Healdsburg Planning Commission Critical of Proposed 28-unit Subdivision

Healdsburg Planning Commission members said Tuesday they could not recommend approval of a , Chiquita Grove, due to concerns related to the higher density housing being proposed.

After a lengthy public hearing before about 40 people, the commissioners directed city staff to work with the developers to address the concerns on the project, which is targeted for a 2.78-acre parcel at the corner of Chiquita Road and Grove Street.

The item was continued to the Planning Commission meeting of June 12, to be held at 6 p.m. at

The parcel, which is currently vacant, has most recently been the site of roaming turkeys, a burro and an emu. The proposed development discussed Tuesday night would replace that with a combination of detached and attached single family homes.

Healdsburg planning staff recommended approval of the proposal, noting that in 2006, there was tentative approval for a 66-unit subdivision on the parcel. However, with the downturn in the economy, that project was shelved. The current proponents, Chiquita Road LLC, have informed the city they already have financing in place for the project.

Four of the units, as per Healdsburg's inclusionary housing requirements, would be set aside for very low to moderate income households. The remainder of the two and three bedroom homes, which would range in size from 1,362 to 1,889 square feet, would be market rate units. In order to blend in with the surroundings, plans call for four different earthtone color schemes.

A proponent of the project, Mary Ann Bacigalupi, and the architect, Jon Worden, outlined the current proposal, describing how the project would be built in four phases, what the finished buildings would look like, where common space and driveways would be located, what improvements would be made to Chiquita Road, and where utilities would be connected. 

Most of the more than 40 members of the public in attendance were from in and around the project area. Several concerns were voiced by those who spoke at the public hearing -- chief among them the feeling that the density of 10 units per acre was too high.

Also raised was the issue that traffic at the intersection of Healdsburg Avenue, Grove Street & Chiquita Road was already a problem, and with the development to the north, this project could exacerbate the situation.

Discussion also centered around the suitability of Chiquita Road as a "collector" street, and issues of attempting to save heritage trees that are planned to be removed.

Other concerns focused on the authority of the homeowners association, and whether there would be assurances that the project would not run into financial difficulties and stand vacant for years, as happened with the

Commission Phil Luks began the commission comments by noting that this area has been desginated in the city's General Plan as high density residential.

Other commissioners agreed, noting that the Housing Element of the General Plan, which must be certified by the State, calls for the city to identify areas for development of high density residential, as well as very low to moderate income housing.

There was concensus among the commissioners, that if this project was not approved for some form of high-density residential, the city would be acting contrary to their own adopted General Plan, and there would be a great likelihood that the state would not certify the city's housing element -- the regulation that sets quotas and requirements for certain types of housing.

"This happens a lot; the General Plan gets reviewed and approved, and the public is noticed of the changes," said commissioner Jeff Civian. "Then when a proposal is presented, people become aware of just what that zoning means, and become concerned about the potential impacts."

Several commissioners also raised questions about the phasing of the project, which is proposed to have four phases. Commissioner Jerry Eddinger felt two to three phases might be more appropriate, and would help to minimize the impacts of construction on the neighborhood.

Discussion also centered around whether relocating or reconfiguring some of the units might result in more open space, and would have the potential to require fewer tree removals.