkjsf8RiA2GZpXxEyha94l227c2UfD7ywakGoRYkGDn3D4mWoYQkoUT1nN-n4YVDABnIUEQQYQe4xxi7ng59AyJKpDZG4AfoCCs8iwsmSn6Ol1bhY~OSNcUxzO8Ti874dzkoCexb1jB6hN2meufAjOBbfvH79JGwF2t43Gdr1hBNXhny4yKNRwQMx2YM2vgPEU32OqOcvxyAgffg6Xu9p1dqArHDeCXGuebhh~8IvOEj3pZ3vcd90s1uT8oxYVWblqlnP~8U2ecxCZsrgPrPGvOA7jwdcu7S6KqdzFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Redlands Planning Commission on March 11, 2025 voted to adopt Resolution No. 1697 approving Revision No. 1 to Conditional Use Permit (CUP) No. 1163, authorizing architectural and landscape revisions for the Meadowlark subdivision at the southwest corner of East San Bernardino Avenue and Wabash Avenue.

The project remains the previously approved tentative tract for about 98 single-family lots on approximately 37.9 acres, and the commission’s action only approves revised house plans, exterior elevations and preliminary wall and landscape plans; no changes to lot sizes or street layout were proposed. Planning staff said the revised plans continue to meet development standards including setbacks and lot coverage in the Planned Residential Development regulations.

Staff presentation and recommendation

Planning staff described the application as a set of design revisions to the tentative tract map originally approved in 2022. Staff said the revised neighborhood would distribute four plan types and three architectural styles (Spanish, ranch and farmhouse) and would use materials such as stucco, hardy lap siding, stone veneer and concrete tile roofing. The landscaping plan retains drought-tolerant front-yard plantings and alternating street-tree species on interior streets.

The principal substantive change from the earlier approval is the addition of perimeter block walls that will separate several east-side cul-de-sacs, replacing previously open pedestrian access points. Staff noted that some front-yard fencing on the east side will require separate minor-exception permits and that a mitigated negative declaration had been adopted previously; staff said no additional environmental document is required “according to section 15 16 2 of the sequence guidelines” as stated in the report. Staff recommended approval of the revisions.

Applicant and safety questions

Rick Rush of Tri Point Homes, the applicant, said the developer wants the block walls to create a more “closed in” neighborhood edge where the subdivision adjoins county homes on Wabash and to reduce perceived noise and traffic impacts from the busy Wabash corridor. Rush said the project’s two points of ingress and egress remain on San Bernardino Avenue and that an earlier planned access on Capri had been removed before his company acquired the property.

Commissioners raised questions about the pedestrian access closures and emergency access. Staff responded that the project had gone through the Development Review Committee and that the Fire Department had reviewed and accepted the proposed two San Bernardino access points during earlier plan review.

Conditions and next steps

Staff told the commission that the developer is close to recording the final map and that the applicant intends to submit required minor-exception permit applications for some fences. A 6-foot block wall height was stated during the hearing.

The commission voted unanimously to approve the resolution adopting Revision No. 1 to CUP No. 1163. The motion was moved by Vice Chair Ensley and seconded by Commissioner Manuel. No members of the public provided comments on this item at the hearing.

Why it matters

The approval allows the developer to proceed with the revised home designs and perimeter treatments while keeping the previously approved subdivision layout. The added walls and the need for minor exceptions may alter pedestrian connections that were part of earlier approvals; the applicant must submit the exception permits before implementing some of the proposed fences.","The Redlands Planning Commission on March 11 approved design and landscaping revisions for the Meadowlark subdivision, keeping the previously approved lot layout while adding new house styles and perimeter walls; staff said the changes meet development standards and no new environmental review is required.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning commission recommends denial of Cortez Street rezoning after residents raise concerns about keeping animals and neighborhood character

Planning commission approves Tom Bell Chevrolet addition of nearby display lot

Planning commission approves design revisions for Meadowlark subdivision