6th Cycle Housing Element Program 33 Upzone

In accordance with the City’s certified 6th Cycle Housing Element Program 33 (Strategically Enhance Access to Areas of Opportunity), the City is proposing to upzone approximately five (5) acres of moderate to high resource areas on the easterly portion of the City of Highland to a maximum residential density of thirty (30) dwelling units per acre (du/ac) (with a density range of 20 du/ac to 30 du/ac). As stated in the City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element, “while the City has identified an adequate supply of land to fully accommodate the City’s 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), the City will provide an additional buffer of sites to mitigate land use patterns of access to resources and opportunities, and patterns of segregation and integration.” The Project site encompasses approximately 89 acres on the easterly portion of the City of Highland and is currently designated as Agricultural Equestrian AG/EQ under the current General Plan Land Use. The proposed GPA 025-001/ZC 025-001 would redesignate the site to Planned Development (PD) with a range of densities including approximately 5 acres of the site upzoned with high density of 20-30 du/ac, approximately 61 acres of the site with 6-12 du/ac and remaining 23 acres of the project site as open space (assumed to not be developable as it is the steep-sloped foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains). This would result in an overall 2.66% increase in density compared to what was analyzed in the General Plan Environmental Impacts Report (EIR). The current General Plan Land Use Designation and Zoning District for the subject location is AG/EQ (with a maximum density of 2 du/ac). On April 1, 2025, the City of Highland Planning Commission conducted a public workshop to receive public comments on a preferred location to upzone in accordance with the City’s Housing Element Program 33, and the subject location was determined to be the preferred option. The existing General Plan Land Use designation and Zoning Classification will be changed to PD with a footnote stipulating that at least five (5) acres of the area be incorporated into a future master plan for housing at a density range of 20 du/ac to 30 du/ac. The proposed designation of PD will provide for superior development by allowing a greater degree of design and land use flexibility within the framework of a site-specific development plan (Highland Municipal Code (HMC) Section 16.12.010 (A)(1)). The PD designation will allow for the clustering of units and building types, and the formula of specific development standards and design criteria which respond to the particular features or conditions effecting a site (HMC Section 16.12.010(A)(2)). The proposed PD designation also encourages the merging of areas or parcels in a single overall land use plan and site design which might otherwise be developed separately (HMC Section 16.12.010(A)(3)(c)).