Совет города Сан-Бернардино одобрил строительство жилого комплекса University Hills, несмотря на протесты пилотов-паралетчиков

A 404.3-acre San Bernardino home development known as University Hills is moving forward despite hang gliders and paragliders saying it poses a flight risk, the City Council decided on Wednesday, June 15. Florida-based developer Encore Capital Management is preparing the land north of Cal State San Bernardino for 325 single-family homes. The project site is also east of Andy Jackson Airpark, where the aviation nonprofit Crestline Soaring Society operates. The park is also the landing site for the pilots. CSS contends that 16 planned homes in the northwest corner impact a glider’s final-approach path, right on Andy Jackson Airpark’s eastern boundary, which would make landings more dangerous for beginner and intermediate pilots. Also see: Hang gliders, paragliders seek changes to proposed San Bernardino housing project Encore and CSS have been in discussions to resolve this issue since 2021. At the last round of talks, the hang glider group asked the developer to consider relocating five planned homes. Encore said it would only consider two. At the July 15 City Council meeting, a 6-1 vote adopted a “condition of approval” that legally requires Encore to relocate two homes, reducing the planned number of single-family units from 327 to 325. Councilmember Fred Shorett opposed the compromise. “We felt that potentially losing those two lots was a fair compromise to receive support from both Crestline and City Council,” said Encore Capital Management Vice President David Hardy by phone Thursday morning. The project’s plan is scheduled to return to the council next month for a second reading and approval, said Hardy. After Wednesday night’s approval, Encore will now file for environmental permits and other improvement plan checks, which could take from nine months to two years to complete before ground is broken for development, said Hardy. Crestline Soaring Society President Luke Berger said the compromise reached at the meeting still endangers pilots and would limit the number of hang gliders and paragliders flying out of San Bernardino. Berger says that by removing only two homes, only experienced pilots would be able to safely avoid crashing into rooftops or know how to respond to air sink — a downdraft that could cause an aircraft to lose altitude. Hang gliders and paragliders are not powered aircraft and cannot make another run at a landing zone if conditions aren’t safe. Once pilots come in for a landing, there’s nothing to stop them, Berger said. Intellectual property law attorney Jamie Sheldon is a CSS committee member and the group’s legal-minded point person. Sheldon was also present at the Wednesday evening meeting. “We were really acting in good faith, asking for just five homes because this is the bare minimum that we can safely operate under, and that we can ensure the safety of the general public,” Sheldon said after the council’s decision. Councilmember Kimberly Knaus represents Ward 5, the area that encompasses the University Hills development. “The consensus with my ward is they do want the development to go through,” said Knaus at the July 15 council meeting. Knaus had invited both Encore and CSS to inform the Ward 5 residents of their thoughts on the development at a community meeting on June 15. The councilmember also sent out a community survey to her constituents. At least 91% of respondents’ feedback was in favor of this project, Knaus said over the phone in July. Berger said CSS is not opposed to the project or to more housing in San Bernardino, but will go back to his leadership team to discuss further options, including possible litigation. “We wanted to solve this in this civic forum and not have to go through with litigation,” Berger said. When asked how Encore would respond to a potential lawsuit, Hardy said, “No comment.” “The city needs this (housing), and we recognize that. We’re trying to play nice with all parties involved,” Berger said.