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PUBLIC HEARING
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: September 16, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Mary Lanier, Interim Community Development & Housing Director Michael Rosales, Senior Planner
Department: Community Development & Housing
Subject: Introduction of Ordinance No. MC-1670 Approving General Plan Amendment 25-02, Development Code Amendment
(Zoning Map Amendment) 25-07, Subdivision 25-03
(Tentative Tract Map No. 20826) and Development Permit
Type – P 25-07
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California:
1. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-153 (Attachment 1) approving Subdivision No. 25-03 (Tentative Tract Map No. 20826) to allow the subdivision of the 5.82- acre project site into sixty-eight (68) single-family Planned Residential Development (PRD) lots; approving Development Permit Type-P 25-07 to allow the development, establishment, and architectural review of sixty- eight (68) two-story detached PRD dwellings; and adopting the Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the project in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and
2. Introduce, read by title only, and waive further reading of Ordinance No.
MC-1670 (Attachment 4), approving General Plan Amendment 25-02, which changes the General Plan Land Use designation from Commercial to Multi-Family Residential and Development Code Amendment (Zoning Map Amendment) 25-07, which changes the zoning designation from Commercial Office (CO) to Residential Medium (RM) for Assessor Parcel Numbers 0148-303-21, -22, -24, and -26; and amends the San Bernardino Development Code to allow Planned Residential Developments (PRDs) to establish project-specific development standards, including setbacks 3 5
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between structures, and lot coverage standards in lieu of fixed numerical development standards within planned residential developments; and
3. Schedule the adoption of Ordinance No. MC-1670 for the regularly scheduled meeting of the Mayor and City Council on October 7, 2026.
City Manager's Comments
The City Manager concurs with the Planning Commission approval.
Executive Summary
The proposed project involves a request to change the General Plan Land Use Designation from Commercial to Multiple-Family Residential and the Zoning District Classification from Commercial Office (CO) to Residential Medium (RM) (Attachment 4), and amending the San Bernardino Development Code to allow Planned Residential Developments (PRDs) to establish project-specific setbacks, including between structures, in lieu of fixed numerical standards (Attachment 4&7); for a property comprised of four (4) vacant parcels containing a total of approximately 5.82 acres (GPA25-02-DCA25-07); allow the subdivision of the property into sixty-eight (68) single-family lots (SUB25-03 TTM. 20826); and site and architectural review of sixty- eight (68) two-story detached Planned Residential Development single-family units (DP-P25-07) (Attachment 2), located on the corner of N. Miramonte Dr. and N. Little Mountain Road, within the Commercial Office (CO) zone, APNs: 0148-303-21, 22, 24, and 26 Ward 2
Background
August 11, 2026- the City of San Bernardino Planning Commission considered Resolution 2026-024 at the duly noticed hearing (Attachment 8).
At the Planning Commission meeting there were no speakers who spoke in opposition of the project. After the public comments the Planning Commission deliberated and voted the following:
RESULT: APPROVED
MOVER: Commissioner Carlone
SECONDER: Commissioner Quiel
ABSTAIN:None
AYES:Sherrick, Quiel, Ngalande, Carlone, Ali
NOES:None
ABSENT:I. Garcia, Pratt, O Garcia, Lopez, Dailey
The Item was approved (Attachment 8).
September 2, 2026- Notices were mailed to the owners and tenants of properties located within 1,000 feet of the exterior boundaries of the subject property, providing the nature of the request, location of the property, the date, time, and place of the Mayor and City Council meeting of September 16, 2026, for the first reading of General Plan Amendment 25-02, Development Code Amendment
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(Zoning Map Amendment) 25-07, Subdivision 25-03 (Tentative Tract Map No. 20826) and Development Permit Type – P 25-07.
September 5, 2026- Legal advertisement was published in the San Bernardino Sun Newspaper for the required ten (10) day public noticing.
Discussion
General Plan Amendment and Development Code Amendment
General Plan Amendment 25-02 will change the General Plan Land Use Designation from Commercial to Multiple-Family Residential for the entirety project site containing
5.82 acres. Development Code Amendment (Zoning Map Amendment) 25-07 will rezone the site from Commercial Office (CO) to Residential Medium (RM) for the four (4) vacant parcels and amend Section 19.04 Section N: standard two (2) and five (5), to allow for a Planned Residential Development to establish alternative setbacks, including between structures, and site coverage in lieu of fixed numerical standards which would be subject to approval of the review authority. All setbacks and separations will need to comply with applicable standards of the California Building Standards Commission and the County Fire Code, as determined by the City of San Bernardino Building Official and County Fire Department, and shall be sufficient to ensure emergency access, and life safety (Attachments 4,5,6). With the concurrent approval of General Plan Amendment 25-02 and Development Code Amendment 25- 07 (Zoning Map Amendment); the proposed Planned Residential Development comprised of sixty-eight (68) single-family residences is consistent with the polices of the City’s General Plan and complies with the City’s Development Code.
