Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening. I'm going to go ahead and call the meeting to order as it is 6 p.m. Commissioner Carloney, can you lead us in the pledge of allegiance, please? Thank you, Miss Abdullah. Can I have roll call, please? Commissioner Dailyaly, here. Commissioner Lopez, here.

Vice Chair Ivan Garcia here. Chair Sherik present. Commissioner Quail here. Commissioner Gande. Commissioner Pratt here. Commissioner Carloney here. Commissioner Orlando Garcia here. Thank you. A threeminut limitation shall apply to each member of the public who wishes to address the planning commission on any item on the agenda. Ex excluding public hearings. There is not a limit to the number of times that may be to the number of items, excuse me, that may be discussed within the three minute time limit. Miss Abdullah, can you have the administration of oath for our public speakers, please? Please stand and raise your right hand.

Anyone who's speaking, please stand and raise your right hand. Thank you. Do you solemnly affirm that the testimony you're about to give before this body will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? If say, please say I do. You may be seated. Thank you. Thank you. Is there anyone who wishes to speak on a matter that is not on the agenda? Next item on the con is the consent agenda. Consent items are routine in nature and may be enacted in one motion. All public and non-public hearings will be open at one time. Any item may be discussed separately upon request of a member of the planning commission or a member of the public. Does staff have any updates to the consent calendar?

Madam Chair, would do not. I just need to point out to those in the audience who may want to speak regarding the ratification of the uh resolution that it is under consent and uh it is up to the planning commission if you actually want to pull that item before for additional discussion or to allow members of the public to make comments on them. So we can pull it or we can choose not to pull it.

Uh you have the option either way. Okay. Is um is there anyone wishing to speak on the consent calendar item? So, I do have members who wish to speak on the consent calendar item. Um so, the wording on the script is a little a little weird. It says, "Is there anyone wishing to speak on the consent calendar?" So, I do have speaker slips for that, but it says, "If not, may I may I entertain a motion to approve the consent calendar?" But I could entertain a motion to approve it even if there are speakers. Is that what I understand? Sorry. That's okay. Could you repeat that? So So you're asking whether you would I'm sorry.

Does some does someone have to pull the item in order for the speakers to be heard? Pull an item. No. So So members of the public are allowed to comment on the consent calendar. Okay. But if you wanted to have more discussion like among the commission regarding that item, you would have to pull it. Understood. Thank you. So I'll go ahead. So I'm not going to Well, we have two items on consent. We have So is the minutes. The minutes. Correct. So should we take each item separately? Yes. Yes. Okay. Is there a motion to approve consent calendar item number one? Move to approve. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Roll call, please.

Commissioner Daly, yes. Commissioner Lopez, yes. Vice Chair Ivan Garcia, yes. Chair Sherik, yes. Commissioner Quail, yes. Commissioner Pratt, yes. Commissioner Carloney, yes. Commissioner Orlando Garcia. Abstain. I was not present. Okay. So, I have item number two, which I would call up the speakers to speak. Is that correct? Thank you. Our first speaker is um Sorry, I can't read the writing, but Mr. Mr. and Mrs. Mendoza.

Okay. Hello everyone. Rub Mendosa Ward 7. I'm here to speak in support of agenda item number two to ratify the denial for the proposed drive-through McDonald's that sits within the transit overlay district. With eight McDonald's already in the city, the market is saturated. We don't need more value meals. We need more value added. I'd like to quickly contextualize why I'm here delivering a comment. On March 10th, the commissioner heard my opposition against the ninth McDonald's in our city with commissioners Casey Daly, Benjamin Pratt, and Lisa Sherik voting against the proposed development. I'd like to thank those commissioners for standing on business as my generation likes to say. My angle was in addressing economic activity and meaningful job creation. Consumer spending of this nature is already fixed at a local level. The same households eating at Jack in the Box that night could elect for McDonald's instead. That's the substitution effect in economics. It is not new economic e activity. As for job creation, we are living in the era of automation where you'll first hear from an auto automated voice prompt asking if you'd like to try something new at the drive-thru or walk into a location and find a kiosk waiting for yourself placed order. The project's operation operations analysis states approximately 17 employees per shift and a total workforce of 60 employees for a 3,700t building. A mixeduse building on that same parcel could provide up to 25,000 square ft of small business incubation for local entrepreneurs while delivering more than 100 units of housing at the same time, yielding significantly higher job creation and longerterm tax revenue for the city. Approving this McDonald's sets a precedent in the wrong direction. As a planning commission and as city leaders, we have a responsibility to set the standard. San Bernardino deserves better than anything is better than nothing.

