[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:58] Okay, we'll call the meeting to order 5.30, right? All right. And Kelly, can you call roll please?
[1:06] Yes. Commissioner Debra Polly.
[1:08] Good evening.
[1:10] Commissioner Fershet.
[1:11] Here.
[1:12] Commissioner Hewne.
[1:13] Here.
[1:14] Commissioner Rae Mon.
[1:16] Here.
[1:16] Commissioner Stoffes.
[1:17] Here.
[1:18] Vice Chair Stevenson.
[1:20] Here.
[1:20] And Chair Mulden.
[1:21] Here.
[1:22] Thank you, Kelly. Can you announce the meeting's video recording, please?
[1:25] Tonight's meeting will be recorded via Zoom and can be viewed on the city's
[1:29] website within 48 hours of adjournment of this meeting.
[1:33] Thank you.
[1:34] And Commissioner DeFraud is going to lead us in the pledge tonight.
[1:37] All
[2:00] right.
[2:00] Thank you.
[2:02] Members of the public wishing to address the Planning Commission for any
[2:04] matter not on the agenda may do so at this time by completing and
[2:07] submitting a speaker card to the Planning Commission clerk.
[2:10] For items on the agenda speakers will be called by the chair at the
[2:12] point on the agenda when the item will be heard.
[2:14] Speakers are encouraged to keep comments to three minutes or less
[2:16] and to state name and community of residence.
[2:19] Under the provisions of the California government code, the planning commission is prohibited
[2:21] from discussing or taking immediate action on any item not on the agenda unless it can
[2:26] be demonstrated to be of an emergency nature, or the need to take immediate action arose
[2:29] after the posting of the agenda.
[2:32] And Kelly, can you announce public comment?
[2:34] Yes.
[2:34] I have one speaker card, William Bernal.
[2:38] You may go to the podium.
[2:40] Good.
[2:53] Can I pass these out to each one of your flying gentlemen and flying ladies here
[2:57] tonight. I'm a candidate for Los Rios. How many copies do you have, sir? How many copies, sir,
[3:06] do you have? Okay, we'll take some and we'll have to put some at the back of the room so whenever
[3:11] you bring something that has to be accessible to the public as well. So we can help you do that.
[3:15] Yep. Right now, I'll take them back there. I admire Rancho Cordova. They basically carved
[3:24] themselves out of Sacramento once they realized they had a financial base and taxes that was
[3:29] going to support a city. I always just happened to be two blocks away when that petition came by
[3:36] our house so we are now in unincorporated Sacramento. Today as a candidate for the Los
[3:45] Rios Community College Board of Trustees, Area 6, I'm inspired by the same pioneering spirit
[3:52] the shape Rancho Cordova. Rancho Cordova was built by dreamers and doers who believed in
[4:01] the power of community. The city's recent transportation improvements are just one area
[4:08] that reflects the power of community action. I'm committed to ensure that our local colleges
[4:14] reflect the diversity of our communities so that through the concerted effort of community
[4:22] action. We create opportunities for and provide services to everyone across the
[4:30] board.
[4:32] In the Rancho Cordova spirit of community, I want to listen and
[4:36] collaborate creatively to build the future of our local colleges. I'm committed
[4:43] to bring a detail-orientated, transparent leadership, incorporating my
[4:50] experience in both the field, the field of building commercial structures with the tightest
[4:57] budgets, and the boardroom finding waste and misapplication in multi-million dollar projects.
[5:05] My goal is to ensure that Los Rios Community College Board of Trustees is dedicated to serving
[5:12] the best interests of the students who attend colleges, parents who find their children and
[5:17] teachers who dedicate their lives to instruction.
[5:22] It's time for us to put our heads together to come up with creative solutions that will
[5:27] move our colleges toward higher levels of achievements, more open doors for our students
[5:36] and address the social, economic, and fiscal issues students are increasingly facing.
[5:44] Only then can we empower future leaders to navigate tomorrow's obstacles.
[5:51] My whole focus is that we can't be planning for this year's fiscal budget.
[5:57] We need to be planning for 2003 and 2004 educational needs.
[6:04] As you can see, AI and advanced technologies are multiplying by the day, and we're seeing
[6:13] the horrors and the realities of it.
[6:16] So I'm putting my hat in the ring, and I have two seconds left, I guess.
[6:22] Thank you very much for listening to me, considering me as a candidate, and helping
[6:27] support me to win because my opponent is an incumbent so it's tough for a new
[6:37] runner to come up and win. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you.
