Developer Looking for Green LIght on Former Grant Street Village Townhouses

Developers who are re-subdividing the formerly unfinished Grant Street Village townhouse project will seek several approvals Tuesday night from the Healdsburg Planning Commission.

D.R. Horton Bay Area, a housing developer, is seeking tentative subdivision map and design review approval for a portion of what now appears, from the signs posted outside, to be called Sonata Homes.

The developer could not be contacted Monday to confirm the name change.

The Planning Commission meeting is at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Healdsburg City Hall.

According to the agenda, D.R. Horton will present details on proposed development of units at 75 West Grant St., and 721 and 727 Healdsburg Ave.

There is also an addendum to mitigated negative declaration on the agenda. A mitigated negative declaration means that developers have made accommodations to offset any potential environmental impacts from the project to satisfy the requirements of the Callifornia Environmental Quality Act.

D.R. Horton purchased the project as part a bankruptcy receiver's disposition after the former developer went bankrupt and the former lender went out of business during the economic downturn.

Prior to the purchase, the project had been sitting idle since early 2010.

Due to the subsequent downturn in the housing market and resulting lowered home prices, Healdsburg officials were forced over the past year -- in order to make the project more palatable for potential developers -- to adjust the rates for affordable housing than what was originally contained in the project plans.

The project will still include affordable housing units, but the pricing guidelines have been altered from the original plans.

To see a copy of the agenda for Tuesday night's meeting, click here.

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