Pacific West Homes Proposes 141 Unit Trilogy Condominimum Project in Middle of Single Family Home Neighborhood
Folsom, CA - Last week, on Thursday, 09/06/2007, Camille H. Courtney, President of Rancho Cortina Properties and Pacific West Homes held a community meeting at Hazel MacFarland Park to show concerned Empire Ranch and Parkway homeowners their new proposal for 141 condo units on the corner of East Natoma Street and Golf Links Drive.
Approximately 20 to 25 people attended the meeting and a significant number of them clearly expressed their displeasure with someone else once again trying to build a high density housing project right in the middle of a beautiful single family residential community of Empire Ranch and The Parkway.
In the last posting, it was noted that Pacific West Homes had purchased this land from Elliott Homes. This is not entirely true. While Pacific West Homes has made an offer to purchase, and it is currently in escrow, the entire sale is contingent on the buyer being able to get this parcel rezoned and then get approval from the City to build these 141 condo units. A unified opposition to this project will be needed to convince City Staff, the Architectural Review Commission, the Planning Commission, and ultimately City Council, that the residents of Empire Ranch and The Parkway do not want high density housing of this magnitude built in this neighborhood.
The common thread heard all evening from the surrounding home owners was that no one has any objection to high density housing - in the proper location. This is NOT the proper location. It just does NOT fit. It did NOT fit when it was 154 units called Mirabella and it still does NOT fit with 13 fewer units called Trilogy.
The common thread heard all evening from the surrounding home owners was that no one has any objection to high density housing - in the proper location. This is NOT the proper location. It just does NOT fit. It did NOT fit when it was 154 units called Mirabella and it still does NOT fit with 13 fewer units called Trilogy.
Today, Tuesday 09/18/2007, I met with Lisbet Gullone, Associate Planner for the City of Folsom. She is the central contact for Pacific West Homes and for anyone from the general public who wants to get additional information regarding the project. Anyone who wants to register their opinion of this proposed project should send e-mails to her at lgullone@folsom.ca.us along with sending copies to members of the City Council. Please see the automatic e-mail links to City Council members under "Reference" in the menu section on the right hand side of this blog.
So far, this project is steaming right along as if there was no opposition at all. According to Gullone, the first public meeting is already scheduled for Thursday, October 25, 2007 at City Hall. She said it will be a meeting of the Traffic Safety Committee and is open to the public. If we are going to be successful in getting this project ultimately denied by City Council, we need a LARGE turnout at each and everyone of these public meetings so our collective voices can be heard. Mark Rackovan, Traffic Engineer, Public Works Department, is the Chairman of this Committee.
Lisbet also told me that she expects to schedule the Architectural Review Commission public meeting BEFORE the Traffic Safety Committee meets, so we will have to monitor that date closely and make sure we have a large turnout here as well. For those who may not have been present during the Mirabella Condo Architectural Review Commission meeting, we had about 20 or so very vocal people who expressed their opposition to this project. (See earlier archived editions of this blog for reports on that meeting.) That strong opposition was instrumental in our getting that project cancelled. In a public forum like this, numbers do count. The numbers of voters, if large enough, who object to a project of this nature can make a difference between silent acceptance and loud vocal objections. Remember, silence is a vote for acceptance. So, if you are part of the majority of homeowners who do object to this project, please make yourself SEEN and HEARD at these public meetings.
On thing to keep in mind, with the Architectural Review Commission, is that they ONLY are able to take comments regarding architectural issues - and can not discuss zoning issues, or even if condos vs. retail/commercial is the right thing to do. Therefore, we need to direct the discussion towards what we WOULD agree to having in our neighborhood - IF the Planning Commission and City Council would ultimately rule in favor of rezoning from Retail - Light Commercial (current zoning) to Multi-Family.
The general opinion seems to be that perhaps retail may not be economically viable for the entire 10 or 11 acres. However, ideas were presented at our last community park meeting regarding mixed use, with possible some retail right on the corner and perhaps single story luxury condos on the rest of the property.
Most people so far that I have talked with seem to be comfortable with the idea of maybe 40 to 50 single story luxury condos on this property, if we can't have our originally planned neighborhood retail center or single family detached homes. This is something where we CAN make our voices heard with the Architectural Review Commission. In fact, we should press them hard to ONLY APPROVE 40 to 50 single story luxury condos, with steep pitched roofs, multi-faceted roof lines with dormers, stone facades, and other architectural design features that would make a project of this nature FIT in our current community. Any project with more than 50 units just would be too dense to blend in with our current single family residential communities of Empire Ranch and The Parkway.