Thank you. Thank you, Robert Carillo.

Good evening. Good evening, commissioners. I think your mic might be off.

Oh, there we go. Okay. Thank you. Good evening, commissioners. Robert Karo, resident of Ward 7, business owner and emerging real estate developer here. Uh, I want to take a moment and thank you for the decision you made on March 10th. So, this is in support of the ratification for today. Uh, your decision was thoughtful, grounded in policy, and it reflected a clear understanding of what the transit overlay district is intended to do. And I think what was important about March 10th is that the commission exercised its judgment and not just the recommendation in front of it. Since that meeting, I'd like to report that the community has been further engaged. Over 30,000 views across platforms about the subject and a wide range of feedback. But what's been consistent is that people recognize the important of getting this corridor right. Tonight, as you consider ratification, just want to acknowledge that your original decision was aligned with the city's own framework. The findings are clear, right? The project does not promote walkability. It does not reduce reliance on the automobile and it does not support the intent of transit oriented development. It's reflected in the record and in the reasoning behind your vote. Uh this is exactly the kind of use the to was designed to move away from not towards and what matters now is consistency right when decisions are made are made based on policy and long-term planning following through on those decisions reinforces the integrity of the process for the community for future projects and for the city as a whole. So again, thank you for the direction you set on March 10th and I encourage you to ratify that decision tonight. I can tell you that it will be greatly appreciated by the community. Thank you.

Thank you. I just would like the record to reflect that Commissioner Galande is here. Thank you. Good evening, Luis. Oh, good evening everyone. Loa, um, unfortunately I was I wasn't able to be here when you guys voted against uh the project of the M McDonald's. Um, this is a a recurring argument, right, that everybody comes and say they're going to do A, B, C, and D and the whole alphabet and they don't do anything because let's be realistic. To do projects takes money, takes effort. Just a simple fact, just to entitle a project, just to entitle it, okay? It takes anywhere from two years to three years give and take. Okay. Before it gets approved and how long it takes to be constructed if the funds are there. So let's be realistic. So yeah, fast food we would like to have the best in the city. But the thing is that we have a condition at this moment that is not the correct one for investors. We need to upgrade our safety, our infrastructure, our economic development. So for business people to be willing to come to the city. So in the meantime, what do we want? Another bacon lot, bacon building, another fire, another homeless encampment. instead of creating and producing 300,000 to 500,000 in tax revenue. That's what a McDonald's produces yearover-year. Now, you think that McDonald's is a

stupid company that they have uh franchises everywhere in the world. I'm sure that they do. Excuse me, sir. Thank you. Um I'm sure that they do their they run their numbers. If the numbers don't make sense, well, they don't add another another one. So, that's a business corridor. Okay. I have cleaned up the place from Waterman to the 215 and we still have the same thing. Trash, homeless, bacon lots, unattending bacon lots. That's what we need to concentrate in to start to clean up what we have right now. So, they said the McDonald is not a burger joint. It's a real estate. They're the biggest real estate owners in the world. Okay. So, why don't instead of rejecting a project because it's not good enough for some people, why don't we start creating revenue right now? So, I would, you know, ask you kindly if you guys can reconsider your decision because I feel that this is what we need. We don't need another empty building. We don't need another fire. We don't need another homeless encampment. Why? Because there's people that have these grandiose ideas, but many of them don't have money. Thank you.

I bet Romero Roman Romero Romero. Thank you.

