Sacramento Planning & Design Commission Meeting - September 9, 2021

The Sacramento Planning and Design Commission met on Thursday, September 9, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom to consider a single public hearing item: the Opus Student Housing project at 6661 & 6701 Folsom Boulevard and 6758 & 6704 Elvas Avenue. The commission also approved the consent calendar and received no director's report. After staff and applicant presentations, public testimony, and commissioner deliberation, the commission voted 12-1 to recommend approval of the project to the City Council with a friendly amendment.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Meeting Minutes of August 26, 2021: Approved unanimously by roll call vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Rita Gallardo Good, Director of Civic Affairs for Sacramento State, stated that the university does not support nor oppose the project. Their primary concern was the removal of the 67th Street extension from the General Plan. They expressed support for the 18-foot IOD (interim open space or pedestrian/bike/transit connection) as reflected in the most recent plan, emphasizing safe bike, pedestrian, and possible transit access for students.

Discussion Items

• Staff Presentation (Sean de Courcy, Senior Planner): Summarized the project as a six-story, 166,718 square foot student-oriented building with 137 units at 6661 & 6701 Folsom Boulevard. Required actions: adoption of an EIR addendum, amendment to the East Sacramento Community Plan to remove the 67th Street extension (with a reserved easement), and site plan and design review with deviations for height (additional 22 feet), setback (10-foot required vs. 5-foot proposed on Folsom Boulevard), and open space (approx. 2,400 sq ft short). Staff concluded the project is consistent with zoning and policy.
• Applicant Presentation (Jim Wiley, Taylor & Wiley; Dean Newens, Architect): Highlighted the site's proximity to transit (0.1 mile to light rail/bus), Sacramento State shuttle, and grocery store. The building has two wings to fit the triangular site, activates streetscape with ground-floor amenities, and provides 73 parking spaces (24 surface, 49 under building) including 8 EV spaces. Deviations were requested due to site constraints and urban design goals. The design advisory group (DAG) reviewed the project on March 2, 2021; staff and DAG members informally approved the revised design. Renderings showed sculpted massing, a two-story glass amenity space, green screen screening parking, and a marquee element.
• Commissioner Questions and Debate:
  • Commissioner Wang Connelly questioned the amount of surface parking (24 spaces) given the transit-oriented location and open space deviation. The applicant cited market experience and noted the project includes ride-share stations and EV parking. Commissioner Wang Connelly expressed concern about consistency with city climate goals and suggested removing 20 surface parking spaces would meet the open space requirement.
  • Commissioner Boyd asked about setback deviation and environmental impacts. Staff confirmed a 5-foot setback from Folsom Boulevard. Scott Johnson (Environmental Services) and Steve Smith (ESA consultant) stated that operational emissions were modeled and found less than significant with mitigation, falling at 73% of the threshold (within acceptable range). Commissioner Boyd also asked about height; staff noted the adjacent 65E student housing across the street is eight stories, so this project (six stories) would not exceed surrounding heights.
  • Commissioner Yee inquired about the DAG review process. Bruce Mongan (Design Manager) explained that revised drawings were sent informally to DAG members, who expressed support. Commissioner Yee expressed concern that the exterior elevations might still appear flat, but Bruce Mongan confirmed the modifications (material differentiation, color, parapet variation) satisfied the advisory group's goals. The entry on Elvas Avenue was noted as a compromise due to programmatic constraints (adjacent loading dock).
  • Commissioner Chase raised a building code concern: the interior bedrooms in a specialty two-bedroom unit lack windows, potentially requiring them to be open to adjacent space (50% opening) per code. He requested the building department review this during the construction document phase. Staff agreed to flag the issue.
• Commissioner Ogilvy commented on the Elvas Avenue entrance's poor design due to its proximity to trash and loading areas, and suggested screening. He also noted that the bike storage room access requires going outside, creating safety concerns; he recommended a direct connection to the building.

Key Outcomes

• Motion and Vote: Commissioner Pluckebaum moved to approve staff's recommendation for all three resolutions (EIR addendum, General Plan amendment, and Site Plan and Design Review). Commissioner Covell seconded. A friendly amendment was offered by Commissioner Ogilvy to modify condition C4 to require the bike parking numbers as shown on the plans (106 spaces total), which the applicant accepted and the mover accepted. The motion passed 12-1, with Commissioner Wang Connelly voting no.
• Next Steps: The project will be forwarded to the City Council for final approval. The Commission also noted that a discussion on the Design Advisory Group (DAG) process and design priorities is scheduled for the September 23, 2021 meeting.
• Public Comment on Matters Not on the Agenda: None.