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Council continues debate on University Hills specific plan amid environmental and access concerns
Summary
The council continued action on the University Hills specific plan and subdivision to a June meeting after residents, environmental consultants and the hang‑gliding club raised concerns over biological surveys, wildfire risk, traffic, and campus coordination; applicant and consultants said the project reduces density and includes mitigation measures.
The council continued consideration of the University Hills specific‑plan amendment and Subdivision 23‑05 on May 6, sending the item to the first council meeting in June for further coordination. The 404‑acre proposal, immediately north of the California State University San Bernardino campus, would reduce previously approved development from roughly 980 units to 327 single‑family lots while increasing open space and adding wildfire fuel‑modification measures.
Speakers including environmental advocates and scientists urged the city not to rely solely on the addendum to the 2008 EIR, citing changed circumstances and newly recognized special‑status species. Chase Preciato, representing a conservation group, said consultants identified gaps in biological and air‑quality analysis and urged a subsequent environmental document before approval. Residents and candidates warned dissolving an older development agreement could remove community protections and negotiated benefits.
Members of the Crestline Soaring Society told council that landing approaches used by hang‑gliders pass over the site and asked for specific measures to protect the club’s landing area. The applicant said the current plan retains and formalizes an overflight/open‑space parcel in the northwest corner and lowered some building pads to improve approaches; environmental and engineering consultants said supplemental surveys and species‑specific mitigation were completed and that the project results in substantially fewer units and more open space than the original approval.
Council members raised questions about the proposal’s consistency with an older general plan, impacts to campus access and circulation, emergency evacuations in a wildfire‑prone area, and whether CSUSB had adequate notice and opportunity to negotiate a memorandum of understanding. Staff and the applicant said multiple conditions and required easements (including county flood‑control approvals) must be resolved before final map or construction permits proceed.
Outcome and next steps: after extended public comment and responses from the applicant and consultants, the council voted unanimously to continue the item to the first June meeting to allow additional coordination with Cal State San Bernardino, further review of mitigation and community concerns, and to finalize access and easement arrangements. The continuation preserves the record while staff and the applicant refine the conditions of approval and the draft MOU with CSUSB.
Key speakers: David Hardy (applicant/Encore) and Kevin Thomas (environmental consultant, Kimley‑Horn) provided technical rebuttals to commenters; a range of residents, conservation advocates, and the Crestline Soaring Society voiced concerns and asked for binding protections and safety adjustments.