Hello, commissioners and community. Uh my name is IT Romero, resident of the first ward. Um, I want to start by thanking uh, Commissioners Daley Pratt and Chair Sherik for your leadership and for listening to the community last month. Your decision reflected not just policy, but care for the long-term well-being of our city and s you're able to see vision past what we are today. Um, so I'm here to today to support the ratification of that decision. As outlined in your findings, this project is not consistent with the transit overlay district. Um, and that alone should be enough. But I want to briefly reiterate why this decision is important to our community's health. Um because our community's health is important over a profit of a corporate uh a corporate um a corporate development. Um so choosing a development aligned with mixed juice corridors and a to overlay encourages daily physical activity simply through the design. um creates space for healthier food options and local businesses that generate will generate more revenue. Um supports mental health through safer, more connective, active environments and addresses root causes of chronic diseases, not just symptoms. Um as someone who spent years in healthcare, I can tell you we are already paying the price on the back end. We see it in our emergency rooms. We see it in our clinics. We see it in our families and in our communities in here in San Bernardino. So this site is an opportunity to do something different that what San Bernardino has already to align with the vision of the transit overlay district and invest in the health of the people of San Bernardino, not just for convenience. Um thankfully thank you for your time and I respectfully ask you to stand by your decision and ratify the denial because this is bigger than one project. Um this is about the health of San Bernardino. Thank you.

Thank you Robert Pierce. Hello, my name is Robert Priest and we're the applicant Oh, no, you're good. We're the applicant for McDonald's supporting them or um bringing it before the board. Um again, thanks for the commission for last time and feedback and hearing us. And again, thanks for this time, too. Um we're obviously pushing to not ratify it tonight. to bring it back to commission um would be our goal just to let all the commissioners I know last time we were at five so um we have all of you here tonight so that's obviously a good thing um but we'd like all nine to be able to get that opportunity to see the project and make the decisions for San Frernardino um the to understand the goals of it we support it under not against it um the biggest thing really for us is looking at it and saying yeah the McDonald's is allowed in the to um the biggest thing for a TOD is to get development, get long-term development, new development in there so the rest of the corridor and the TOD can start to develop with the goals. Um, someone's got to take that first step to do it. Um, and having a vacant lot that already had has code cases against it. There's no new development that's been proposed on that site for five plus years. So, this is the first one and we're hoping by investing in that site. McDonald's, they're making promises, but they will keep their promises. they always do. Um so that that then spurs more development on that to as that thing grows. Obviously we're on the very edge of it but hopefully it can still grow in and we can help bring that to you. Um sitewise and the goal in TOD obviously is mixeduse development. This site it's six parcels sounds like a lot. It's only.74 acres. So the amount of stuff you can put on that you're not going to get a ve a large mixeduse development in there. It's just too small and tight for that. But hopefully what it can be is

hopefully we can not ratify, bring it back, get it in there, get it built for you, and then give you other projects down the line that come and support that. Um, so any questions? Again, I'm here and we have other um staff here and stuff to help support the project also. So, thank you very much. Thank you. We need to have David Freriedman and Hannah sworn in. We're going to go ahead and swear you in first. Thank you. Please stand and raise your right hand. Do you solemnly affirm that the testimony you're about to give before this body will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? If so, please say I do. Thank you. You may be seated. Thank you, Daniel. Freriedman. Yes.

Hi everyone. My name is David Freriedman. Thank you for allowing me to speak today. Uh I David, sorry.

I It's okay. I approve uh that you denied the McDonald's and I am speaking as someone who has developed a drive-thru. I am currently developing the Ono Hawaiian Grill on the Fifth Street Gateway. That's my father. That's our project. Um I own almost two blocks in downtown Sanino and only one of them have parking. Uh one of the buildings only have parking and that's because I believe that we can create a walkable downtown. Um, and we've been kind of forced as a society into this um, you know, a society where we've had to have cars where that wasn't necessarily uh, needed or required uh, back when they built a lot of these properties, these historic properties in downtown San Bernardino. And it's not necessary to this day if we could just get to get ourselves together and continue to improve the infrastructure around the aerot train SBX um and BNSF rail all all the other um great amenities that we already have in the city that other cities would die to have. We have the public transportation. We don't need cars if we develop uh for around that infrastructure. We have it. Um, and uh, Sanernardino was always built as a city like that from the get-go. And that's why we've been buying so many properties that are walkable only. We don't have parking. Uh, is it frustrating sometimes? Yes. But you make it work and you get more exercise. Uh, I also two two very important things I want to mention. Um, probably most of you or all of you have been to Disneyland and you've probably been to the McDonald's that uh, is next to it. That's been there for 50 plus years. you if you choose to develop stuff like that, it sticks. It stays. It doesn't all of a sudden become a tod uh development. It doesn't it doesn't help imp everything else around it. They've built and that has still stayed as a singlestory retail development. So, just something to consider what you approved today or any