Subdivision
In addition to the General Plan Amendment and Development Code Amendment, the applicant is also submitting Tentative Tract Map No. 20826 (Subdivision 25-03) to subdivide approximately 5.82 acres into 68 single-family residential lots. These lots range in size from approximately 7,200 square feet to 8,600 square feet. The subject property containing approximately 5.82 acres proposes sixty-nine (68) residential dwellings. The propose Residential Medium (RM) allows up to twelve unites per net acre, as such, the proposed Planned Residential Development has a density of eleven (11) units per acre, meeting City of San Bernardino development standards (Attachment 2)
Architecture/Site Design
Development Permit Type-P 25-07 evaluates the overall design of the project. The proposed two-story homes are thoughtfully planned to foster a welcoming neighborhood that prioritizes comfort, safety, and an active lifestyle. The orientation of the homes varies as some face the streetscape directly where the main frontage faces a street or common area, but the entrance is placed on the side for privacy and spatial efficiency. This side entry design offers several benefits including maximizes the use of the front Façade for windows and garages, provides a sense of separation from the streets and sidewalks, making for a quitter ambience, and creates a more private and sheltered entryway. Each home includes a driveway and an attached two-car garage, along with a private backyard that offers usable outdoor space for gatherings, recreation, and everyday enjoyment (Attachment 2). 3 5
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The neighborhood features a blend of traditional and clustered home sites, creating visual variety while maintaining a cohesive overall design. Floor plans emphasize open, spacious interiors where living, dining, and kitchen areas flow seamlessly together, with easy access to outdoor spaces that support indoor-outdoor living.
This project consists of four (4) different floor plans ranging in size from 1,435 square feet to 1,728 square feet with three (3) architectural styles of Santa Barbara, Spanish Colonial and Italianate. Floor plans one (1) through three (3) will contain three (3) bedrooms, two and a half (2.5) baths, and a two (2)-car garage. Floor Plan 4 includes four (4) bedrooms and three (3) baths, and a two (2)-car garage.
There are twenty (20) units for plan 1, twenty-two (22) units for plan 2, nineteen (19) units for plan 3, and seven (7) units for plan 4. Homes are of a two-story design, posing a variety of plan widths, massing, and roof configurations that will incorporate into the existing residential neighborhood and compliment an underutilized parcel.
The units will feature a mixture of warm earth tone colors consisting of hues of beige, brown and white in addition to materials that accentuate the proposed architectural style. This includes decorative lighting, recessed areas, decorative tile, popouts, faux shutters, exposed corbels, varied stucco wall plane, board and batten siding, wood trim, popouts, window mullions, S tile roofing and a combination of fluctuated gable and hip roof orientation at a 4:12 pitch.
Access/Parking/Fencing
This project will have access from N. Miramontes Drive and secondary access at Little Mountain Drive north, with access to and from State Highway 30 via brand new drive way approaches featuring monument signage.
The internal site circulation has been designed to adequately accommodate on-site vehicular circulation and access to the off-street parking areas. Designated "paths of travel" have also been provided to ensure pedestrian safety.
Parking has been provided by means of a two-car garage for each of the sixty-eight (68) units for a total of one-hundred and thirty-six (136) garage parking spaces featuring E.V. charging options. A total of Forty-one (41) uncovered parking spaces have been provided for guests, and two (2) accessible stalls have been provided per ADA meeting parking for ADA standards. Garage drive approaches have been off set to allow for more clustering of the units but will retain the required 24 foot back up from the garage door to the main street with private streets to access the units. The development will be run by a Homeowners Association (HOA) Community. Perimeter fencing will be decorative, split-faced block wall with natural stone veneer block pilasters and precast stone caps. Each entry point will have an EVA sliding gate and feature monumentation walls depicting the developments name of “Little Mountain”.
Vinyl fencing will be provided between each of the homes to provide a means of privacy and security.
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Landscaping/Amenities:
The design of the Little Mountain Residential Community draws directly from the form and character of the surrounding landscape, particularly the San Bernardino Mountain range. The project references the layered massing, horizontal striations, and varied elevations of the mountains in the composition of its entry features, monumentation, and overall site planning. These elements are intended to reflect the natural topography rather than compete with it. The landscape design is fashioned after the native plant communities of the valley floor, incorporating a palette consistent with grassland chaparral and subtle desert accents. Plant selections emphasize species that are regionally appropriate, drought-tolerant, and visually consistent with the surrounding environment. Together, the architectural and landscape strategies aim to integrate the community into its setting in a manner that is cohesive, context-responsive, and environmentally appropriate. Some examples of flora include coastal live oak, desert willow, Palo Verde, sugar bush, Texas Ranger, Indigo Bush, Blonde ambition, and Blood Red Trumpet Vine. All plant species have an Irrigation Efficiency of 0.75 % and are watered either with a spray, drip, or bubbler system for low water usage. The project landscape is totaled at 20% of surface parking lot square footage which City of San Bernardino development Code requires 15% (Attachment 2)
Included with the project, and per City of San Bernardino Development Code the project is required to provide two (2) amenities for the residents. The Little Mountain project has provided a total of five (5) amenities. These include walkable pedestrian paths, Shade structures, a gathering lawn for community events, a Playground and a BBQ area.
