Show All Answers

1. What is the General Plan?

Every California city must adopt a comprehensive, long-term General Plan. The General Plan must cover a local jurisdiction’s entire planning area and address the broad range of issues associated with the City’s development. The General Plan is the City’s constitution or blueprint to guide long-range physical development. The General Plan establishes long-term goals and objectives to guide decision-making by City officials and staff. It also identifies land use designations across the City and outlines the maximum density allowed for all properties within the City. This framework helps ensure future growth is consistent with community priorities, environmental stewardship, and public safety.

.

2. Why does the City update the General Plan?

The State of California requires cities to update their General Plan periodically, particularly the Housing Element, which is required to be updated every eight years. This ensures cities plan for future housing needs while complying with State Law.

3. Does the General Plan Update affect the City's Open Space?

Although a parcel may currently appear vacant, it does not mean it is designated as open space. All sites included in the General Plan Update that were identified as RHNA sites have long been zoned for development since before the City’s incorporation in 1991, under the County of San Bernardino’s original Specific Plan. None of the City’s 3,000 acres of preserved public open spaces or protected ridgelines are being changed, repurposed, or lost.

4. What is RHNA?

RHNA stands for Regional Housing Needs Assessment, a process mandated by California state law that requires cities and counties to plan and designate land for housing to meet the needs of people at all income levels. As part of this process, each City is assigned a specific number of housing units it must zone land for during a given planning period.

For the current 2021-2029 RHNA cycle, Chino Hills was initially assigned over 4,000 units. After many months of back and forth, and strong advocacy by the City Council and staff for a more realistic and balanced number, a reduced number of 3,729 units was approved. To avoid financial penalties and potential legal consequences, the City was required to zone enough land to accommodate that number in the updated General Plan.

It is important for the community to note that RHNA is not a construction mandate. The City does not build homes to meet the RHNA requirements, but it must plan and zone enough land to make housing development possible by private parties.

5. Will new homes be built right away on RHNA sites?

No. Zoning a property for residential development does not mean development is immediate or guaranteed. Many factors determine whether development moves forward, including environmental impacts, public safety, infrastructure capacity, and market interest. Any future proposed development project in the City undergoes a separate, extensive review process that includes environmental studies, public outreach, and additional opportunities for community feedback and input.

The City is currently reviewing applications submitted for three of the RHNA sites: Western Hills Country Club, Canyon Estates, and the Los Serranos Country Club sites. These proposed projects will undergo individual review processes and public hearings in the future.

6. Is the City building homes on RHNA sites?

No, the City does not build housing. Private developers may submit proposals to build on residential-zoned land, which must go through a separate, public review process. 

However, there are two RHNA sites that are City-owned properties, which are the Community Park overflow parking lot on the southwest corner of Eucalyptus Avenue and Peyton Drive, and the Shoppes II site at the southwest corner of Shoppes Drive and Boys Republic Drive. The City will make efforts to coordinate with housing developers to develop housing in accordance with RHNA requirements.

7. Why does the City have to comply with the state RHNA requirements?

RHNA is a state-mandated process for all cities and counties in California. Local jurisdictions that do not comply can face serious consequences, including lawsuits, fines, and the potential loss of State grant funds and local control over land use decisions. By complying with RHNA, the City maintains local control over how and where future growth happens and ensures development is planned responsibly with community input, environmental protections, and infrastructure considerations.

8. What is Measure U?

Passed nearly 30 years ago, Measure U is a voter-approved growth control initiative that protects the City’s rural character and limits residential density. While Measure U remains in effect today and continues to guide local planning decisions, state RHNA allocations override local residential growth control ordinances and measures.

9. Can residents weigh in on future development?

Yes. The General Plan only provides a framework to guide development, it does not override or replace the public’s role in the development review process. The City cannot stop the RHNA process or state mandates, and property owners have the legal right to apply to develop their privately owned land if it complies with zoning.

Zoning is only the first step in the process. Every proposed development must go through a separate, extensive review process that includes environmental studies, public outreach to adjacent impacted neighborhoods, and additional opportunities for community feedback and input.

When a new development is proposed and meets the City's development standards, residents will still have multiple opportunities to weigh in. There will be public meetings with an opportunity to provide input and comments during project reviews. The City values collaboration with our residents and community input will continue to play a key role in shaping responsible and thoughtful development.