of these meetings, it impacts our community for a very, very long time. And second thing, um, the sales tax generated on State Street in Redlands is six times that of the sales tax generated over at the Citrus Plaza where there's a target. And the reason uh that that is so is because that the people that spend money there, it circulates in the community multiple times before the corporations skim off the profits and take it away to their headquarters. Um they also pay tend to pay better wages to their employees as well who then re spend that money in their communities. And um we've already talked about, you know, automation like McDonald's. If you go to any McDonald's, there's like six screens in there. They're not providing good jobs for our community. They're not a drive-thru uh is not healthy for our community. People aren't walking. They're breathing in fumes. It's it's all bad. Um and that's I I rent one of Thank you. Anyways, you get it. Thank you. Thank you, Hannah.

Yeah. Hi, I'm Hannah Lovano. I am representing McDonald's here with Robbie. Um, I'm the civil engineer for the project. We prepared all the reports and preliminary documents. So, if you have any questions with regards to traffic, um, safety, queuing, circulation, things like that. Um, I am here and I can speak to the work that we did to get to this point. Um, and I also just want to reiterate as Robbie said, just being very we're very appreciative that you guys are hearing us again on this and looking forward to showing our project to the whole entire commission tonight. So, thank you again. Thank you. That is all the public speakers that we have. Is there a motion? Move to approve staff recommendation.

I I make a motion that we uh open this for discussion. So, a motion and that is considered. Well, we didn't have a second, right? So, okay. So, is there a second for the pulling it for open for discussion? Discussion comes after the second. Yes, we would have to that he needs a second. Okay. Second. Thank you. Uh rule or is it okay to just open it? Okay. Commissioner Daly, what am I voting on? Discussion amongst the commission. Oh, yeah. No.

Commissioner Lopez, what am I voting on? Discussion amongst the commission on this ratification. What? Discussion amongst the commission regarding the ratification of agenda item number two. I am staying. Okay. Is that a yes or a no in this instance or does it matter? I think I have an abstension is a yes. Okay. Vice Chair Ivan Garcia. Yes. Chair Sherik. No. Commissioner Quail. Yes. Commissioner Gande. Yes. Commissioner Pratt? No. Commissioner Carlo?

Yes. Commissioner Orlando Garcia. Yes. Okay. So it passes six sorry passes vote passes six to three 63 621 with one abstension okay thank you open it up for discussion yes I'd like to commissioner quo

thank you madam chair um I would like to I I first of all like to thank all the speakers. You did a very nice job and very nice presentation. I too am a native of San Bino and I've been here a long time and I've seen the city deteriorate in the way that it has. Uh a lot of businesses moved out and a lot of situations that uh uh could have been prevented perhaps weren't prevented but on the other hand uh this corner of baseline in Sierra Way is quite deteriorated on each corner to a certain degree. The development of this McDonald's, I think, would enhance that corner. I think it would enhance the uh the community within that area. There's not a lot of McDonald's around. I don't know what the radius map shows us, but uh when we judge liquor stores and convenience stores, we look at how many stores are in the conven or in the area. There's not that many McDonald's. But one of the issues that's very important here that I think is is is worth bringing up is the developer spent a lot of time and effort in putting together this program. They had the support from the city. Uh the findings of facts on finding facts of this conditional use permit that was presented to us last month is that the proposed use is conditionally permitted within and would not impair the integrity or character of the subject land use district and complies with all applicable provisions of the development code. That's finding number one. finding fact the proposed project is conditionally is a conditionally permitted use pursuant development code so and so the project site is located within the commercial general zone. So the zon is okay. So this developer was told all along that yeah you've got a nice project and we the planners can help you put it

