OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

February 14, 2024 City of Davis Planning Commission: Lumberyard Project Unanimously Approved

City Council & Planning Commission — Wednesday, February 14, 2024
BodyDavis, California
SessionCity Council & Planning Commission
DateWednesday, February 14, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:45:11

Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

Back of the room says our collective watches up here all say it's seven o'clock, so I think it's time to call the meeting to order.

0:16

I will uh first welcome everybody and say happy Valentine's Day.

0:24

For purposes of the record, it does appear that we have everybody here tonight.

0:31

I would also like to welcome our council liaison, Councilmember Nebel.

0:36

Thank you for being here.

0:38

If I may have a motion to approve the agenda.

0:43

So moved.

0:44

Any dissenters from that?

0:46

Let the record show it was approved unanimously.

0:50

So do we have any brief announcements from our council liaison or commissioners or staff?

0:58

I will turn first to Councilmember Neville.

1:00

Do you have any announcements?

1:01

I do not, but thank you for asking.

1:02

Okay.

1:03

Any other commissioners have announcements?

1:08

How about staff?

1:10

Thank you, Mr.

1:11

Chair.

1:12

We do have a few this evening.

1:15

First of all, I wanted to give you a quick update on the pre-designed ADU plans.

1:20

That program is having a soft launch on Friday.

1:24

So it's it's here, just about here.

1:29

We've got some folks who are willing to be the first few through the process.

1:34

So we're gonna let them be our guinea pigs and ask them for some critiques back and try and get them through the process before we go out very publicly and announce it.

1:47

So there's that.

1:50

Other than that, I've got project updates and things like that, so I can hold those until the end of the meeting with the long range calendar if you prefer.

2:00

The thing I discussed with you earlier about the long range calendar, that you can forget that.

2:04

We're gonna go to the regular order.

2:06

I'll go ahead then.

2:08

So you've all probably heard one way or the other that we got the letter from HCD certifying the housing elements.

2:22

So that was good news that came in late Thursday last week, so the news is is I think pretty well spread by now.

2:29

Um the Palomino settlement was announced, so we're making progress there.

2:37

Um we are looking at opening up the um notice of preparation and the comment period very soon.

2:46

Eric's working on getting the scoping meeting scheduled, probably the third week in March, once we have the room and people's availability lined up, so we're working on that.

2:57

Uh shriners, we've had some project comment meetings.

3:00

Yeah.

3:05

Not according to the settlement.

3:15

No, yeah, go ahead.

3:16

Yeah, so it's um a builders remedy project that was uh submitted under state laws that would um preclude the city from requiring a general plan amendment and zone change.

3:30

Measure JRD is triggered when there's a general plan amendment that changes the land use designation of a property.

3:36

And so therefore, since there's no general plan amendment as part of the project, there will not be no uh measure JRD vote.

3:46

One less controversial thing for us to deal with.

3:50

It simplifies the project, which is the idea, right?

3:54

So with respect to shriners, we're uh working on some project comments, follow-up with them.

4:01

Um, and their NOP will be coming along shortly as well.

4:06

Uh Village Farms is uh working through uh project comments, and uh we have kind of the we're down to the last deadline for getting technical reports in, and Rainey has started drafting the EIR, so that's moving forward.

4:23

Um, and then just quickly a couple of updates on the downtown projects, the ones that you won't get to see.

4:29

Um 400G Street has elected to allow their SB 330 application to expire, so we aren't processing that project any longer.

4:39

Uh 240G Street, Eric is working on and getting really close to having conditions drafted and have that one be the first one that goes through the staff approval process.

4:49

Uh and then tapestry is working on redesigning their site to comply with the downtown code, and then we've got a couple other smaller projects that we're working on as well.

5:01

I think that's all I have in terms of announcements and project updates.

5:05

As far as meetings, uh we do have university retirement community looking like it'll probably be March 13th, if you would mark your calendars for that, please.

5:18

And I think prior to that, we're going to be having objective design standards next meeting on the 28th.

5:25

At least that's that's what we're hoping for.

5:28

We're working on that.

5:28

So I'll keep you all posted if we end up not needing you to hold that date.

5:34

And then beyond that, pretty much everything in our current queue is doesn't come to you for whatever reason, whether it's a downtown forum-based code project or something smaller that just doesn't need your approval.

5:49

Okay, thank you.

5:51

You're welcome.

5:52

So at this point, we will go to item number four, which is public comment.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Downtown Specific Plan████████████████████20%
Housing██████████████14%
Affordable Housing████████████12%
Public Transportation████████8%
Public Engagement██████6%
Transportation Safety█████5%
Historic Preservation████4%
Urban Planning████4%
Public Comment███3%
Summary of Proceedings

February 14, 2024 City of Davis Planning Commission Meeting

The Planning Commission held a public hearing and unanimously approved The Lumberyard Project, a five-story mixed-use development at 500-512 G Street with 227 residential units and ground-floor commercial uses. The commission also heard public comments on a proposed merger of the Historic Resources Management Commission with the Planning Commission and approved consent calendar items.

