LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors gave unanimous approval to a general plan amendment, rezone, general plan of development and final environmental impact report for the proposed Valley Oaks development in the south county.
Ken Porter of Santa Rosa-based Kimco Development has had Valley Oaks on the drawing board for more than a decade, with the recession causing him to sideline the project for a few years while the economic picture improved.
Valley Oaks is envisioned as a gated development for people ages 55 and above; in its earliest inception, it had been open to all age groups, a concept that later was changed.
It is proposed to include 380 single-story homes, a 31-acre commercial area fronting Highway 29, a senior housing/assisted living facility, 29 acres of public open space, trails and park facilities, which will be built in six phases at 18196 and 18426 South State Highway 29, Middletown.
In June, the Lake County Planning Commission approved the development's final environmental impact report, as Lake County News has reported.
Jean Kapolchok, the project's land use planner, said the updated plans address a number of “big picture” concerns, and noted that the adoption of the Middletown Area Plan places Valley Oaks within the Coyote Valley community growth boundary.
“The project embraces components of smart growth,” she said, explaining that it integrates nearby Hidden Valley Lake into its considerations and puts commercial opportunities within walking distance.
She said it also is environmentally friendly. It will rechannel Coyote Creek to reduce flooding and will keep all homes to a single-story height.
Architect Dave Colombo said they plan on saving many of the oak trees in the project area. “The intent is to keep the feeling of the open space and the nature that occurs around these oak trees.”
In response to concerns raised at past community meetings, Colombo said the plans have incorporated dark sky lighting and building mass was changed.
He said the biggest change since the project began is the signal light that was planned at Arabian Lane. That has since given way to a Caltrans plan to place a roundabout at Hartmann Road.
During public comment, some concerns were voiced by Hidden Valley Lake residents, including Larry Chandler, who has spoken against the project at planning commission meetings.
Chandler said he didn't want negative impacts on Hidden Valley Lake, and suggested that Valley Oaks “has all the signs of being a low-cost bedroom community of renters,” raising issues with the project being built over numerous phases.
Middletown resident Fletcher Thornton noted of the building phase concern, “The market dictates how fast you can build,” pointing out that Hidden Valley Lake isn't built out, either.
He said Porter has a good reputation, and he is in favor of the project.
Thornton also said that Valley Oaks would cater to a population that wouldn't be commuting, and will stay locally and spend its money.
Hidden Valley Lake residents Cheryl Trammel-George and Paulette Jasmin both raised issues about ensuring that the community would be for ages 55 and up.
Jasmin said Hidden Valley Lake is dealing with a large volume of renters. “That high rental issue is causing us many issues with security,” she said.
“How are you going to guarantee that people will not rent out their property to people who are not 55 and older?” Jasmin asked.
“This project has been in the works for a long, long time,” said south county resident Monica Rosenthal, pointing out that there have been many community meetings throughout the plan's development, with many of the issues being raised at the board meeting already addressed.
Kapolchok said the issue of guaranteeing homeowners are age 55 or above would be dealt with in the escrow process. As for construction phases, she said each would be a standalone project.
Community Development Director Rick Coel said large development projects typically require bonding, and he said that, in all likelihood, there would be a bond mechanism for the completion of each of Valley Oaks' six phases.
Supervisor Jim Steele asked how many vacant lots there are in Hidden Valley Lake. Coel said that, based on information from a few years ago, those vacant lots numbered about 800, but he said he wasn't sure that all of them are buildable.
Steele questioned if Valley Oaks was an example of sprawl. Coel said his department didn't look at it that way, pointing out that the project has been part of the community planning process for 10 years.
Valley Oaks is a different housing commodity than Hidden Valley Lake, Coel said. “They're targeting a different market.”
Supervisor Jim Comstock, in whose district the project would be built, said Valley Oaks is a different model than Hidden Valley Lake, and shouldn't be contingent on Hidden Valley Lake being built out.
Comstock said he felt Valley Oaks is located in a logical area for growth. “I look at this as infill more than sprawl.”
Porter estimated the project will be built over seven to eight years, with the infrastructure – water and sewer, roads and an underground propane distribution system – completed on a phase-by-phase basis.
He said he anticipated that new jobs – home care, cleaning and yard maintenance – would be created as a result of the development.
“I've always thought it was a great project,” said Supervisor Jeff Smith, adding it looked like it would be done correctly.
“We'll do our best,” said Porter.
Supervisor Rob Brown said he also supported the project, but had mixed emotions about the age limit, as he wasn't sure that it would attract enough retired people to fill it up.
Board Chair Anthony Farrington said he had similar concerns, asking Porter about the market analysis on the project.
Porter said his market analysis only addressed the project being for ages 55 and up. He said home prices would be from the high $200,000s to low $300,000s range, which is on par with Hidden Valley Lake's housing prices.
He said his market study showed there to exist a huge demand in Lake County for this type of housing. Porter did acknowledge a concern of Brown's about there being adequate health care coverage for retirees who are in certain health insurance systems.
Smith said he felt Porter was “definitely on the right track” with an age-restricted community, adding he believed the homes will sell for more. Porter agreed, saying homes in such communities have sales prices that are 15 percent higher.
Coel said the project also will expand the south county's commercial offerings, which now are very limited.
In four separate motions, each offered by Comstock, the board certified Valley Oaks' final environmental impact report, and approved its general plan amendment, rezone and general plan of development unanimously.
Planning staff told Lake County News in previous interviews that Porter's next steps in the project will include application for a use permit for a specific plan of development and submitting tentative maps, which will go to the planning commission for approval.
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Supervisors approve plans, rezone for Valley Oaks project
- Elizabeth Larson
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