together. Finding number two the proposed use is consistent with the general plan right here in writing. This is what was presented to the developer and presented to uh the other parties of interest such as McDonald's. The finding of fact the proposal is consistent with the general plan goals and policies. So, so aside from the fact that I don't think it's going to impair the neighborhood, I think it will make the neighborhood cleaner. I think the neighborhood will look more presentable. And I commend these folks for looking at an opportunity to invest in our community and invest and put a business in the community. If you only know how long how much it takes as a business person, I know how long it takes to get something through city hall. I know how long it c how much it costs to get a project through city hall. I know all that, too. I've been doing it for years. So with due respect to this developer, I think that this project uh should go forward and um I think we should not approve this ratification of um of this project. Thank you,

Commissioner Gande. I'm going to wait. Do you mind? Commissioner Pratt.

Good evening, everyone. Um my concern was last month and still is that um it's not compatible with the transit overlay district 74 acres seems inconsequential alone but at what point do we draw the line? Is it 74 acres two blocks down and then two blocks down from that? I think you get my point. So my issue with this all along is not that I have anything against McDonald's. um it's that we put processes in place and transit overlay districts in place to achieve a vision for the city and then we uh tend to circumvent our own ourselves in San Bernardino over and over again. Um you know not to be completely silly right now but I know about bad tattoos, right? So if you put one right in the middle of your arm, no artist ever has a vision to to do a good job there. You know what I mean? And and that's my concern here is that is that we are going to blotch up the canvas before we ever get a master developer to come in here and execute a vision. Thank you,

Commissioner Carloney.

Well, just like Larry, I was born and raised here in San Bernardino, and I always want to just better the city. Now, I do think the McDonald's project is a good project for that corner. Um, I was impressed of their architecture, their landscaping, uh, their elevations. Every project should come to us looking that good. Um, that that is a bad area, bad corner, vacant buildings, homeless. I think it's a good start. Is it is it the oldtime solution? No. But the story is you build it and they will come. Um McDonald's has always been a first class operation and they take care of their buildings. They take care of everything. We need something down there and it is on the edge of what you guys were talking about. But uh I think this project should be approved and the gentleman that spoke earlier um I've done several developments and it takes takes two three years and sometimes a million dollars to get things done. So, they've already invested a lot into this project and I I think it's good for San Bernardino. Thank you,

Commissioner Orlando Garcia.

Yeah, unfortunately I wasn't here last month, but um I've done my research. Uh just speaking about the area, if you look at that area, I mean, it's pretty sad. Um I know we don't want to get desperate, but I don't think Mc M bringing a McDonald's is desperate. I mean, I'm not I'm not a numbers guy as far as uh business and and uh bringing uh you know, that type of income to the area, but that area, there's no fresh paint of anything. You won't even see a fresh paint of a car because anybody with new car probably don't want to drive in that area. Um I mean, this is a tough one. uh you know consolidating certain parcels in that area is probably the concern. But um you start putting some good uh some good new development in that area, people want to surround themselves with it. I mean I don't I don't know that we have a line of developers waiting to go develop there. Um if there was where have they been the last x amount of years?

Please let's not interrupt. Thank you. And I'm just speaking from a a community standpoint driving in the area. I'm in the fifth ward. I mean, we we need stuff over there, but that area is in desperate need of uh some development. Um I'm not sure when the last time there was some high interest. Uh yeah, McDonald's is fast food. I would love to bring some healthy stuff, but let's be realistic here. I mean, I I hear all your guys' stance. I appreciate the comments, but um putting some fresh paint, bringing some decent income to that area. I think uh San Bernardino needs that. Starts putting some uh businesses like that around. Um, like Carloney said, you know, you build it, they'll come. But um, I do hear you guys out. Thank you,

Commissioner Gande.

