28-Unit Chiquita Grove OK'd, With Changes

in the north end of Healdsburg, won a unanimous OK Monday from Healdsburg City Council after an extended debate about parking issues within the development and on the surrounding streets.

In the end, City Council voted to remove four parking spaces that were to be created along Chiquita Road. That was after City Councilman Tom Chambers, a recreational bicyclist, said he was worried about bike-car accidents from drivers pulling out of the spaces as cyclists careened down the hill.

"We have to strike a balance," Chambers said. "In my mind, we give up four parking spaces and hopefully preclude a nasty accident.

"It's an insurance question," Chamber said. "I say we go with safety."

Both the architect, Jon Warden, a former Healdsburg Planning Commissioner, and the developers' representative, Marianne Bacigalupi, said they were happy to give up the street parking spaces -- and that they hadn't wanted them in the first place.

They said they carved out recessed spaces along Chiquita Road at the request of Healdsburg Public Works Director Mike Kirn.  Kirn said he was trying to make it safer for cars that park on the street, which, even though currently designated as "no parking," still gets people parking there illegally in the ditches along the rural road.

Under the revised plans approved Monday, no recessed parking spaces will be created, and "no parking" signs will be placed along the stretch of Chiquita Road from Grove Street to the freeway.

Plans also call for three heritage oak trees out of 43 trees on the property to be removed; City Council added a provision that they would not be removed until the building permits were issued and the project was a go ahead.

Bacigalupi said she thinks construction could start by next year, depending on the market.

"We feel things are on an upswing," Bacigalupi said. "We really think Jon did an excellent job."

She said could not speculate how much the homes would cost; she also declined to say the total estimated cost of the project.

"That is the million dollar question," Bacigalupi said. "How does the cost of the homes compare with how much it costs to build it."

Of the 28 units, four will be below market rate -- or affordable -- including two for moderate income familes, one for a low income family and one for a very low income family.

"We are determined to create a hip project that will stand out, so it can sell," Bacigalupi said.

Chiquita Grove, a mix of townhouses, duplexes and single family homes, was Commission

Each home will have two garage parking spaces, and two driveway uncovered spaces. In addition, there will be eight community spaces at several locations in the common areas within the development.

"We want to create a real neighborhood," Worden said later. "A mix of housing types, all with porches, private yards and adequate parking -- it's unusual to have this many housing types in one project."

It is the second proposal for the 2.8-acre triangularly shaped property bounded by Grove Street, Chiquita Road and the 101 Freeway. The last plan for the site, an 100-percent affordable housing project, died several years ago when the real estate and financing markets bottomed out during the recession.

"I like this one a lot better," said City Councilman Jim Wood. "Parking is always an issue, but the fact that there are four spaces per unit makes a big difference.

"I know what kind of projects Jon does, and how much attention he gives to design," Wood said. "It's hard to give up the four spaces [on Chiquita], but this is a huge step forward from where we were before."

It is the second major housing project to be approved in the north end of Healdsburg. a luxury home development on 300 acres, was given the OK last year, but the developers say they are waiting for the financial and real estate markets to go on the uptick before starting construction.