The City of Rancho Cordova has begun it’s Community Stakeholder Engagement effort for our Climate Action Plan study by sending out, via US Mail, a public involvement mail piece on 9/29/21 that included CAP Virtual workshop announcement and invitation to register for virtual meeting being held Thursday 10/21/21, 5-7pm.
My Monday, January 4, 2021 public comment to Rancho Cordova City Council Meeting Agenda Item 11.1 : AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS OF THE RANCHO CORDOVA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATED TO TITLE 23 ZONING CODE AND DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION ON FUTURE AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 23 (Discussion and Direction – Emergency Shelter permitted in Zones OIMU, M-1, M-2)
Donald Childs 2601 Barbera Way, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 | (916)207-2659 |donald.childs@gmail.com
January 4, 2021
TO: Rancho Cordova City Council, City Manager Cyrus Abhar, Planning Manager Darcy Goulart 2729 Prospect Park Drive Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Subject: RE Item 11.1 – AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS OF THE RANCHO CORDOVA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATED TO TITLE 23 ZONING CODE AND DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION ON FUTURE AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 23 “Discussion and Direction”
I am opposed to the permitted use of Emergency Shelters in the OIMU (Office/Industrial/Mixed Use) and believe this decision should be moved through public workshops to address residential and business concerns with having emergency shelters located near neighborhoods, retail, business parks and motels.
I am also disappointed as to how this subject was placed on the agenda, inconsistent with standard practices of cities throughout the county, region and state.
This community has a storied and unjust history in land use decisions being made at our expense to address social problems, alleviating other communities from shouldering their fair share. The need for residents and local businesses to be real, empowered stakeholders remains.
I am in complete support of permitted use of Emergency Shelters in the M-1 and M-2 zones, with the condition that council form a commission addressing housing, housing insecurity and homelessness; that commission be comprised of members of the commercial real estate community, owners, tenants within the M-1, M-2 zones, as well as housing advocates, multi-family housing property management reps, homeless npo staff, and at large seats for residents.
This commission should receive a quarterly report on permitted emergency shelters from RCPD, Code Enforcement, homeless program managers/staff measuring how many clients were served, the number of calls for services, code enforcement complaints so that the commission may provide stakeholder oversight and recommend to staff and council needed changes.
I hope in the coming months you will consider the roll out of workshops to address the permitted zoning of emergency shelters and the re-instatement of the Planning Commission to participate in bringing stakeholders together to help make these decisions in traditional, conventional ways that every other city in California above 55,000 in population have been committed to doing.
I am opposed to approval of the Trumark at Kassis housing development, as currently presented/proposed, due to traffic, environmental impacts to the American River Parkway, as well as no traditional public stakeholder participation to date.
I have signed the petition circulated by SARA (Save the American River Association) and share concerns with Tiffany neighborhood residents about the project and the city council’s responses to date.
I am also opposed to the concessions the city and community must make to facilitate this development being built as proposed in the FBSP designated “Parkway Corridor Overlay Zone” (RCMC 23.325.070 Parkway corridor (PC) overlay zoning district), which includes the orchard and river bank, sensitive areas to the health of the American River Parkway.
“The opportunity sites designate locations where the City will concentrate resources (e.g., economic development incentives, public investment, facilities, outreach, coordination) and community assets (e.g., public gathering places, events, activities) with the goal of catalyzing significant private investment in these areas.”
Chapter 5, Opportunity Sites 2013 Folsom Blvd Specific Plan Update
Nowhere in the FBSP Opportunity Site assessment of the Kassis Property does it mention the American River Parkway as a “community asset”. The major blind spot of the perspective of this specific plan is that it promotes private investment at the cost of the American River Parkway.
Our city must strike a balance between meeting our housing needs share identified in the SACOG “Regional Housing Needs Allocation”, the economic development opportunities and challenges facing Folsom Boulevard, and protecting the American River Parkway.
I strongly urge the project proponents demand greater due process for their project and the neighboring property owners’ interests, by demanding that the City Council immediately restore the planning commission, allocate funds to hire additional staff to study this project, and create a task force of neighboring property owners, project proponents and regional parkway stakeholders to iron out project alternatives that don’t impact the American River Parkway and address traffic safety and preservation of quality of life in the established Tiffany neighborhood.
I would also ask that each of the candidates running in the November 3, 2020 election for Rancho Cordova City Council share their position or perspective on the proposed Trumark at Kassis project and protection of the American River Parkway.
Trumark’s most successful projects in other cities have moved through the planning process with a planning commission in play. This fact should inform their sense of urgency to avoid costly and wasteful litigation, and bring neighbors and parkway stakeholders together to achieve a successful housing project that meets the housing needs of the city, mitigates harm to the American River Parkway, and honors the property and due process rights of all involved.
Its critical that any promises made by the previous owner be honored by the new owner in regards to commitments made to Captial Village residents and the City of Rancho Cordova.
I hope the city council address this new development and reassures nearby Capital Village residents.
