Upland Planning Commission recommends City Council approve Villa Serena development plans

The City of Upland Planning Commission convened on April 23, 2025, to discuss several key agenda items, primarily focused on recommendations to the City Council regarding various development projects.

The meeting began with a clarification that the commission would not be making final approvals that evening, as all decisions would ultimately rest with the City Council. The commission's role was to provide recommendations on four specific items.

The first item addressed was the certification of the final environmental impact report (EIR) and the associated mitigation monitoring and reporting program for a proposed project. A motion was made to adopt a resolution recommending that the City Council certify the EIR, which passed with six affirmative votes.

Next, the commission discussed a general plan amendment. A motion was made to recommend the City Council approve General Plan Amendment Number 20-32, which would modify the designation of a property from public utilities and flood control channel to a specific plan for the Villa Serena project. This motion also received six affirmative votes.

Following this, the commission moved on to a zoning change related to the same project. A resolution was proposed to change the zoning district from public institutional to specific plan, which was again approved with six votes in favor.

The final item of the evening involved a tentative track map and development plan review for a residential development consisting of 65 single-family detached units. A motion to recommend approval of this plan was made and passed with six affirmative votes.

The commission noted that these recommendations would be forwarded to the City Council, with a public hearing anticipated to occur on the second Monday in June. This timeline is in accordance with state law, which requires a 20-day public notice for changes in use.

The meeting concluded with a motion to continue discussions on a separate tentative parcel map and associated permits to the next regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting on May 28, 2025. The motion was approved unanimously.

Overall, the Planning Commission's meeting was marked by a series of recommendations aimed at advancing local development projects, with an emphasis on community engagement in the upcoming City Council hearings.