Okay. I, like yourself, was not here um the last meeting, but I did have a chance to watch the replay. This is a tough one. We don't have an economic development director, nor do we have leadership that's really going out and promoting the city of San Bernardino and bringing in good quality business. That's really what the hardship is here. So, we're left with fast food. We're left with storage facilities. We're left with liquor stores. Um, it's it's it's sad. It's really really sad. We have to do better. Um, in regards to that particular lot, it's a small lot. It's very very small, which puts me at a an interesting position thinking, okay, what can we feel? What what can that lot look like um going forward for us as commissioners? we represent our wards, right? And so we have to look at things from the perspective of of not just ourselves and what we want, but the entire city, right? Um, and the council, that's really what they do as well. So, if we were to say in this situation, no, right, we're not going to allow the McDonald's to go there. It will go to the council, right, for them to decide

if they appeal.

If they appeal, right, so if they appeal, it will go to the council and the council can take that under their wings. Um, so that's something that we should think about as well. McDonald's is a great corporation. In regards to the jobs, they're generally lowpaying jobs. You know, we need better employment. People are complaining about housing and not being able to afford housing. How is this going to help our situation? Most people are one check away from being homeless for God's sakes. So, I'm just trying to figure out how this particular facility is going to help San Bernardino. And true indeed, we're going to get the sales tax, but why don't we work on getting our property tax, too, right? Why don't we get our property tax? We won't have to rely on storage facilities and gas stations and liquor stores and we don't have people coming here arguing about it and we're feeding our kids cra. It's not fair. So, um, that being said, I am going to vote to, um, stick with where we're at. I think we need to do better in the city of San Bernardino. Yeah, we're going to lose out on the sales tax for this particular, but we have to start saying no somewhere. So, that's where I stand. Let the council decide if you all decide to appeal it.

Thank you, Commissioner Commissioner Daly. I'm gonna have vice chair go and then chair.

Thank you. Um yeah, I mean I you know I think we got a lot out of it uh at our last meeting. I haven't heard anything here that has any reason to change the decision um that we came to. The property is still located in a transit oriented district. Uh the project still has a drive-thru. Um it is not compatible. Uh and Commissioner Gande, you know, your your points are well taken, right? We got to start somewhere and uh you know, we can't just take the scraps from Redlands. We can't take the scraps from Rancho. We can't take the scraps from Fontana and the scraps from Rialto Linda. I can keep going, you know. Um and it's it's just you know it's it's unfortunate that the uh applicant um you know put time, effort, energy, and money into the project. I understand that. I appreciate that. Um but at the same time uh I feel like you know this is a conditional use permit. So, it's not that it's approved. It's not that it's an automatic. This is there were there's extra stuff that has to happen for this permit to even come close to being able to be approved. That's what the conditional use is. And so, um I'm just not I don't I haven't heard anything that makes me change my mind. Uh still opposed to the project. No offense McDonald's, but again, you know, this isn't about McDonald's. Um and so, uh yeah, I uh that's that's my position. Uh I intend to ratify the decision we made last month and uh I fully expect the applicant to uh appeal to the council. Thank you.

Vice Chair Ivan Garcia.

Um I stand with my decision from last month. Um I still want to see this project move forward. I did take a look at the uh transit overlay district. From what I can see in that document, first of all, it's incomplete. I didn't see some of the guidelines that were attached to this document. Um, it's outdated. The last time it was out updated was in October 2020, 2019, I'm sorry. So, I understand that one of the concerns was a to. But again, as a resident, I believe in business economic development, and if we're against economic development, that means we believe in bankruptcy. So,

I think this project will offer employment to local residents. Um, it'll provide a better image for the city. I mean, like I Matt mentioned in the past, I drive through baseline every day and I've seen the unhoused, um, vandalize this building, start fires. I've made about half a dozen calls for this building specifically. There's been graffiti mang there's even vacant lots nearby with overgrown weeds and homelessness that I've reported as well. So, um I I would like to continue to support this project.

