Sacramento Planning & Design Commission Meeting – August 8, 2024
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Sacramento Planning & Design Commission Meeting – August 8, 2024
The Planning and Design Commission met on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at 5:32 p.m. in City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento. Chair Maya Wallace presided; eleven commissioners were present and Commissioner Erin Reschke was absent. The commission approved the consent calendar, held public hearings on an alcohol license appeal, a Delta Shores housing phase, and the Missing Middle Housing Interim Ordinance, and took action to continue one item and forward recommendations to the City Council. The meeting adjourned at 10:29 p.m.
Director's Report
- Announced that the 2040 General Plan received the American Planning Association California Award of Excellence for Comprehensive Plans.
- Announced Matt Hertel's promotion to Assistant Director, Community Development Department.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the Planning and Design Commission minutes of June 13, 2024 (motion by Hernandez, second by Blunt; unanimous with Reschke absent).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 2 (860 Arden Way appeal): 18 speakers. Opponents, including Pat Sayer Handley (Chair, Woodlake Neighborhood Association Planning Committee), Elaine, and Lucy (Woodlake residents), argued that adding spirits would increase loitering, litter, underage drinking, and burdens on police, citing nearby Sunland liquor store problems and proximity to a school. Supporters, including Daryl Roberts (youth program operator), Marvin (lifelong District 2 resident), Daniel Savala (former executive director, Del Paso Boulevard Partnership), and Julie Nakala, praised the property owner's cleanliness, security, community investment, and plans to install EV chargers, and noted the police department did not oppose the change.
- Item 3 (Delta Shores East Phase): Two speakers, Alexander Hampton (Carpenters Local 46) and Angela, supported the project, emphasizing local construction jobs, wages, and benefits.
- Item 4 (Missing Middle Housing Interim Ordinance): 10 speakers. Connor Finney (Howells), Ben Radersdorf and Luis Barante (House Sacramento), Troy, Alyssa (Strong Sac Town), Steve, and Varun urged removal of "bulk control" design requirements, stating they raise construction costs 10-20%, make three-story plexes infeasible, and impede affordable housing. Josh Oaken (Sacramento Association of Realtors) supported the ordinance. Trisha Stevens (East Sacramento Community Association) supported the ordinance but recommended increasing the front setback in FAR 2.0 areas.
Discussion Items
- Item 2 – Applicant Appeal: 860 Arden Way CUP Major Modification (Z23-078): Staff (Jose Quintanilla) recommended denial of the appeal, concluding the expansion from a Type 20 (beer/wine) to Type 21 (beer/wine/spirits) license would be inconsistent with the 2040 General Plan environmental justice policy EJ 2.16 and would create detrimental effects. Staff identified 8 alcohol outlets within a half-mile, an underserved census tract in the top 25% for pollution burden, and sensitive uses including schools, parks, and faith congregations. The applicant and owner Kabul Singh argued they would surrender the Type 20 license, maintain strict management, add EV charging, and that police had issued a public convenience or necessity letter. Sergeant Michael Manch of Sacramento PD said there was no direct correlation to increased crime and the North Command supported the license. After a failed motion to deny (6-5), the commission voted unanimously to continue the item to September 12, 2024, to allow further discussion and possible findings for approval.
- Item 3 – Delta Shores East Phase (P23-018): Staff (Angel Anguiano) presented a request to amend the 2009 Delta Shores PUD entitlements to rezone land, adjust parkland dedication, facilitate housing near transit, add pedestrian crossings, and connect to the city's 102-acre Meadowview site. The project would rezone 15.53 acres from single-unit/duplex to multi-unit and 16.64 acres from multi-unit to single-unit/duplex, subdivide 30.52 acres, and include an environmental review addendum and mitigation monitoring. Applicant Ryan Hooper (Thatch & Hooper, for Merlone Geyer) noted the site still retains substantial parks, trails, open space, and a 23-acre wetland preserve. The commission moved and seconded (Kadin/Lamas) to recommend approval to City Council. The motion passed unanimously among those present, with Commissioners Macias Reed and Reschke absent.
- Item 4 – Missing Middle Housing Interim Ordinance: Staff (Nguyen Nguyen) presented an interim ordinance allowing by-right duplexes, multiplexes, and small single-unit homes in R-1, R-1A, R-1B, and R-2 zones, implementing 2040 General Plan policies. Standards include FAR limits, setbacks, open space requirements, tree preservation, and "bulk control" restricting third-story massing. During discussion, Commissioner Kadin moved to remove bulk control entirely; later amended to remove it only in FAR 2.0 areas (within a half mile of high-frequency transit). Several commissioners supported the amendment, citing construction cost and feasibility concerns and a desire to experiment. Staff and some commissioners defended bulk control as a neighborhood compatibility/privacy measure and noted it would be evaluated during the interim year. The commission also voted to extend the meeting past 9:30 and 10:00 p.m. The amended motion passed 10-1 (Commissioner Lamas dissenting; Commissioner Reschke absent), forwarding the recommendation to City Council with the FAR 2.0 bulk-control removal.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Adopted consent calendar, approving June 13, 2024 minutes.
- Item 2: Motion to deny the appeal failed 6-5 (yea: Buckley, Chase, Kadin, Lamas, Xiong, Wallace; nay: Blunt, Hernandez, Macias Reed, Thompson, Yeung; absent: Reschke). Subsequently continued to September 12, 2024, by unanimous vote.
- Item 3: Recommended approval of Delta Shores East Phase entitlements to City Council (motion Kadin/Lamas; unanimous, Macias Reed and Reschke absent).
- Item 4: Recommended approval of the Missing Middle Housing Interim Ordinance to City Council with an amendment removing bulk control requirements in FAR 2.0 areas. Vote 10-1 (Lamas no; Reschke absent). Note: The official minutes contain an apparent inconsistency, listing Lamas in both the yes and no columns; the transcript's roll call is partially garbled.
- The meeting was extended twice to complete the agenda, and adjourned at 10:29 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
30 seconds has started Chair Staff is ready when you are. Good evening and welcome to the Thursday, August 8th, 2024, 5:30 p.m. Planning and Design Commission meeting. Meeting is now a call to order. Will the plea clerk please call the roll to establish a quorum? Thank you, Chair. Commissioners, please unmute. Commissioner Zong? Commissioner Chase? Here. Commissioner Lamas? Here. Commissioner Buckley? Here. Commissioner Caden. Here. Commissioner Hernandez? Here. Commissioner Macias Reed? Here. Vice Chair Young? Here. Commissioner Blunt? Here. Commissioner Rishke. Absent. Commissioner Thompson? Here. And Chair Wallace. Here. Thank you. We have a quorum. I would like to remind members of the public and chambers. If you would like to speak on an agenda item, please turn in a speaker slip when the item begins. You will have three minutes to speak once you are called on. After the first speaker, we'll no longer accept speaker slips for that item. We will now proceed with today's agenda. All right, please rise for the opening acknowledgment in honor of Sacramento's Indigenous people and tribal lands. The original people of this land, the Nissanon people, the Southern Maidu Valley and Plains Miwok, Potwin Winton peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe. May we acknowledge and honor the native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by acknowledgement and appreciation for sacrament by choosing to gather together today in the active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous peoples, history, contributions, and lives. Thank you. Just stay standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God and divisible with liberty and justice for all. All right. First up, we have director's report from Station. Thank you, Chair. Two items for this evening's director's report. First off, in early July, the community development department was notified that the recently adopted 2040 general plan won the award of excellence for comprehensive plans from the American Planning Association of California. So congratulations. Can you hear me now?
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