[6:53] And any
[6:54] additional further public comment? No, I have no additional speaker cards. Okay,
[6:58] thank you. We'll move on to item four. Consent calendar items, consistent
[7:04] matter is deemed routine and non-controversial by staff, unless a member of the Planning Commission wishes to pull an item for individual consideration, all items will be approved by one motion.
[7:12] Are there any items Planning Commission wishes to pull from the Consent Calendar?
[7:19] And Kelly, do we have any public comment related to the Consent Calendar?
[7:25] I have no speaker cards for our Consent Calendar.
[7:28] Okay, thank you. We'll go ahead and close public comment.
[7:30] May I have a motion to approve the Consent Calendar?
[7:32] So moved.
[7:33] I second that.
[7:34] Thank you.
[7:38] Commissioner Debra Pauley?
[7:40] Yes.
[7:40] Yes.
[7:40] Commissioner Forchette.
[7:41] Aye.
[7:42] Commissioner Hewne.
[7:43] Aye.
[7:44] Commissioner Ramon.
[7:45] Aye.
[7:45] Commissioner Stoss.
[7:47] Aye.
[7:47] Vice Chair Stevenson.
[7:49] Aye.
[7:49] And Chair Molden.
[7:50] Yes.
[7:51] Motion passes with a 7-0 vote.
[7:53] Thank you.
[7:54] And we have no consent public hearing items, so we'll move on to item 6.1.
[8:01] And Kelly, will you announce the subject, please?
[8:03] Yes.
[8:03] Item 6.1, Subject Douglas 103, Major Design Review, Project Number PLND-0426-0158, Exempt
[8:17] Pursuant to Section 15182, Residential Projects Pursuant to a Specific Plan of the California
[8:25] Environmental Quality Act CEQA Guidelines, Located south of Douglas Road, west of Cypress
[8:32] Grove Drive in approximately 145 feet east of Borderlands Drive, APN, a portion of 067-0040-026-0000.
[8:48] Thank you. And Chance, do you have a staff report for us?
[8:52] I do.
[9:02] Thank you, Kelly. Good evening, Chair and Commissioners. Glad to see you for the second
[9:07] time this month. Yeah, Chance Finley with the city's planning division. I'll be presenting the
[9:14] Douglas 103 major designer view for single-family detached lots. All right, let's hop into it.
[9:23] So, yeah, the applicant is requesting a major designer view for 998 single-family detached
[9:33] homes. The project is divided into three different collections including
[9:39] chartreuse, sage, and clover. Across those three collections there are ten floor
[9:45] plans ranging from approximately 1,700 to 3,200 square feet. The project
[9:52] includes both one and two-story homes and four architectural styles including
[9:56] including Spanish, Ranch, Prairie, and Farmer House.
[10:02] For the project location, as shown in the green areas up here, Douglas 103 is located
[10:09] south of Douglas Road, west of Cypress Grove Drive, and east of Borderlands Drive.
[10:14] The project is part of the larger residential development occurring within and around the
[10:20] Sunridge Pacific Plan and is located to the north of Grant Line 208 and Grant Line
[10:26] 220 and south of the preserve, which are also Linnar communities that have recently been
[10:33] built or are in the process of getting built.
[10:37] The site will also be divided by the future of Air Conos Boulevard.
[10:41] You can see it going through the mill there.
[10:47] For general plan and zoning consistency, the project is located within the Sunridge
[10:51] specific plan and is designated for RD5 and RD10 residential developments, which
[10:58] which is consistent with the type of development contemplated by the specific plan.
[11:03] The subdivision and associated development standards were previously established through
[11:08] the applicable approvals, including the tentative map.
[11:12] And tonight's measure design review is focused primarily on the design of the homes that
[11:16] are going to be going there.
[11:21] So as I mentioned, this site is organized into three product collections that are
[11:25] shown here.
[11:26] We have chartreuse on the right there in blue that includes four plans on approximately 40
[11:38] by 90 foot lots with homes ranging from approximately 1,700 to 2,400 square feet.
[11:45] Sage includes three plans on approximately 45 by 90 foot lots ranging from approximately
[11:53] 2,000 to 2,400 square feet, that's going to be the one green down there to the south.
[12:00] And Clover is the largest of the lots and that's going to be 65 by 110 foot lots.
[12:07] And it includes three plans ranging from approximately 2,500 to 3,200 square feet.
[12:14] This is one that also includes a single story or plan.
[12:18] So, getting into the design of the homes, staff focus much of our view and worked with
[12:26] the applicant on architectural variety and ensuring that the publicly visible elevations
[12:33] have plenty of articulation.
