Sacramento Planning and Design Commission Meeting – April 28, 2022

The Sacramento Planning and Design Commission held a regular teleconference meeting on Thursday, April 28, 2022, beginning at 5:31 p.m. Vice Chair Nicolina Hernandez presided in the absence of Chair Kendra Macias Reed. Commissioners participating by teleconference included Barry Boyd, Robert Chase, Lynn Lenzi, Phillip Pluckebaum, Maya Wallace, Jia Wang Connelly, Joseph Yee, and Enoch Yeung; Tyrone Buckley joined at 5:35 p.m. Douglass Covill, Kendra Macias Reed, and Alix Ogilvie were absent. The commission approved the consent calendar, heard two public hearing items, and received the 2021 Housing Element Annual Progress Report. The meeting adjourned at 7:28 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the Planning and Design Commission minutes of April 14, 2022 (File ID 2022-00856) and the continuation of teleconference meetings under the COVID-19 state of emergency (File ID 2022-00678) in one motion. Commissioner Wallace abstained.
• The Director's Report (File ID 2022-00545) was received and filed; no oral report was given.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jennifer Holden, a District 5 resident, spoke on several items. On the Delta Shores project, she supported commissioners' concerns about alcohol sale hours, pointed to the housing element's vacant and underutilized sites inventory projecting about 850 above-moderate-income units near the project, and questioned why the Meadowview Neighborhood Association was asked for a support letter rather than the Pocket neighborhood. On the Fruitridge Road dispensary, she said she did not support expanding marijuana sales in the area. On the Housing Element report, she urged a strong mixed-income housing ordinance and inclusionary zoning, and welcomed the public web-based land inventory.
• No public comments were made on matters not on the agenda.

Public Hearing: Delta Shores South Satellite Retail (Item 4)

• The project proposed an eight-pump fueling facility, a 3,500-square-foot convenience store, an ancillary carwash, and relocation of a previously approved drug store with drive-through pharmacy on an approximately three-acre site at the southeast corner of Cosumnes River Boulevard and Delta Shores Circle South (District 8). Entitlements included the previously certified 2009 EIR, a conditional use permit (CUP) for the gas station, a CUP for beer and wine off-sale (Type 20 license), and site plan and design review.
• Staff recommended approval, including a condition for a slatted gate on the trash enclosure, limited alcohol sales hours, safety and security measures, and good neighbor policies. Two support letters were submitted, including one from the Meadowview Neighborhood Association and one from Signature Homes.
• Applicant representative Greg Thatch (Merlone Geyer) said the project was consistent with the general plan and PUD, located next to a freeway off-ramp on a major road, and properly distanced from light rail. ARCO representatives said electric vehicle charging stations would include four on the gas station site and three at the relocated drugstore, and discussed late-night employee safety measures such as a pass-through window, bulletproof glass, and locking alcohol coolers; the start time for the pass-through window had not yet been determined.
• Commissioner questions also covered alcohol concentration metrics. Staff said the census tract is not overconcentrated under ABC metrics and this project would be the third of three permitted off-sale licenses; the prior Shell station matter in a different census tract was overconcentrated. A PCN finding and ABC approval would still be required.
• Commissioner Boyd, who identified himself as vice president of the Meadowview Neighborhood Association, said he did not recall the support letter and opposed the beer and wine CUP, stating the District 8 councilmember's office and community oppose new alcohol permits for non-grocery entities in the district. Commissioner Chase moved approval, declined a friendly amendment to remove the alcohol CUP, and the motion carried.
• Vote: Approved 9–1, with Commissioner Boyd voting no. Motion by Chase, seconded by Lenzi.

Public Hearing: 6720 Fruitridge Road Storefront Cannabis Dispensary (Item 5)

• The request was a conditional use permit major modification to establish a storefront cannabis dispensary at the site of an existing delivery-only dispensary in an existing 6,400-square-foot building on about 0.40 acres in the General Commercial (C-2) zone, plus an environmental exemption under CEQA Guidelines section 15301. The dispensary would move from a 730-square-foot tenant space at 6666 Fruitridge Road to a 2,765-square-foot space.
• Staff recommended approval, noting the police department reviewed the security plans, the existing storefront would close before the new location operates, and no comments were received from surrounding tenants or property owners.
• Commissioner questions clarified that the applicant does not own both buildings, the existing CUP is not being revoked, and licensing requirements will prevent another operator from simply taking over the old site.
• Public comment: Jennifer Holden opposed the expansion.
• Vote: Approved with Commissioner Boyd abstaining. Motion by Pluckebaum, seconded by Chase. The City Attorney later reminded commissioners that public hearing votes should be affirmative or negative; the validity of the vote was not affected.

Discussion Calendar: 2021 Housing Element Annual Progress Report (Item 6)

• Associate Planner Greta Soos presented the annual progress report required by the state. The 2021–29 housing target is 45,580 units, or about 5,700 units per year. The 2021 report showed 1,235 very low-, low-, and extremely low-income units produced, 35% of total units and 12 fewer than in 2020. Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) production rose 123% over 2020.
• Soos noted that meeting the lower-income RHNA with deed-restricted affordable housing alone would require about $7.5 billion over eight years, with a city share of about $2 billion. She highlighted completion of a web-based land inventory (Program H7) and the city becoming the first jurisdiction in California to receive the Pro Housing Designation (Program H11) in February 2022. Work on the mixed-income housing ordinance review (Program H1) is underway, with findings expected in late summer or early fall.
• Commissioners broadly supported a strong mixed-income housing ordinance and inclusionary zoning. Commissioner Yeung estimated a 50-unit affordable project costs about $5 million in city subsidy and urged a permanent funding source and city-county collaboration. Commissioner Boyd asked about limits on speculative home buyers, ADU affordability requirements, parking minimums, and short-term ADU rentals; staff said no current regulations address those topics, though the housing element includes future programs such as ADU financial assistance (Program H29).
• Action: Received and filed.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar approved (minutes and teleconference finding).
• Delta Shores South Satellite Retail approved 9–1 (Boyd no).
• 6720 Fruitridge Road Storefront Cannabis Dispensary approved (Boyd abstained).
• 2021 Housing Element Annual Progress Report received and filed.
• Meeting adjourned at 7:28 p.m.