PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — A draft environmental impact report was released for a new housing development in Placer County, near Roseville.
The Ranch is an approximately 221-acre project that could be located south of Vineyard Road and east of Cook Riolo Road. It's between Creekview Ranch Middle School and the Dry Creek Waste Water Treatment Facility.
There are 446 detached single-family resident lots proposed as part of the project. They will range in size from 5,775 to 25,000 square feet, according to Placer County. About 17 half-acre lots will be located directly south of Vineyard Road. There is an existing home in the area, which will remain.
About one-third of the area is being proposed for park and open space use.
About a 13-acre private park is proposed in the center of the subdivision along with about 11 miles of walks and trails including a landscaped open space. The open space is planned to extend from Vineyard Road to the Dry Creek corridor and Dry Creek Greenway trail.
The executive summary of the draft environmental impact report outlines several areas of controversy including changes to the natural landscape and character of the neighborhood; increase in air quality emissions and greenhouse gas emissions; and the ability of fire, police school and park resources to accommodate the project among others.
Several alternatives were evaluated as part of the report including a no-build alternative, a buildout pursuant to existing community plan alternative, a planned residential development rezone alternative, and a reduced density alternative.
The report says the reduced density alternative would be considered "environmentally superior," but the number of unavoidable impacts overall would be the same under the reduced density alternative and the proposed project.
According to the report, the no-build alternative wouldn't meet any of the project's objectives. The report says, in effect, the alternatives wouldn't be as effective as the proposed project, which is focused on addressing statewide and regional housing shortages.
The draft environmental impact report is available for public review and comment until 5 p.m. on Aug. 26. A public meeting is scheduled for Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. at the Placer County Community Development Resource Agency, Planning Commission Room. It will also be broadcast online.
Written comments can be sent through email to cdraecs@placer.ca.gov. They can also be made at the Aug. 8 meeting in person or over Zoom.
Find more information about the project HERE. Read through the draft environmental impact report HERE.
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