[12:36] The project provides multiple styles, colors, and materials, and we've also added requirements
[12:41] for material returns and limitations on adjacent three car garages as you see in
[12:47] the Clover community.
[12:51] Overall, staff believes that the combination
[12:54] of these elements provides an appropriate level
[12:56] of architectural variety and streetscape interest.
[13:02] There was also a preliminary landscape plan
[13:04] that was submitted for the three product collections,
[13:08] which include a variety of trees and shrubs
[13:11] and ground cover intended to complement the homes
[13:14] and provide additional visual interest
[13:15] along the street frontage.
[13:17] Staff also reviewed the proposed landscaping in relation to the relatively small lot sizes in Sage and Chartreuse
[13:25] to make sure that the proposed plantings are appropriate for the available space.
[13:35] For environmental review, the project would be exempt pursuant to Section 15182.
[13:41] That's going to be for your residential projects pursuant to a specific plan.
[13:45] Again, the Sunridge specific plan was previously evaluated through the environmental impact report that was previously certified.
[13:54] And Douglas 103 is consistent with the residential development that was contemplated during this EIR review. So therefore, it complies with 15182 and a sequel review is not required.
[14:11] So with that, staff is recommending that the planning commission determine the project exempt from CEQA per 15182 and adopt the resolution approving the major designer view for Douglas 103.
[14:23] Project number PLND-04266-0158 approval would be subject to the findings, project plans, and conditions of approval attached to this.
[14:36] And that concludes my presentation. I'm available and Afghan is also here from one hour.
[14:42] Great. Thank you chance.
[14:44] We'll go ahead and open the public hearing period and Kelly is there any public comment.
[14:49] I have no public or speaker cards for this item.
[14:52] Okay. Public hearing is now closed.
[14:56] Commission comments and questions.
[14:57] questions.
[15:04] I don't have anything.
[15:08] I had just one question, but I think going through the presentation I've
[15:12] figured it out, but I'm just going to read it because I wrote it down. With the TIDER
[15:17] side yard setbacks and short truce and sage, how did staff evaluate how those lots will
[15:22] function for residents, particularly for like access, utility, just because I was reading
[15:27] that there's like six feet between the two homes? Yeah, yes, good question. So just
[15:32] I just wanted to get a better understanding it wasn't as clear.
[15:36] Yeah, so these setbacks were approved about, I don't want to say like a decade ago, in the tentative map for this.
[15:46] So when we get a major design review like this where they're just going to be building a structure on top of these lots that already have standards approved for them.
[15:53] We're really just looking to make sure that they are going to be meeting the setbacks that were approved.
[15:59] I mean, they have already kind of inherited those setbacks that were approved a while ago.
[16:06] We do typically require a fit list, which is what the applicant has provided us, and
[16:12] it shows that at least one plan type can fit on each of those lots with enough access to
[16:18] go from the front to the back, which is where most of your open space activities
[16:22] can be happening.
[16:23] And I think it just wasn't, when I was going through, it wasn't as clear, so
[16:27] thank you.
[16:28] Yeah, I appreciate that of course
[16:31] No questions or comments here
[16:36] well
[16:37] there's always been the
[16:38] The one comment that keeps coming up and I noticed that hasn't really been addressed on this one is the length of the driveways
[16:46] I wasn't gonna say it. I know but it's a valid point
[16:50] And I just wonder why we don't push the house back two feet to get that little extra driveway that can support a work
[16:58] vehicle event a work van service truck, etc
[17:03] Regardless, that's a minor thing in the big picture.
[17:06] I reviewed everything and I don't see a problem with it.
[17:11] Just to add to that, there will be options.
[17:14] I mean, not every single house is going to be at exactly 19-foot driveways.
[17:18] I think I typically have a similar response.
[17:21] So hopefully you can bear with the similar response.
[17:24] But not every house is going to have a 19-foot driveway.
[17:27] There's going to be options for different size driveways.
[17:30] there's going to be different size lots. So if someone's got like a big truck and they want to buy
[17:35] one of the homes, typically they're going to have a selection that isn't just the 19 foot. So
[17:41] the buyer has the option to push it back, move things around a little bit?
[17:45] Well, they can buy a lot that has a home that's going to be set in a specific spot.
[17:49] Okay.
[17:50] So it's not always going to be at 19 foot exactly. That's just the minimum that the
[17:53] developer needs to meet for our standards. Thank you.
[18:06] Public comment period is closed, I apologize.
[18:11] Okay. It's my turn. I have a couple of small suggestions.
[18:18] Regarding the roof, I see they're not using tiles anymore.
[18:25] Is it because of cost-effective thing or is it?
