REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 9, 2025
FROM
MIGUEL FIGUEROA, Director, Land Use Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Glen Helen Specific Plan Amendment
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Conduct a public hearing to consider proposed ordinance relating to rezoning 142.3 acres within the Glen Helen Specific Plan and text amendments relating to the addition of a Corridor Industrial Overlay zone, accessory uses, and general clarifications and corrections to the specific plan.
2. Adopt the Addendum to the Glen Helen Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report.
3. Approve Memorandum of Understanding with Pharris Sycamore Flats, LLC, TDC Glen Helen Owner, LLC, and Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., to prepare a Focused Devore Heights Community Cut-Through Traffic Study, in an amount not to exceed $30,000, as a public benefit contribution for the proposed ordinance.
4. Adopt the Findings to amend the Glen Helen Specific Plan.
5. Make alterations, if necessary, to proposed ordinance.
6. Approve introduction of the proposed ordinance.
• An ordinance of San Bernardino County, State of California, to amend the Glen Helen Specific Plan, related to rezoning a total of 142.3 acres consisting of 81.5 acres within the North Glen Helen Planning Sub-area from Destination Recreation to Corridor Industrial; 48.7 acres within the Sycamore Flats Planning Sub-area from Single-Family Residential-Sycamore Flats to Single-Family Residential-Sycamore Flats and Corridor Industrial Overlay and 12.1 acres from Commercial/Traveler Services and High Density Residential Overlay to Corridor Industrial; and text amendments related to the addition of the Corridor Industrial Overlay zone, accessory uses in the Corridor Industrial zone, and general clarifications and corrections resulting from rezoning 142.3 acres of the Land Use Plan.
7. ADOPT ORDINANCE.
8. Direct the Land Use Services Department to:
a. File a Notice of Determination in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
b. Return directly to the Board of Supervisors for future consideration of the Planning Commission recommendation to rezone 19.2 acres within the Devore Planning Sub-area from Commercial/Traveler Services to Corridor Industrial, together with any necessary text amendments to the Glen Helen Specific Plan.
• Applicant: Pharris Sycamore Flats LLC.
• Community: Glen Helen.
• Location: North Glen Helen and Sycamore Flats Planning Sub-areas.
(Presenter: Miguel Figueroa, Director, 387-4431)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The recommended Memorandum of Understanding provides a public benefit contribution, in an amount not to exceed $30,000, to prepare a Focused Devore Heights Community Cut-Through Traffic Study. Adequate appropriation and revenue to complete this action have been included in the Land Use Services Department (LUS), Planning Division 2025-26 budget. The costs of processing this application are paid by the applicant, Pharris Sycamore Flats LLC (Applicant).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On August 5, 2025 (Item No. 121), the Board of Supervisors (Board) considered the Applicant’s original proposal to amend the Glen Helen Specific Plan (GHSP) to rezone a total of 161.5 acres of the Land Use Plan, together with various text amendments (Original Proposal). The Original Proposal consisted of the following zoning amendments:
• 81.5 acres within North Glen Helen Planning Sub-area from Destination Recreation (DR) to Corridor Industrial (CI) Zone (North Glen Helen Planning Sub-area Amendment).
• 48.7 acres within the Sycamore Flats Planning Sub-area from Single-Family Residential Sycamore Flats (SFR-SF) to Single-Family Residential Sycamore Flats (SFR-SF) and Corridor Industrial Overlay (CI-O) Zone and 12.1 acres from Commercial/Traveler Services (C/TS) and High-Density Residential Overlay (HDR-O) to CI Zone (Sycamore Flats Planning Sub-Area Amendment).
• 19.2 acres within the Devore Planning Sub-area from C/TS to CI Zone (Devore Planning Sub-Area Amendment).
After the close of the public hearing, the Board directed LUS to remove the Devore Planning Sub-Area Amendment from the ordinance to allow the North Glen Helen Planning Sub-Area Amendment and Sycamore Flats Planning Sub-area Amendment to move forward with adoption as part of this item. The Board also directed LUS to return to the Board for future consideration of the Devore Planning Sub-Area Amendment after additional study and analysis of the potential congestion and traffic impacts.
This item consists of the North Glen Helen Planning Sub-area Amendment and Sycamore Flats Planning Sub-area Amendment, which reduced the acreage in the Original Proposal from 161.5 acres to 142.3 acres, together with updated text amendments related to the addition of the CI-O zone, container storage as an accessory use in the CI zone, and general clarifications and corrections resulting from rezoning 142.3 acres of the Land Use Plan. A detailed and comprehensive analysis of the proposed ordinance is included within the Planning Commission Staff Report and attached as a supporting document to this item. Updated findings supporting the Board’s alteration of the ordinance are also attached as a supporting document to this item.
The proposed ordinance has been analyzed through the preparation of an Addendum to the GHSP’s Final Environmental Impact Report as certified in 2005 and subsequent addendums prepared as part of prior GHSP amendments. The Addendum concludes that the proposed ordinance will not create new significant impacts or substantially increase the severity of previously analyzed impacts. Previously adopted mitigation measures would be implemented as part of a future development proposal within the rezoned areas.
Pharris Sycamore Flats LLC, TDC Glen Helen Owner, LLC, and Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. continue to offer the same Memorandum of Understanding regarding Public Benefit Contributions presented to the Board on August 5, 2025 (Item No. 121). The Memorandum of Understanding proposes to prepare a Focused Devore Heights Community Cut-through Traffic Study, in an amount not to exceed $30,000, as a community benefit to identify potential measures to reduce traffic and congestion in the Devore Heights area.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Jason Searles, Supervising Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 20, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst III, 387-4205) on August 22, 2025.