Consent Calendar

  • The commission approved the Objective Design Standards Memorandum as an informational item, along with other routine matters.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Commission Merger Opposition: Multiple speakers criticized a subcommittee proposal to merge the Historic Resources Management Commission into the Planning Commission, arguing it would eliminate specialized expertise, disrespect volunteer commissioners, and jeopardize the city's Certified Local Government status. Speakers urged the council to reverse course and allow commissions to provide input.
  • Lumberyard Project Support: Several residents spoke in favor of the project, noting the housing crisis and the site's suitability for a car-reduced lifestyle. Greg Francis praised the project's alignment with Davis values. Jim Gray, a longtime real estate broker, urged approval, calling it an innovative, pedestrian-friendly development. John Meyer commended developer outreach and requested cooperative parking solutions.
  • Lumberyard Project Concerns: Residents raised issues including:
    • Parking spillover into Old North Davis, especially given the project's lack of on-site parking.
    • Bike storage concentration at 5th and G creating congestion; suggestion to move more storage to 6th Street.
    • Tree removal of mature street trees, asking that mitigation include replanting along G Street.
    • The civic space (paseo) potentially attracting homeless populations.
    • Need for safe routes to school and bicycle education for new residents.
  • Transit Agency Comment: Brian Abinant (YoloTD) supported the project but requested a transit shelter, bench, and bike rack at the existing bus stop, and a future bus pull-out on G Street.
  • Todd Adelman emphasized bicycle parking convenience, questioned the building's sound reflection, and urged composting infrastructure.

Discussion Items

  • The Lumberyard Project (Item 6A): Staff presented the project, noting it is the first under the Downtown Davis Specific Plan and form-based code. The project includes demolition of existing structures, design review, and an affordable housing plan providing 11 units (5%) for very low-income households. The developer requested one concession (building dimension) and three waivers (vertical articulation, unbroken facade, secondary wing) under state density bonus law. The affordable housing plan had been reviewed and recommended by the Social Services Commission.
  • Commissioner Questions:
    • Commissioner Bennett asked about civic space alternatives and bike parking distribution.
    • Commissioner Valencia inquired about noise and air quality mitigation for units near the railroad tracks; the developer noted a quiet zone study and acoustical consultant recommendations.
    • Commissioner Rutherford asked about bicycle education; the developer plans to join YOLO Commute.
    • Commissioner Troost questioned the passageway design, solar panels, and potential congestion from bike egress. The city traffic engineer found no issue.
    • Commissioner McLaughlin pressed on parking mitigation, affordable housing unit mix, tree removal for utility boxes, and the project's environmental history (no significant contamination found).
    • The city attorney confirmed the project is subject to standards at the time of application (5% inclusionary) under SB 330, and that the commission's role is to apply those standards, not require additional community benefits.
  • Staff Clarification: Principal Planner Eric Lee explained the density bonus waivers are unlimited but require showing that not granting them would physically preclude the housing density.

Key Outcomes

  • The commission unanimously approved Planning Application #23-28 for demolition, design review, and affordable housing plan, adopting the findings and conditions of approval as recommended by staff. The vote was 7-0 (Commissioner Deos recused due to a conflict of interest; all other commissioners present voted aye).
  • The commission found the project consistent with the Downtown Davis Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report and categorically exempt under CEQA (Section 15332, infill projects).
  • The consent calendar was approved.
  • The meeting adjourned with no further long-range calendar items.

Meeting Transcript

Back of the room says our collective watches up here all say it's seven o'clock, so I think it's time to call the meeting to order. I will uh first welcome everybody and say happy Valentine's Day. For purposes of the record, it does appear that we have everybody here tonight. I would also like to welcome our council liaison, Councilmember Nebel. Thank you for being here. If I may have a motion to approve the agenda. So moved. Any dissenters from that? Let the record show it was approved unanimously. So do we have any brief announcements from our council liaison or commissioners or staff? I will turn first to Councilmember Neville. Do you have any announcements? I do not, but thank you for asking. Okay. Any other commissioners have announcements? How about staff? Thank you, Mr. Chair. We do have a few this evening. First of all, I wanted to give you a quick update on the pre-designed ADU plans. That program is having a soft launch on Friday. So it's it's here, just about here. We've got some folks who are willing to be the first few through the process. So we're gonna let them be our guinea pigs and ask them for some critiques back and try and get them through the process before we go out very publicly and announce it. So there's that. Other than that, I've got project updates and things like that, so I can hold those until the end of the meeting with the long range calendar if you prefer. The thing I discussed with you earlier about the long range calendar, that you can forget that. We're gonna go to the regular order. I'll go ahead then. So you've all probably heard one way or the other that we got the letter from HCD certifying the housing elements. So that was good news that came in late Thursday last week, so the news is is I think pretty well spread by now. Um the Palomino settlement was announced, so we're making progress there. Um we are looking at opening up the um notice of preparation and the comment period very soon. Eric's working on getting the scoping meeting scheduled, probably the third week in March, once we have the room and people's availability lined up, so we're working on that. Uh shriners, we've had some project comment meetings. Yeah. Not according to the settlement. No, yeah, go ahead. Yeah, so it's um a builders remedy project that was uh submitted under state laws that would um preclude the city from requiring a general plan amendment and zone change. Measure JRD is triggered when there's a general plan amendment that changes the land use designation of a property. And so therefore, since there's no general plan amendment as part of the project, there will not be no uh measure JRD vote. One less controversial thing for us to deal with. It simplifies the project, which is the idea, right? So with respect to shriners, we're uh working on some project comments, follow-up with them. Um, and their NOP will be coming along shortly as well. Uh Village Farms is uh working through uh project comments, and uh we have kind of the we're down to the last deadline for getting technical reports in, and Rainey has started drafting the EIR, so that's moving forward. Um, and then just quickly a couple of updates on the downtown projects, the ones that you won't get to see. Um 400G Street has elected to allow their SB 330 application to expire, so we aren't processing that project any longer. Uh 240G Street, Eric is working on and getting really close to having conditions drafted and have that one be the first one that goes through the staff approval process. Uh and then tapestry is working on redesigning their site to comply with the downtown code, and then we've got a couple other smaller projects that we're working on as well.

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