Planning commission recommends City Council approve 460‑unit Tennessee Village project

The Redlands Planning Commission on Sept. 24 recommended that the City Council approve the Tennessee Village Project, a proposed 13.5‑acre mixed‑use development on Tennessee Street that would include 460 apartments and roughly 18,000 square feet of commercial space.

Staff presented the project and explained the required entitlements: a specific plan amendment, a zone change to C‑3 (general commercial) to allow mixed use, a tentative parcel map to subdivide the property into four parcels, a conditional use permit (No. 1173) and commission review and approval (No. 956). Staff said the applicant seeks a density‑bonus agreement that would deed restrict 20 units (5% of the base unit count) for very‑low‑income residents for a minimum of 55 years; that restriction entitles the applicant to an additional 76 units, bringing the total to 460. Staff also cited a positive city cost‑benefit ratio of 1.75 and estimated annual revenue “over $240,000.”

Why it matters: The commission advanced a large housing project that uses state density‑bonus law and includes a small on‑site affordable set‑aside. Commissioners and the public framed the project as a test of how Redlands balances housing supply, design, environmental review and local climate goals.

Details of the proposal and entitlements Staff described mixed‑use buildings with ground‑floor commercial and…