City of Davis Planning Commission Meeting Summary - April 24, 2024

The Planning Commission met on April 24, 2024, at 7:00 PM. The meeting included a public hearing on an extension of the Chiles Ranch Development Agreement, a discussion on proposed amendments to the Downtown Davis Form Based Code, and an informational update on pedestrian safety improvements at the Covell/Shasta intersection. The commission also heard public comments on various topics.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was approved without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mark Donnelly (Rancho Yolo resident) expressed concerns about inadequate street lighting in downtown Davis and uneven sidewalks, particularly on 5th Street. He also noted insufficient public transportation.
• Kelly Ramos (Rancho Yolo resident) raised safety concerns about exiting Rancho Yolo onto 8th Street, citing difficult turns during peak traffic and requesting stop signs at the exit.
• Jerry Polanich (Monarch Lane resident) expressed concerns about access into and out of the proposed Mace Ranch development and requested improved closed captioning for public meetings due to his hearing impairment.
• Eric Payne (neighbor to the Chiles Ranch site) supported developing the infill site but criticized the plan for having mostly single-family detached homes on relatively large lots (0.1 acre), arguing that multi-family housing would be a more responsible use of space. He also asked for a clearer definition of "commencement of development."
• Alma Gardner (Davis designer) spoke during the Downtown Form Based Code discussion, seeking clarity for clients who want to make small improvements to existing single-family homes in the Neighborhood Medium zone, such as kitchen remodels, bathrooms, and ADUs (which are state-mandated), while staying in their homes long-term.

Discussion Items

5A. Public Hearing: Third Amendment to the Chiles Ranch Development Agreement (2411 E. Eighth Street)

• Staff Presentation: Senior Planner Eric Lee summarized the request for a five-year extension (to July 2029) of the development agreement for the 96-unit Chiles Ranch subdivision, originally approved in 2009. The project has been delayed by the Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic, and capacity issues. The first two final maps (phases 1A and 1B) are scheduled for City Council approval on May 7, 2024. The applicant, New Urban Development, is negotiating with a new builder with financial resources to complete the project.
• Applicant Presentation: George Phillips provided background on delays and noted that the property is now being mowed regularly. He committed to ongoing maintenance. He emphasized that the project is included in the city’s Housing Element and that the new builder would self-fund construction. He suggested that staff and the developer could negotiate a definition of "commencement" and an accelerated schedule for submitting final maps for remaining phases.
• Commissioner Questions: Commissioners probed the timeline, affordable housing commitment (12 for-sale affordable units plus $75,000 per unit in-lieu fees for 8 units), financial viability of the new builder, and whether five years was necessary. Commissioner McLaughlin proposed milestones: commence construction by 2025, record all maps by 2026, and complete construction by 2029. He also suggested adding a definition of "commence" and annual progress reports. Commissioner Valencia proposed a motion with specific build-out milestones tied to penalties (additional affordable units if deadlines missed), which was seconded but failed after discussion.
• Public Comment: One resident urged higher density and clearer commencement definitions.
• Commission Deliberation: After extensive debate, the commission sought a balance between ensuring project momentum and not scaring away the new builder. Commissioners expressed frustration with the project's long delay and the lack of consequences in development agreements.
• Outcome: A motion by Commissioner McLaughlin, amended to include annual progress reports, passed. The commission voted to recommend City Council approve the five-year extension with conditions: (1) construction of the initial phase must commence by December 31, 2025; (2) all final maps for the entire subdivision must be recorded by December 31, 2026; (3) a clear definition of "commence construction" will be added; and (4) the developer shall provide annual progress reports to the Planning Commission. The vote was 4-2 (Commissioner Troost and others dissenting; exact tally not fully recorded).

5B. Downtown Davis Form Based Code Discussion

• Staff Presentation: Principal Planner Dara Dungworth presented five topics for staff direction: (a) adding Detached House as an allowed building type in the Neighborhood Medium zone; (b) exempting existing nonconforming building types from site design standards for minor changes; (c) allowing rebuilding of structures in existing footprints; (d) developing on large/consolidated lots that exceed allowed building site sizes; (e) allowing a second primary structure on a building site with an existing primary structure. She summarized City Council’s feedback from the previous evening: Council did not support adding Detached House to NM zone, supported reasonable improvements for nonconforming structures but not rebuilding on same footprint, supported larger buildings on consolidated lots, and did not support two primary structures per building site.
• Public Comment: Alma Gardner requested clarity for property owners wanting to improve existing single-family homes in the NM zone, noting that many clients wish to invest in their homes rather than redevelop.
• Commissioner Input: Commissioners generally aligned with Council’s direction, emphasizing that existing single-family homes should be allowed reasonable additions and modifications but not new detached houses. Commissioner Valencia noted that the EIR for the Downtown Specific Plan refers to "house form" buildings in the NM zone, suggesting flexibility. She cautioned against creating a regulatory taking by overly restricting property owners. Commissioner Weiss and Troost supported allowing small additions and remodels. Commissioner McLaughlin agreed with Council’s intent to incentivize redevelopment consistent with the code. Commissioners requested staff research how other cities handle similar issues and consult with the city attorney on potential takings concerns. Commissioner Troost asked for additional time to provide written comments by the end of the week.
• Outcome: Staff will incorporate commissioner and council feedback, conduct further research, and return with draft amendments for the commission to consider and recommend to City Council.

5C. Informational Update: Pedestrian Safety at Covell/Shasta (Condition of Approval #30 for URC Project)

• Commissioners Rowe and McLaughlin reported on their April 11, 2024 meeting with Traffic Engineer Ryan Chapman. Chapman acknowledged the need for higher design standards for the intersection to serve elderly pedestrians at the University Retirement Community. Proposed improvements include: eliminating right-turn lanes to create 90-degree turns, prohibiting right turns on red (with red blinking signals), green-colored crosswalks, extended pedestrian crossing intervals (adding 4–7 seconds of all-red time after the walk phase), and signal coordination along Covell to discourage speeding. He also discussed a possible 25 mph zone (requiring a municipal code amendment) and requested input from URC and the Bicycle, Transportation, and Street Safety Commission. The commissioners expressed confidence in Chapman’s approach and noted that the improvements are a city responsibility with potential contributions from URC and the Bretton Woods developer.
• Outcome: The update was received as information; staff will continue to work on the intersection design.

Key Outcomes

• Chiles Ranch DA Extension: Recommended approval with conditions (commence construction by 12/31/2025, record all maps by 12/31/2026, define "commence," annual reports). Vote 4-2.
• Downtown Form Based Code: Staff directed to prepare draft amendments consistent with commission and council feedback, including allowing reasonable changes to nonconforming structures but not new detached houses or two primary structures per site. Further research on other jurisdictions and legal review requested.
• Pedestrian Safety at Covell/Shasta: The commission endorsed the traffic engineer’s proposed safety improvements and will monitor progress.