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Home Resource Center In the News Home Greenbelt Alliance in the News |
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Greenbelt Alliance In the News
March 18, 2005 Senior housing plan clears hurdle Subheading By Sarah KruppSTAFF WRITER ANTIOCH - A senior-housing project proposed for the city's last major swath of developable land passed its first hurdle this week. The 1,482-unit project, all but 50 of which would be for seniors, was unanimously endorsed by city planning commissioners Wednesday but it's already facing opposition from environmentalists and slow-growth advocates. The commission's approval acts as a recommendation to the City Council, which is to begin reviewing the proposal next month. Merle Gilliland of Richland Corp., a partner in the project, said that the need for senior housing in East County is increasing as people age but want to remain near their families. "In East County where so many families have grown up, the parents would like to stay in the area but are looking for smaller houses and yards," he said. Project backers say that the development would generate millions in tax revenue for transportation improvements and school facility funding without adversely impacting schools or traffic. "The senior housing would benefit the city in many ways," said Councilman Jim Davis. "It wouldn't impact the schools. (Seniors) have disposable income and it's an endless supply of volunteers," he added, noting that retirees have more time to volunteer. To live in the age-restricted homes, at least one resident in each resident would have to be 55 years or older. Critics are gearing up to oppose the development proposed for Future Urban Area No. 1 (FUA-1), 2,700 acres stretching to the city's southern border. "Seniors still drive," said Clinton Fields of Citizens for a Better Antioch. "(Most) of your 55-year-olds still work. They are going to be on the freeways. They are going to be on the streets. That's not going to help traffic any." Councilman Arne Simonsen disagreed. "Largely they will not have an impact on commute hour traffic because they are either fully retired or work part-time," Simonsen said. "They will be contributing a significant amount of money into the new Mello-Roos district for constructing schools," he added. David Reid of the Greenbelt Alliance said that even the non-commuters will impact traffic because "every time they want a cup of coffee or groceries, they have to get in their car and leave." "That's 1,400 houses worth of people that are going to be driving around Lone Tree (Way) and other local streets," he added. Many parts of FUA-1 are considered environmentally sensitive. Reid criticized the project's open space plan, saying that it the land was divided into pieces that are too small to provide a good habitat for wildlife, he said. The Trilogy Community is a joint venture between Richland Development Corp., Shea Homes and Topaz Creek Investors. It would be built on two parcels totaling 966 acres between Deer Valley and Empire Mine roads. City leaders have said that until the traffic problems improve, they will only approve senior-housing and commercial developments in FUA-1. In July, the council scrapped a development plan for all of FUA-1, envisioning 4,000 to 5,000 homes, when it became apparent that environmentalists and slow-growth proponents wouldn't stand for it. Now instead of being developed under a master plan, projects for FUA-1 will come to the city piecemeal. Under Antioch's approval policy, residential developers must prove that they will provide a community benefit beyond the required transportation and facility taxes levied. The senior-project developers have offered to give Antioch schools $1.5 million, which some parents are already eyeing for music programs and to give about $9.6 million to the city's economic development program.
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