REDLANDS, Calif. — The Redlands Planning Commission unanimously approved architectural design revisions for the Meadowlark subdivision, a 98-unit single-family residential development located at the southwest corner of East San Bernardino Avenue and Wabash Avenue.
Why it matters: The commission's approval represents another step forward in addressing housing needs in Redlands. The Meadowlark subdivision will add 98 detached single-family homes to the city's housing stock, helping to meet demand for new residential construction.
Details: The approval, granted during the commission's March 11 meeting, allows developer Tri Pointe Homes to proceed with changes to building elevations, site plotting, landscaping and wall plans while maintaining the previously approved subdivision layout.
"The application proposes new house plans and elevations as well as preliminary landscape, wall and fence plans within the subdivision. No changes to the previously approved subdivision design such as lot size or street layout are proposed," explained Kevin Beery, senior planner for the City of Redlands.
The 37.9-acre site, currently vacant and being graded for development, received initial approval in December 2022. The Planning Commission previously granted a one-year extension to the project in September 2024, extending the expiration date to Dec. 13, 2025.
The revised plans feature four different floor plans with three architectural styles – Spanish, Ranch and Farmhouse. The homes include both one and two-story designs ranging in height from 20 feet 10 inches to 29 feet 1 inch, well below the 35-foot maximum allowed in the Residential Estate zoning district.
"Floor plan types and architectural styles will be distributed throughout the subdivision, ensuring variety in the streetscape is maintained," Beery said during the meeting.
Exterior materials include stucco and hardie lap siding, accent stone veneer and concrete tile roofs, all featuring neutral finish colors. The architectural designs incorporate vertical and horizontal articulation, varied roof planes and recessed windows and doorways to create visual interest.
The landscape plan incorporates drought-tolerant plantings in front yards and common areas. Street trees on interior streets and the tract perimeter will alternate between strawberry, purple orchid, sweet shade and Chinese fringe varieties.
One significant change from the original approval involves the addition of block walls separating the cul-de-sacs on the east side of the subdivision from Wabash Avenue. These walls replace previously approved open access points for pedestrians.
Rick Rush, representing Tri Pointe Homes, explained the reasoning behind this change: "Unfortunately our project sides on to some houses in the county on Wabash. So that's one of our concerns is the look from that side over there. We wanted to basically kind of close that in, and also we had concerns with the amount of noise and traffic that would come up Wabash, going to be a well-traveled road."
Matt Endsley, vice chair of the commission, questioned whether the closed cul-de-sacs might limit emergency access, however staff noted that the project already has two approved points of ingress and egress on San Bernardino Avenue, which the fire department has reviewed and approved.
Planning Commission Chair Karah Shaw expressed support for the wall addition from a safety perspective: "From a safety standpoint and knowing that neighbourhood pretty well, for the people that live in the track when it is blocked off, when it butts up against a busy road, it feels safer with, you know, children and different people walking or biking through with the wall there, as long as fire has approved and everything."
The revised plans also include perimeter block walls, vinyl privacy fencing and tubular steel fencing around the detention basin. Some proposed fencing in front yards on the east side of the tract will require a separate minor exception permit, which the developer plans to submit immediately.
Moving forward: With site grading already underway, the project is moving forward toward construction. The developer must still obtain building permits and complete other requirements before homes can be built, but the approval of these design revisions removes one more hurdle in the development process.
