TO: LINDA REICH, CITY MANAGER
FROM: SWATI MESHRAM, PHD, AICP, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
SUBJECT
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General Plan Amendment (PL26-0014) and Introduction of an Ordinance - Specific Plan Amendment (PL26-0010).
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RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
1) Conduct a Public Hearing; 2) Approve Resolution No. 2026-066, a proposed change to the General Plan Land Use Map from MU-H(Mixed Use High Density 30 dwelling units to the acre) to CC-16 (Community Core 16 dwelling units to the acre, and 3) Approve the introduction of Ordinance No. 2026-014, a proposed amendment to The Preserve Specific Plan, consisting of a land use change from CC30 (Community Core 30 dwelling units to the acre) to CC16 (Community Core 16 dwelling units to the acre), to be read by number and title only, and waive further reading of the Ordinance, without reducing the overall housing unit count in compliance with various state laws.
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FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact with the proposed amendment to The Preserve Specific Plan. However, if the amendment is approved and a project is constructed, the City will receive one-time revenues associated with future development activity, including permit and development-related fees. Should a project be constructed, ongoing property tax revenues and local sales tax revenues are anticipated to be generated.
CITY OF CHINO MISSION / VISION / VALUES / STRATEGIC ISSUES
The recommendation detailed above further the City’s values and strategic issues that serve as key pillars on which identified priorities, goals, and action plans are built, by fostering:
• Financial Stability
• Responsible Long-Range Planning
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BACKGROUND
On August 19, 2026, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider an amendment to the General Plan Land Use Map (PL26-0014) and an amendment to The Preserve Specific Plan (PL26-0010) to change the land use designation for a 13.5-acre site south of Bickmore Avenue within The Preserve.
The project site is part of a larger project within The Preserve known as Falloncrest Town Square. Falloncrest Farms owns approximately 125 contiguous acres north of Pine Avenue on both sides of Main Street. The property has historically operated as a dairy and cattle farm and is planned for phased residential and commercial development. In 2015, Falloncrest Farms prepared a master plan for the property, which has since been refined to guide development of the remaining approximately 100-acre Community Core area. The City and property owner entered into a Development Agreement in 2021 establishing a framework for phased development and related infrastructure improvements. Phases 1 and 2 of the Community Core are currently under construction.
Phase 3 of Falloncrest Town Square is centrally located along Main Street and remains undeveloped. A portion of Phase 3 includes the approximately 13.5-acre site south of Bickmore Avenue is currently designated Community Core 30 (CC-30). The proposed General Plan Amendment (GPA) and Specific Plan Amendment (SPA) would redesignate the site to Community Core 16 (CC-16) to accommodate future development. The Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve the GPA and SPA by a vote of 7-0. The Planning Commission staff report is included as Exhibit “A”.
ISSUES/ANALYSIS
The Preserve Specific Plan allocates approximately 13.5 acres within the CC-30 designation to a mix of residential, commercial, and park uses. After accounting for the required one-acre park acreage, the remaining developable residential area supports approximately 306 dwelling units based on the planned average density of 30 dwelling units per acre and up to 104,762 square feet of commercial use. While Table 2 of The Preserve Specific Plan identifies 323 units, the difference reflects the conceptual nature of the land use plan and subsequent refinements that occur during implementation. The CC-30 designation is unique within The Preserve Specific Plan, as the project area shown is the only property assigned this land use classification. Although CC-30 was established to accommodate the highest-intensity mixed-use development envisioned within The Preserve, the Specific Plan’s mixed-use vision is not dependent upon retaining this single CC-30 designation. In fact, the Community Core land use designation is already utilized extensively along Main Street (refer to Exhibit A attached to Ordinance No. 2026-014 - Figure 1 Land Use Plan graphic), including the mixed-use areas immediately south of Pine Avenue, which were planned and developed under the lower-density CC-16 designation. Thus, the existing pattern of mixed-use development along Main Street demonstrates that the broader mixed-use objectives of The Preserve Specific Plan can be implemented through the CC-16 designation, rather than being dependent on a single CC-30 designated site.
The proposed amendments would redesignate the subject property from CC-30, which has a range of 24-40 dwelling units per acre to Community Core 16 (CC-16), which has a range of 12-20 dwelling units per acre. Although the amendment would result in an overall decrease in residential density, the overall number of residential units within Phase 3 would remain consistent with the units approved in the master plan. Several state laws related to housing production, such as the Housing Crisis Act (HCA) also known as SB 330 and SB 8, the Housing Accountability Act (HAA), and SB 322 prevent downzoning, or any reduction in density or capacity of a site. Collectively, the laws state that a parcel’s residential density cannot be reduced, unless the loss in units is accommodated elsewhere. Since the property has a Community Core land use designation which allows for mixed use development, this can be accommodated on the project site. This requires additional land area within Phase 3 to be set aside for residential development, which would result in a reduction to the developable commercial square footage of the Community Core. Specifically, there would be a reduction of 46,762 square feet of commercial development.
The proposed CC-16 designation continues to allow a compatible mix of residential and commercial uses while providing greater flexibility to respond to current market conditions and community needs. The amendment does not alter the role of the Community Core as a mixed-use activity center; rather, it adjusts the intensity of development to better reflect current economic conditions and anticipated development patterns. As such, the amendment continues to implement the intent of the Preserve Specific Plan by supporting development that is both economically viable and responsive to community needs, while preserving the long-term vision for a vibrant Community Core.
If both the amendment to the General Plan and The PSP land use designations are approved, the applicant would be required to submit the necessary land use entitlement applications to develop the property. The applicant intends to sell the residential portion of Phase 3 to a residential developer and the commercial portion would be marketed to a commercial developer for future development. All future development will comply with the provisions of the Development Agreement, including timing of street improvements and obligations for affordable housing.
PUBLIC NOTICE
A 10-day notice was mailed to property owners within 300 feet of the project site and published in the Chino Champion on November 7, 2026. A public notice sign was also posted on the subject property in accordance with Section 20.602.050D of the Municipal Code. No public comments were received as of the date of this staff report. The notice meets legal noticing requirements.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The environmental documentation is adequate and conforms to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), as the project is within the scope of the previously certified Falloncrest at The Preserve Master Plan Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which adequately describes the proposed Project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to Section 15168 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Because the project includes amendments to the General Plan and The Preserve Specific Plan, the City also completed the required tribal consultation under Senate Bill 18 (SB 18). The Morongo Band of Mission Indians requested consultation and cultural resource protection measures. In response, the proposed Specific Plan Amendment includes project-specific language requiring compliance with those measures. The language is incorporated on page 89 of The Preserve Specific Plan and applies only to the subject property.
Attachments
Exhibit A - Planning Commission Staff Report
Exhibit B - Resolution No. 2026-066 (PL26-0014 - General Plan Amendment)
Exhibit C - Ordinance No. 2026-014 (PL26-0010 - Specific Plan Amendment)