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Council approves scaled‑down University Hills plan and directs relocation of two lots to protect hang‑gliding landing corridor
Summary
After public testimony from the Crestline Soaring Society, the council approved the first amendment to the University Hills specific plan, reducing dwelling units and expanding preserved open space, and directed staff and the developer to relocate two lots (or equivalent) to address hang‑gliding safety concerns.
The San Bernardino City Council approved the first amendment to the University Hills specific plan on July 15, adopting a reduced plan that shrinks residential density and increases protected open space while directing the developer to work with the city and Crestline Soaring Society on relocating two lots that conflict with a hang‑gliding landing corridor.
City staff summarized the long history of the project, which began as the Paradise Hills concept in 1993 and was last advanced in 2008. The applicant Encore proposed major changes that included reducing maximum residential density from 20 to roughly 3 units per acre, decreasing the total allowed units from 980 to 327, increasing permanently preserved open space from about 235 acres to roughly 300 acres, and redesigning park and circulation features to improve emergency access.
Members of the Crestline Soaring Society urged changes to protect safe approach patterns for hang gliders and paragliders. Society president Luke Berger said earlier offers from Encore were insufficient and pressed for repositioning multiple lots; negotiators reported progress in talks but said the club would need at least five lot moves for its preferred approach pattern. The council and developer converged on a narrower solution: Encore agreed to relocate two lots (with the option to interchange which lots), and the council directed the city attorney, city manager and Parks & Recreation director to draft a resolution designating a landing/flight access area per the municipal code exception that allows hang‑gliding in approved areas.
Councilmember Ortiz proposed a substitute motion to amend the tentative tract map to relocate the two identified lots and to direct staff to return a draft resolution for flight access; the substitute motion passed 6‑1, with Councilmember Charette voting no. Staff said the relocation could be implemented as a condition of approval or returned to council for final map amendments depending on engineering feasibility.
The council also approved the associated ordinance amendments to adopt contemporary building and public‑safety standards for the project and dissolved an older development agreement whose terms were no longer applicable. The development team and Cal State San Bernardino will finalize a memorandum of understanding to preserve access rights and campus protections before final map approval.
The motion requires the developer to either relocate the two lots on the map or return with an alternative that satisfies safety and approach constraints; council and staff will oversee the follow‑up and return to the dais with the final implementation language.
