San Bernardino’s Draft 2050 General Plan Enters Final Days of Public Comment
San Bernardino residents have until July 31, 2026, to comment on a proposed planning package covering housing, zoning, transportation, parks and services.
San Bernardino residents have until July 31, 2026, to comment on a proposed 2050 planning package that could guide future housing, zoning, transportation, infrastructure, parks, public services and economic development decisions.
The city’s public-review period runs through July 31. The documents remain proposals under review, not adopted city policy.
What is open for review
The package includes a Draft 2050 General Plan, a Draft Downtown Specific Plan, Development Code update materials and a Draft Environmental Impact Report.
The Draft General Plan would replace San Bernardino’s existing 2005 General Plan in its entirety. The city describes a general plan as a long-term blueprint for growth and development, while the state environmental-review record says the plan would provide a basis for future land-use, housing, mobility, infrastructure and parks and open-space decisions.
The state record identifies the project as citywide, with a planning horizon extending to 2050. The Development Code update proposes changes to the city’s existing Title 19 regulations. The three related planning efforts are analyzed together in a program-level environmental impact report.
Why the proposal matters locally
If adopted after the review process, the plan’s goals and policies could influence where different types of housing, businesses, public facilities and other uses are allowed in the future. It could also shape development standards, mobility planning, infrastructure decisions, parks and open-space policies, environmental planning and public-service needs.
Those policies would not automatically approve a particular apartment project, warehouse, road, park or downtown development. Instead, they would provide guidance for later decisions, permitting and project review.
The Downtown Specific Plan focuses more closely on downtown within the broader citywide effort. It is intended to guide future downtown land-use and development patterns, but the current documents do not guarantee that any particular project will be built.
What the environmental review covers
The Draft EIR evaluates potential effects associated with the planning proposals. The state record lists topics including air quality, housing and population, transportation, public services, utilities, water quality, flooding, wildfire, noise, biological and cultural resources, energy, jobs and economic effects.
Residents who want to understand the possible impacts and proposed mitigation measures should review the Draft EIR and its technical appendices rather than relying only on a summary of the planning documents.
How to review the documents and submit comments
The city says electronic copies are available through its CEQA Notices and Environmental Documents page, the Future San Bernardino 2050 project site and the state CEQA portal.
Printed copies are available for public review at the Community Development & Housing Department at 201 North E Street, Third Floor; Feldheym Central Library at 555 W. 6th Street; Inghram Branch Library at 1505 W. Highland Avenue; and the Muscoy Baker Family Learning Center at 2818 Macy Street.
Written comments must be received no later than July 31, 2026. The city notice directs comments to Gabriel Elliott, director of the Community Development & Housing Department, at 290 North D Street, San Bernardino, California 92401. The notice also lists email submission instructions at Elliott_GA@sbcity.org.
What happens after July 31
The July 31 deadline is for public review and comment, not final adoption. After the review period, the city will need to consider comments, and the planning materials could be revised before later hearings and a final decision.
The city has not adopted the Draft General Plan, Downtown Specific Plan or Development Code update. For residents, the immediate question is whether to review the documents and submit comments before the deadline. The longer-term question is what changes, if any, emerge before the package reaches the adoption stage.
Sources
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