Thank you. Uh supporting any development that comes along because a developer has spent a lot of money is not a justification to approve a project. um what if they were going to put in a undesirable business and just because they put in a lot of money to it doesn't mean that it should be approved. I I respectfully disagree with my fellow commission on that. Um I also don't understand what the point is of a transit overlay district if we're not going to adhere to it. Um if it's outdated then it either needs to be removed or updated. Um, having a business in a vacant lot does not guarantee that there is not going to be overgrown reads. It does not guarantee that homeless will not stand in the corridor and harass patrons. That's evident by the Starbucks I was just at on Second Street today on my way here. It doesn't remove a problem. Um, the city removes the problem. And it doesn't start with a McDonald's. It doesn't start with a Starbucks. doesn't start with one business that doesn't fit in this area. As everybody has said, I too live in this city. I too drive this city. I uh shop in this city. And we can do better. And saying no to a project is not going to stop us from doing better. And so I stand by my previous decision to also say no. Thank you. I'll if there's no other discussion, I'll entertain a motion to approve or deny.

Can I make one more comment? Sorry, I just I wanted to for the record I wanted to make one more comment. Um I attended I forget the the acronym the transportation upgrades for the grant that the city's currently applying to. I attended one of the events. I wanted to mention that that's also in the works along baseline. I believe it's from Typican new all the way to medical center. So there's bike lanes that are supposed that are being proposed. Uh street lighting that's being um upgraded looked at as well. So thank you. Thank you. I'd like to make a motion to move forward with ratification. Second. I have a first and a second.

I have I haven't I haven't I just took I ju I just took a breath. We can wait a minute. Commissioner Garcia had a comment. Yes. Yes. I just wasn't able to complete my breath. Commissioner Orlando Garcia. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. You know, I just wanted to make another comment. I mean, the TRA transit overlay district is to promote walkability, right? I I hear all the commissioner, I hear the community. This is a tough one. Um, it this is really, really tough. Um, but let's be honest. I mean, who here is going to be walking on baseline at any time of the day on the commission or in the community? It's a tough one. We would love We have high hopes. We have high hopes, but

um yeah, this is a tough one. I I hear both sides. I'm stuck in the middle, you know, I'm both, but just it's a rough area and uh we do need some improvement. Um we do have high hopes. I would love to put a a nice steakhouse or something, you know, but that's all I got. But I I appreciate and respect all your guys' uh comments. Same. Commissioner Carloney, you No. Does somebody else have another comment? I'm going to say something. You know, I think we have to change how we communicate. we do about the city and the residents, especially those that live in Ward One.

There are people that live there and they do walk and so I find that to be a tad bit um unsavory for me not to not to say something. Um but if we don't make a change, then we're just going to continue where people aren't going to want to walk. You know, that's the whole purpose of of us making this decision today is to encourage the right type of businesses, the right type of development for the city of San Bernardino and for us to stand up not just for our ward, but for the entire city. Yes. That's it. At this point, I have a motion and a second. Do you need clarification? Uh, just to be sure, motion was uh Commissioner Pratt. Yes. And then second was Commissioner Daly.

Commissioner Daly. Yes. Roll call, please. Commissioner Daly, yes. Commissioner Lopez, yes. Uh, Vice Chair Ivan Garcia, and a no is no to the denial, correct? Yes. The project moves forward to city council. If there's an appeal, it doesn't automatically move forward is my understanding. So, the vote no is just going to be a no to ratify the resolution. It's not going to be a no. Um, it's not going to be a no than a yes to the project. Just to clarify. Yes. No chair Sherik. Yes. Commissioner Quail. No. Commissioner Galande. Yes. Commissioner Pratt.

Yes. Commissioner Carloney. No. Commissioner Orlando Garcia.

Yes. vote passes six to three. Thank you. I'll go ahead and move on to I believe commissioner reports. Do any of the commissioners have a report or an announcement? I think those of us that attended the plan uh planning commissioner workshop need to report out. Is that correct? So I believe Vice Chair Garcia.

