Last week, the City of Redlands was awarded the Inland Empire Section of the American Planning Association’s Comprehensive Plan Award for the City of Redlands 2035 General Plan.
Mayor Paul Foster, Development Services Director Brian Desatnik and members of the Development Services Department were on hand at the Riverside Convention Center Thursday, May 24, to accept the award for the General Plan update in the category of Small Jurisdictions (under 100,000 population).
The General Plan update, adopted in December 2017, was the City’s first update in more than 25 years. The 2035 General Plan was revamped to reflect contemporary issues and priorities, while formatted in an easy-to-read and colorful presentation and organized around seven themes: Distinctive City, Prosperous Economy, Livable Community, Connected City, Vital Environment, Healthy Community, and Sustainable Community. State-mandated elements of Land Use, Circulation, Open Space, Conservation, Health & Safety, Noise, and Housing are all integrated within these themes.
The 2035 General Plan was developed through an extensive outreach program that included community workshops, an online survey and close collaboration with a General Plan Steering Committee and decision-makers.
The overall guiding principle is to preserve open space and agricultural land around the City’s periphery (an “Emerald Necklace”), while encouraging new development in a sustainable manner within the City’s core and future transit village areas.
To further support the 2035 General Plan priorities, the City’s first-ever Climate Action Plan was prepared and adopted concurrently. The City is also beginning preparation of the Transit Villages & Downtown Specific Plan to fully implement the new General Plan.