Saratoga News

Letters

Care facility may never go to vote

This newspaper has raised issues of consistency and fair process concerning a proposed Measure G ballot measure on the property at the corner of Highway 85 and Quito Road, which includes railroad tracks, an aqueduct and high-voltage power lines, where developer Barry Swenson wants to build an assisted-care facility of up to 120 units on 2.5 acres, half of which is in a flood plain.

Measure G requires density and intensity limits not be increased without a majority vote. But we do not know the density or upper limit of this proposal. The numbers discussed are far higher than any of our adopted general plan and zoning districts.

Substantial questions are not answered in the proposal: What sizes are the proposed dwelling units? Is the proposal for separated dwellings or apartment buildings, or institutional buildings with common kitchens? Would units be purchased, leased or available by the day? What types of assistance would be provided? Would there be nursing on site? Would there be daily or frequent cleaning service? Would there be a doctor on site? Would there be common or delivered food service? What is the employee-to-resident ratio? Would the project be exclusionary or inclusionary as to age or disability? What prices are proposed? Are there below-market-rate units? Are prices, costs and affordability to be assured over time? How are automobiles accommodated?

By state law and guidelines, a development must conform to the zoning district and the general plan designation. But what would be the new zoning district and general plan designation, and who is responsible for developing these potential new districts and designations?

What would be the allowable building heights, and how would they interface with current or adjacent district maximum heights? What would be the setbacks within the district and setbacks at the interface of the adjacent districts? What would be the distance from the high-voltage lines, the railroad tracks, the freeway, the aqueduct and the access road? What are the requirements for common areas?

Current zoning on the site and in the area requires 10,000 square feet per dwelling unit. There is no currently adopted land-use category for placing 120 privately held housing units on 2.5 acres in the Saratoga general plan or zoning ordinance. If the flood plain is omitted from density calculations, the proposal would net about 400 square feet per unit (the size of a small double garage)--increasing the current allowable density of the site by a factor of 25.

Measure G does not require the city to put any proposal that does not specifically conform to any of our adopted zoning districts or any of our adopted designations on the ballot.

Such a vague proposal as this may never be ripe for the ballot.

As a city, we do not have to develop a general plan and zoning district for any land-use or density proposal that comes our way, and without conforming designations and districts, such proposals have no place on our ballot and are not ripe for consideration before the Planning Commission or City Council.

Cheriel Jensen
Quito Road

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