SPA-3 Approved

On April 16, 2014, the Roseville City Council unanimously approved the Specific Plan Amendment 3 (SPA-3) for major changes to the Fiddyment Farm area of the West Roseville Specific Plan (WRSP). Presentations were made by Roseville City Planning representatives Chris Burrows and Ron Miller, and developers’ agents Steve Hicks and John Bayless. Members of the WestPark-Fiddyment Farm Neighborhood Association Sue Hallahan-Cook, Joe Van Zant, and Aaron Kacalek also made statements for the record. In addition, Mayor Rohan referenced numerous letters submitted related to SPA-3, and very politely lead a question and answer period following the presentations and statements but before the final vote.

The following is a brief background on SPA-3:

• 2006--The original WRSP was approved for 8,430 homes: 4,170 in Fiddyment Farm and 4,260 in WestPark. [Amendments submitted on behalf of both Fiddyment Farm and WestPark]
  
• 2009—SPA-2 for Fiddyment Farm was approved—basically a numbers game, increasing the density of the six High Density Residential (HDR) facilities to 20 and 25 units per acre (U/A) and reducing outlying parcels to ½ -acre lots to keep the total number of units close to number of units in the original WRSP.
  
• 2010—SPA-3 was issued requesting an additional 1,905 units be added to the SPA-3 area (same areas previously reduced by SPA-2) and included the addition of two more HDR facilities (making 9 total).
  
• 2013—after ongoing opposition and a subsequent Environmental Impact Report, the developers presented an amended SPA-3 reducing the number of units from 1,905 to 1,661 units.
  
• Dec. 2013—Roseville Planning Commission unanimously approved SPA-3 as proposed and moved it on to City Council for final approval.
  

WFFNA opposed SPA-3 based on the large direct impact on the Fiddyment Farm portion of the WRSP, and ultimately on the entire WRSP. The total residential units for the WRSP with the various amendments already granted will now be approximately 10,478 units—over 2,000 homes added from the original plan. The presenters stated their conclusions that the addition of the 1661 units [averages of 4,335 people and 3,322 vehicles] would have no impact or change in overall density.

The two added HDR facilities will now bring the total of HDR facilities in Fiddyment Farm to 9—that’s 29% of our residential units in high density facilities. The presenters showed charts representing that as a low figure compared with other areas of the City of Roseville (similar to their 2010 misleading chart which we countered with appropriate computations showing it was actually the highest concentration in the City of Roseville).

The developers also stated that the new housing densities would be “in line” with those of other recently approved developments, naming Sierra Vista and Westbrook, both south of Fiddyment Farm and WestPark. After direct questioning from Mayor Rohan, Mr. Burrows stated the intent was always to increase the density of the plan, and said disclosure amendments were issued in 2006 and 2008 and added to the CC&Rs given to homeowners. [After the meeting, we located our copy presented at our home purchase in 2007. There are several references reflecting, “The Community Plan may be modified by Signature and/or the Participating Builders and specifically, that Signature may modify the planned density for the Community as set forth in Section D.5 below.” Section D-5 of our copy indicates, “Signature intends to seek one or more density increases for that portion of the Community that Signature plans to develop (the “Signature Villages”). Although that intent was never mentioned during the entire purchase process, it appears the builders were quite aware of it—the statement was in the hundreds of pages of documents provided at closing.

Very little was mentioned as to the Subsequent EIR, other than referencing that it stated, “The proposed project would result in Significant and Unavoidable impacts to transportation and Circulation, Noise and Air Quality, and Public Services—Water Supply.” But what impact does that have when it then recommends the project be passed, “… because of the rest of the projected buildup in the area, SPA-3 will have no additional impact and therefore it should be passed. “

Sue Hallahan-Cook speaking for WFFNA asked that the City of Roseville honor Specific Plan Agreements as it proceeds with future expansion, thus instilling the faith of the persons buying their homes under the plans as represented. She asked for a compromise for SPA-3—that the future build-out be returned to the original build-out density of the West Roseville Specific Plan, but received no response to that suggestion.

So after four years of frustration for us all, SPA-3 has been approved and the building will move forward, only a little less than originally proposed, so that’s something positive. The City of Roseville will have the added density and HDR facilities towards meeting its governmental requirements of affordable housing, and we’ll know to read every page of agreements to look for those unmentioned disclosures in the future.