[18:31] Basically, I see tiles have better quality and look also, tiles looks good.
[18:37] But it seems like Lennard decided to go with shingles.
[18:45] Is there a reason?
[18:46] I mean, can we ask?
[18:47] Oh, sure.
[18:48] Did you want to ask both questions at once, or – and I can call the applicant up.
[18:52] That's more of an applicant question.
[18:54] Okay.
[18:54] Yeah.
[18:56] If you – someone from Lennard can come up and answer that question.
[18:59] Good
[19:06] evening, Pierre Martinez with Linnar.
[19:09] It is a cost savings for Linnar as a builder.
[19:14] We transition to comp roofs.
[19:18] I think at the Preserver Project we had more historically gone with tile roofs, but we're
[19:25] trying to keep homes at a price point that buyers can get into, especially in this community
[19:31] with the majority of the home sites being in the sage and chartreuse smaller size, it's
[19:39] even more important to try to keep that cost level where entry level buyers and people looking
[19:44] for smaller homes can get in.
[19:47] Okay.
[19:48] Is it, how long is going to stay?
[19:50] I mean, tiles, I heard it's a life expectancy that on 50 years, something like that.
[19:56] I believe the comp roofs have a 30 year warranty.
[20:02] Okay.
[20:02] And
[20:06] one more thing I identified is the ceiling height within the home, first floor has nine
[20:13] feet and second floor has eight feet.
[20:17] That is typically what we've been doing.
[20:19] I don't recall off the top of my head what we're doing here, but on two-story homes that's
[20:25] typically what we do.
[20:26] Yeah, last four years I'm noticing it, Leonard building like that.
[20:30] Previously, I saw homes having 10 feet height for the floor, second floor as nine, nine and a half.
[20:37] Yeah, and that's typically reserved for kind of the higher end, larger homes.
[20:43] Again, it is part of cost savings.
[20:47] I don't recall specifically off the top of my head what these particular homes are, but 10 foot is not very common.
[20:55] and it's kind of a luxury in type home once you get over nine.
[21:02] Yeah, these ones are generally a nine foot
[21:04] on the bottom and eight foot on the top.
[21:06] Yeah, I saw one of the home, I mean,
[21:09] I feel like the cluster four week,
[21:13] I mean, somewhere I boxed it out in that home
[21:17] and it's eight feet.
[21:20] Yeah, I mean, I don't disagree,
[21:22] it can feel a little bit smaller when you get in,
[21:26] but I always truly believe there's a home for everybody, and so we try to, you know,
[21:32] design something for, you know, the buyer that we're expecting to be able to afford
[21:37] a particular home, you know, in a community, and so we're very cost-conscious with that.
[21:45] And we also have to be competitive with our competitors, so it's not,
[21:50] you know, really much different than our competitors.
[21:55] Okay, and while designing it, do you guys look for how many bedrooms, how many bathrooms
[22:01] you guys design?
[22:02] Is there a ratio you guys follow or do you guys have any?
[22:05] I mean, just generally when you look at a product line, let's say of four plans, we
[22:12] do think about, okay, this is going to be 1,500 to 2,200 square feet.
[22:19] And so we might start with three bedroom two bath and maybe then it's three bedroom two and a half bath
[22:24] And maybe four or three bedroom with an office. So, you know, you're trying to give the buyer a
[22:31] little something extra for the extra square footage that they're getting so yeah, there's a
[22:35] Thought process that we go through to make sure that you know, there's value for the buyer as they step up
[22:42] In home size. Yeah, because one of the home you guys have planned six bedroom three bath
[22:47] I mean, is that sufficient because five bedrooms in the second floor first floor has one bedroom and bath
[22:57] I don't know whether that is sufficient for five bedrooms to bath, right? Well, it's our job to sell them
[23:03] So when when our sales team says, you know, we have a market for something like this, you know, then we try to
[23:12] accommodate as we as we can, you know, and if it doesn't sell well, then we may not use that plan again.
[23:20] Interesting.
[23:24] Yeah, that's okay. Thank you. Any other questions? Okay, thank you. Thank you.
[23:32] You could ask him later.
[23:35] Do we have a motion on this item?
[23:41] I move to read it out.
[23:42] Oh gosh, I have to read it.
[23:44] Oh, gosh. Okay. Hold on. Okay.
[23:49] Just so you make the staff recommendation.
[23:51] Thank you. I move to, I make a motion to move for the staff recommendation.
[23:59] Determine that project. I'm going to read it. Determine the project exempt per section 15182 residential projects pursuant to a specific plan of the SEACA guidelines and adopt the resolution
[24:11] approving the major design review for Douglas 103.