If we are going to be successful again, we will need to have another strong turnout. Please pass this information on to every person, neighbor, or interested voting citizen who is against placing high density condos right in the middle of beautiful residential neighborhoods of Empire Ranch and The Parkway. Let them know that we will do our best to keep this website current so everyone can be informed of the latest activity.
Please do volunteer to help us get the word out to all our concerned neighbors. We need petition circulators, announcements distributed, and general grass roots workers to be successful with stopping this project.
Lisbet also told me that she expects to schedule the Architectural Review Commission public meeting BEFORE the Traffic Safety Committee meets, so we will have to monitor that date closely and make sure we have a large turnout here as well. For those who may not have been present during the Mirabella Condo Architectural Review Commission meeting, we had about 20 or so very vocal people who expressed their opposition to this project. (See earlier archived editions of this blog for reports on that meeting.) That strong opposition was instrumental in our getting that project cancelled. In a public forum like this, numbers do count. The numbers of voters, if large enough, who object to a project of this nature can make a difference between silent acceptance and loud vocal objections. Remember, silence is a vote for acceptance. So, if you are part of the majority of homeowners who do object to this project, please make yourself SEEN and HEARD at these public meetings.
On thing to keep in mind, with the Architectural Review Commission, is that they ONLY are able to take comments regarding architectural issues - and can not discuss zoning issues, or even if condos vs. retail/commercial is the right thing to do. Therefore, we need to direct the discussion towards what we WOULD agree to having in our neighborhood - IF the Planning Commission and City Council would ultimately rule in favor of rezoning from Retail - Light Commercial (current zoning) to Multi-Family.
The general opinion seems to be that perhaps retail may not be economically viable for the entire 10 or 11 acres. However, ideas were presented at our last community park meeting regarding mixed use, with possible some retail right on the corner and perhaps single story luxury condos on the rest of the property.
Most people so far that I have talked with seem to be comfortable with the idea of maybe 40 to 50 single story luxury condos on this property, if we can't have our originally planned neighborhood retail center or single family detached homes. This is something where we CAN make our voices heard with the Architectural Review Commission. In fact, we should press them hard to ONLY APPROVE 40 to 50 single story luxury condos, with steep pitched roofs, multi-faceted roof lines with dormers, stone facades, and other architectural design features that would make a project of this nature FIT in our current community. Any project with more than 50 units just would be too dense to blend in with our current single family residential communities of Empire Ranch and The Parkway.
If we are going to be successful again, we will need to have another strong turnout. Please pass this information on to every person, neighbor, or interested voting citizen who is against placing high density condos right in the middle of beautiful residential neighborhoods of Empire Ranch and The Parkway. Let them know that we will do our best to keep this website current so everyone can be informed of the latest activity.
Please do volunteer to help us get the word out to all our concerned neighbors. We need petition circulators, announcements distributed, and general grass roots workers to be successful with stopping this project.
(NOTE: Please be aware that this is a Community Forum, written as a Blog, so as to allow as many people as possible to provide their own comments. To comment, please click on Post a Comment either here or at the bottom of this posting.
AUTOMATIC E-MAIL UPDATES: If you are not already getting automatic e-mail notifications regarding late breaking news on this website and want to, please click on this title or go to the upper right hand corner of this home page and register. Pass this information on to your friends and neighbors as the more knowledgeable people we have expressing their objections to Folsom officials and Council Members, the better chance we have to keep out two and three story condos from our beautiful neighborhoods.)
Thank you again for your help and assistance. It's a good life here in Empire Ranch and The Parkway. Lets all help to keep it that way. Make it a good day.
Best regards,
Patrick Warholic
Realtor, and Home Marketing Consultant
Contact Patrick
AUTOMATIC E-MAIL UPDATES: If you are not already getting automatic e-mail notifications regarding late breaking news on this website and want to, please click on this title or go to the upper right hand corner of this home page and register. Pass this information on to your friends and neighbors as the more knowledgeable people we have expressing their objections to Folsom officials and Council Members, the better chance we have to keep out two and three story condos from our beautiful neighborhoods.)
Thank you again for your help and assistance. It's a good life here in Empire Ranch and The Parkway. Lets all help to keep it that way. Make it a good day.
Best regards,
Patrick Warholic
Realtor, and Home Marketing Consultant
Contact Patrick
Website: California Home Network
The Internet Home Marketing Center
Website: House Payment Free
Contact Patrick for information on to pay off your mortgage in 8 to 11 years without refinancing nor changing your budget or lifestyle.
The Internet Home Marketing Center
Website: House Payment Free
Contact Patrick for information on to pay off your mortgage in 8 to 11 years without refinancing nor changing your budget or lifestyle.
Labels: Tria_Condominiums, Trilogy_Condominiums
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