Yes. So I just wanted to thank city staff for scheduling us to attend the planning commissioner conference we had about a month ago. Um it was a great learning experience. It was good uh meeting folks from different cities in the state. Um, and one of the takeaways that I learned is every commissioner on this commission team should should have taken or taken this uh training or attended this conference. The other thing that I learned was that as commissioners, we act as a judge. So, when projects are presented to us, we should be looking at the full staff report, conditions of approval, and not let your emotions uh uh cast your vote. So, you got to listen to the community, listen, review the project and really understand what's going on and what's being affected. Um, I also met a commissioner from the city of Fremont that that city of Fremont has about the same population of San Bernardino and they update their general plan, downtown plan every two years. I hope one one day our city can do the same because we have a lot of plans downtown that's not updated that's outdated. We we we should be working very hard to to update um general plan downtown plan parks plan. Um and it was a great experience. I I sincerely appreciate um attending and allowing us to attend and I would highly highly highly recommend that um commissioners that have not attended to attend. And that's all that I have. Thanks.

Thank you, Commissioner Galande. You attended, correct? I did. Thank you. And I would just echo exactly what um Vice Chair um Garcia has mentioned that it was a great conference, learned a lot. um had an opportunity to take down a lot of notes and come back with great information, but I would once again also suggest just going forward if possible. I know it does cost money to send people there. So, I appreciate the city for taking that on to have people when they first start out if possible to go to that because there's a lot of things that I thought, golly, if I only had known that, you know, six months prior or whatever. So, it definitely was a good a good experience. Were there other commissioners? Commissioner central the best.

I too want to thank the city for the opportunity to go. It was a good conference and the part that impressed me the most is a lot of emphasis on housing and affordability of housing and also um there were there was a workshop on uh building up communities again that had been burned by the fires and so forth. So it was a good experience for me. Thank you.

Thank you. I attended as well and I I surprisingly enjoyed the uh presentation on SQUA and the and the the way it was presented and the recommendations on how to to review an EIR and what steps you should take and of course you should read everything but what should you if you only have a certain amount of time you know what you should read first what you should read second and how you should uh proceed when reviewing the ER I found particularly interesting and I I do thank staff for placing this money in the budget and allowing the commissioners to go and I do hope it's been budgeted for next year as well. Thank you. Are there any other commissioner reports?

Sorry, just I just wanted to mention too for the record if you guys can try to attend next month's uh planning and development meeting that are uh scheduled on a monthly basis. I sent out an email. Those are very inform informative. you get to hear the assembly bills and senate bills and really hear what other cities are doing and what comments some of the issues that they're dealing with. And we were supposed to be able to get access to this the presentation slides also that were presented at the at the workshop. So, is there a way that staff can help us obtain those PowerPoint presentations? Uh, Madam Chair, I can look into it.

Thank you so much. Is there a director's report this evening? I Oh, I'm I'm sorry. One more. Commissioner Commissioner Orlando Garcia. Yes. I attended a community event um believe April 8th or 9th in the fourth ward. Got invited out there. Um I was pretty impressed. I know Yamava had a lot to do with it. But the way they brought the community was at a Serrano Middle School. The way they brought that community together was pretty impressive. I know they had some some funding over there. So, but um I was I was stoked just to be there just to watch the community, speak to community members. That's the fourth ward, right?

Yes. Um, I was super impressed uh just the way it was organized, uh, the community involvement, uh, people collaborating just on all kinds of different topics. A lot of kids running around. We had law enforcement, first responders out there taking pictures, giving stickers. It was really, really, uh, nice to see that um, uh, the community show up that way. And, um, and everybody walked there from the community. So, that was pretty cool. I appreciated, you know, watching all the families, you know, push their shoulders across the roads. I sat back and just kind of soaked it in. Was like, man, I can envision this for a lot of our areas. But it was um a really nice event. Thank you for that update. Anyone else? Do we have a director's report this evening?

Uh yes, Madame Chair. uh announcing to you that at your next planning commission meeting, our consultant who is working on the general plan and the and the uh development code will be giving you a presentation on what uh where we are with the general plan. It's been something that's been um asked for but happens that we do have some uh available funds for them to be able to do that. So, they'll be doing that at your next planning commission meeting. And if you have any, you know, questions or whatever, that'll be a good time to ask ask them. Thank you.

Thank you. If there's nothing else, I'll go ahead and adjourn the meeting at 7:48ish. Thank you. Oh, I'm sorry. It's 6:47. Look at that. We're so used to being so welcome. 6:46. Thank you. Thank you. Wake up. Wake up. Yeah. Heat.