[24:15] I'll second.
[24:18] Thank you.
[24:20] Commissioner Debra Pauley.
[24:25] Yes.
[24:26] Commissioner Forchette.
[24:27] Aye.
[24:28] Commissioner Hewne.
[24:29] Aye.
[24:30] Commissioner Ramon.
[24:31] Aye.
[24:32] Commissioner Stas.
[24:33] Aye.
[24:34] Vice Chair Stevenson.
[24:35] Aye.
[24:36] And Chair Maldon.
[24:37] Yes.
[24:37] Motion passes with a 7-0 vote.
[24:39] Thank you, Karen.
[24:42] All right. Item 7, Planning Commission comments, ideas, questions.
[24:47] Started this end?
[24:50] I don't have any.
[24:52] Well,
[24:59] I got to get staff credit for trying to make this September 30th meeting work,
[25:04] and I apologize that I'm just not going to be able to make it to that one.
[25:08] I'm a stickler for making meetings, but I apologize for that one.
[25:19] Well, back to school, so happy that that's going down.
[25:24] My daughter is at senior year in Cordova and then my son is in the seventh grade at Mitchell, so they are busy during the day now.
[25:34] So thank God for that and everything else is good.
[25:39] Hey, cheers to that. I also have a seventh grader and a freshman and a senior.
[25:42] So, yes, I'll just mention, I don't know if anyone saw the council meeting last night,
[25:48] but the city is looking to purchase two empty office buildings to put a community center
[25:55] in.
[25:56] So, if you get a chance to review that, that's an exciting thing that's coming.
[26:00] So, that's it for you.
[26:04] Nothing from me?
[26:08] I'd like to thank Commissioner Hewn for picking up the torch on the short drive
[26:14] Hopefully someday we will figure out a way to solve that problem.
[26:18] You drive down the street in my neighborhood, you see what an impact it really does have.
[26:24] Other than that, it's, I don't know what to do, two meetings in one month.
[26:29] That's kind of,
[26:34] oh, we now have 150 screaming kids
[26:40] active out at the mine shaft as we're getting ready for this year's rendition
[26:45] of Heartstoppers. Tickets will go on sale next month. Come on out and scream for a
[26:53] cause. It's quite a operation out there with all those kids.
[27:03] Well I'd like to be
[27:04] one to say I'm really happy all your kids are back to school because now I'm
[27:07] stuck in that traffic again. But no that's great it's always good to see
[27:12] the kids back. I would like to congratulate Elliot on his candidacy so it doesn't sound
[27:18] like he's going to run opposed. The main thing I want to say is this weekend was kind of
[27:23] an eye-opener for me. My son was in the hawkfire evacuation zone up in Reno and it just triggered
[27:30] for me that we all need to be prepared. So have your go boxes ready. Think about
[27:35] now what you really need to take in the event of an emergency. Luckily he's kind
[27:39] a young in his life and he didn't have a whole lot of stuff that was critical, but I know
[27:43] I have a lot. So just it really brought that to the forefront for me and I living here haven't
[27:48] been through the app going off like you're in the go and you're no go evacuate don't
[27:53] evacuate was a little stressful Saturday and Sunday for me, but all is well and everybody's
[27:58] healthy and safe. So just think about fire preparedness as we enter into the fall.
[28:03] That's all I have.
[28:04] Love it.
[28:05] Great safety tip.
[28:07] And Arlene, do you have your planning manager report for us?
[28:11] Yes.
[28:11] Nothing too major.
[28:12] Just a reminder, there's a Good Neighbor Day happening next month on the 17th at Countryside
[28:17] Park and also in October, October 14th in Gold Rush Park.
[28:22] So that'll be kind of, you'll see a community engagement out there along with city staff
[28:26] and other partner agencies.
[28:28] It's always a fun time.
[28:29] I enjoy doing it, especially the Halloween one is my favorite one.
[28:33] So, yeah, so hopefully we'll see some of the planning commissioners there.
[28:37] And then also we will be getting busy.
[28:39] So it just heads up to everybody.
[28:42] I know things are picking up on the development side.
[28:44] And so we will be, you know, getting busy.
[28:47] So yeah, again, if you have any questions, just please reach out.
[28:50] I am always accessible via text.
[28:52] I'm a massive texture as you've already figured out.
[28:56] But it's the best way to get ahold of me because I'm always in a meeting when we are another so so that's all here
[29:02] Thank you. Great. Thank you so much. All right with that. We'll adjourn at 5.58 tonight
[29:08] 14