General Plan Goals and Policies
The City of San Bernardino General Plan includes goals and policies to guide future development within the City, including the following:
•General Plan Land Use Element Goal 2.4: Enhance the quality of life and economic vitality in San Bernardino by strategic in-fill of new development and revitalization of existing development
•General Plan Land Use Element Goal 2.5: Enhance the aesthetic quality of land uses and structures in San Bernardino.
•General Plan Land Use Element Goal 2.6: “Develop attractive, safe and comfortable single-family neighborhoods.
With General Plan Amendment 25-02, Development Code Amendment 25-07 (Zoning Map Amendment), Subdivision 25-03 (Tentative Tract Map 20826) and Development Permit Type-P 25-07, the applicant will be revitalizing the subject site in a manner that will enhance the physical and visual qualities of the subject site thereby enhancing the aesthetics of the surrounding neighborhood. 3 5
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Additionally, through this project, the existing property will be transformed from a vacant underutilized site into a development that meets the City’s housing needs, while satisfying the Development Code requirements and adequately regulated through the Conditions of Approval in order to minimize potential impacts.
California Environmental Quality Act
In accordance with Section 15063 (Initial Study) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the applicant submitted and the Planning Division accepted an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared in connection with General Plan Amendment 25-02, Development Code Amendment 25-07 (Zoning Map Amendment), Subdivision 25-03 (Tentative Tract Map 20862) and Development Permit Type-P 25-
07. Accordingly, pursuant to Section 15072 of CEQA (Notice of Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration or Mitigated Negative Declaration), a Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the proposed project was posted on June 20, 2026 for the CEQA-mandated thirty (30) day public review and comment period ending on July 20, 2026. During the thirty (30) day public review and comment period for the Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration. During the Comment Period the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and Southern California Gas. Responses to those comments were incorporated into the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration and conditioned for the proposed project (Attachment 7).
Strategic Goals and Priorities
General Plan Amendment 25-02, Development Code Amendment (Zoning Map Amendment) 25-07, Subdivision 25-03 (Tentative Tract Map 20826) and Development Permit Type-P 25-07 aligns with Key Target No. 3: Improve Quality of Life. The sixty- eight (68) detached single family homes will help the City meet its State mandated housing requirements, will be consistent with the surrounding residential land uses, and provides for a market rate housing stock.
Fiscal Impact
There is no negative Fiscal Impact associated with the project.
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California:
1. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-153 (Attachment 1) approving Subdivision No. 25-03 (Tentative Tract Map No. 20826) to allow the subdivision of the 5.82- acre project site into sixty-eight (68) single-family Planned Residential Development (PRD) lots; approving Development Permit Type-P 25-07 to allow the development, establishment, and architectural review of sixty- eight (68) two-story detached PRD dwellings; and adopting the Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for 3 5
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the project in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and
2. Introduce, read by title only, and waive further reading of Ordinance No.
MC-1670 (Attachment 4), approving General Plan Amendment 25-02, which changes the General Plan Land Use designation from Commercial to Multi-Family Residential and Development Code Amendment (Zoning Map Amendment) 25-07, which changes the zoning designation from Commercial Office (CO) to Residential Medium (RM) for Assessor Parcel Numbers 0148-303-21, -22, -24, and -26; and amends the San Bernardino Development Code to allow Planned Residential Developments (PRDs) to establish project-specific development standards, including setbacks between structures, and lot coverage standards in lieu of fixed numerical development standards within planned residential developments; and
3. Schedule the adoption of Ordinance No. MC-1670 for the regularly scheduled meeting of the Mayor and City Council on October 7, 2026.
Attachments
Attachment 1 Resolution 2026-153 (Approving SUB 25-03 (TTM20826), DP-D 25- 07, and adopting the Final MND/MMRPs)
Attachment 2 Resolution 2026-153 Exhibit A Approved Plans Attachment 3 Resolution 2026-153 Exhibit B Approved MMRPs Attachment 4 Ordinance No. MC-1670 (Approving GPA 25-02 and DCA 25-07) Attachment 5 Ordinance No. MC-1670 Exhibit A Amendment to Development Code notations
Attachment 6 Ordinance No. MC-1670 Exhibit B Zoning Map Amendment Attachment 7 Mitigated Negative Declaration and MMRPs-Link Attachment 8 Planning Commission Packet (Approved Resolution 2026-024) Attachment 9 Public Comments
Attachment 10 Presentation
Attachment 11 Newspaper Publication
Ward:
Second Ward; All Wards
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions:
None
CC
Eric Levitt, City Manager