The General Plan update process is described in detail in Section 1.3 (pages 1-7 to 1-9) in the 2035 General Plan. The General Plan update process was a collaborative effort between the City and the community, and relied on the involvement of residents and business owners in order to establish a vision and blueprint for development through the General Plan horizon year of 2035. Community members were invited to participate in the planning process from the initial visioning stage through the development of Plan policies, the drafting and adoption of the General Plan, and the completion of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Community input activities are described below, and were instrumental in the establishment of the community vision that underpins the policies of the 2035 General Plan.
Community Survey. An online survey was conducted between July 31, 2015, and September 21, 2015, to enable community members to express their values and visions for the future, while also gauging support for various potential improvements to circulation, the Downtown area, and the city as a whole. The survey was administered using Metroquest (an online survey provider) and made available as a paper version at community workshops and at City Hall. Full Spanish translations of the survey were available online and in paper form. There was a total of 1,838 responses to the survey. All responses were coded into a database and analyzed, and a report on findings was made available to the public.
General Plan Steering Committee. The General Plan Steering Committee (GPSC) served in an advisory role to the Planning Commission and City Council on matters related to the General Plan update process. The GPSC was created to provide input on the project throughout the process and to bring together perspectives from different disciplines and neighborhoods within the Planning Area. The committee was made up of 34 community members serving on a voluntary basis. The GPSC met regularly throughout the course of the project to help define community input into a shared vision, brainstorm issues and ideas, and review the policy content of the General Plan to ensure that it met the needs and desires of the community. The public was welcomed to observe the meetings to learn more about the process.
Stakeholder Meetings. The City of Redlands conducted a series of stakeholder interviews to engage agencies and organizations with insight into the city’s planning issues. These interviews were an opportunity for City staff to share information about the planning process and elicit information about programs being implemented by stakeholder groups; experiences stakeholders have had working with the City in the past; ideas for improvements to City regulations, policies, infrastructure, and services; and perspectives on key opportunities and constraints for the city over the next 20 years. Stakeholders represented interests such as the airport, arts and culture, the Chamber of Commerce, natural resources conservation, bicycling, agriculture and citrus, neighborhoods, the special needs community, citizen groups, landowners, and real estate professionals.
Community Workshops. Two visioning workshops were held in August 2015 with the objectives of fostering dialogue between community members on the future of Redlands; identifying common themes and visions for Redlands; and gathering ideas on key planning issues and ideas to consider during the General Plan update. The first workshop was attended by 52 people, and the second by 48 persons.
Redlands 2035 Website. A project website was established to provide updates on the planning process, access to meeting materials and presentations, draft documents for public review, and additional background information about Redlands, urban planning, and the General Plan update. You may visit the General Plan Update website by clicking here.
Photo Contest. A photo contest open to all residents of Redlands, Crafton, and Mentone was held in the spring of 2016 to invite community members to share their experiences of the city through their own unique points of view. Photos were accepted in seven categories corresponding to the main themes of the General Plan, in both a youth division and an adult division. Winning photos and several other outstanding entries have been included throughout the General Plan.
City Council Workshops. Two City Council workshops were held in June 2016 to review land use changes and the principles, actions, and themes recommended by the Steering Committee.
City Council Approval. The outreach program took approximately two years to complete, and culminated in 2017 with the City Council's adoption of the 2035 General Plan on December 5, 2017.
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Report on Redlands Community Vision (pdf - 1mb)
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