Riverside Townhomes Denied
Originally Published: November 26, 2024
Planning Commission Denies on 4-2 Vote
The Planning Commission (PC) voted to deny the concept site plan for Riverside Townhomes, a 42 unit development planned just north of the Route 235/4 intersection in California. The decision came after several postponements so the applicant could explore solutions for initial feedback about parking, school bus stops, and traffic.
Joseph Kadjeski, an engineer speaking on behalf of the applicant, explained changes to the concept plan. Four additional visitor parking spaces were added bringing the total to eight, as well as a six foot privacy fence between the development and neighboring dentist’s office. Kadjeski said they also explored the PC’s recommendation of using the By the Mill road right of way (ROW) to provide access from the rear of the property. This option could also have connected with the nearby Tidal Wave Auto Spa, which was recently denied by the PC. When contacted, the owners of the ROW had no interest in selling now or in the future, Kadjeski said. (ROW seen below in red).
Concerns about the school bus stop were also addressed, with the applicant offering to extend the 17 foot wide shoulder north along the length of the property, up to 200 feet. This would allow the bus to pull over to the shoulder, out of traffic, to pick up students. The shoulder could also be used as an accel/decel lane though it would not be striped as such. State Highway (SHA) had no objections. The school system, Kadjeski said, would use the far right lane or shoulder for the bus to pick up kids. That decision is made internally. Typically, said PC Chair Howard Thompson, buses will use the traffic lane farthest to the right rather than the shoulder. “If the bus is on the shoulder drivers don’t think they have to stop,” Thompson said.
Commissioners were pleased with the efforts made to improve the concept plan, but stopped short of approval because of the safety and traffic concerns. Commissioner Joe St. Clair said state and local zoning regulations have put the applicant “in a hard spot for safety. Something needs to change because that intersection is going to be a problem.” Chair Thompson said the applicant was previously approved to operate a business selling farming equipment/implements on a portion of the property, suggesting a less intensive land use would be better. Commissioner Lynn Delahay made the motion to deny, and was joined by St. Clair, John Brown, and Mike Brown in turning down the project.
As with the recently denied Tidal Wave Auto Spa, this project can now go before the Board of Appeals (BOA) to overturn the PC’s decision. By law, the BOA hears the case without considering any testimony or information presented during the PC’s review.
