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The Danville Planning Commission is poised to consider a proposal to build 22 single-family homes on 103 acres of agricultural land on the southeastern outskirts of town.
The Martin Hills Ranch project would be located at the end of Como Way and Borica Drive. Developers with Bates Stringer have submitted applications that include a request to rezone the site from agricultural to residential.
The Tuesday hearing follows the public review period for the draft Environmental Impact Report earlier this year. The commission on Tuesday is also set to review the final EIR, which includes responses to comments about the draft. The EIR outlines a number of potential hazards, including landslide conditions on neighboring properties, potential threats to protected species such as the burrowing owl and wildfire risks. However, it concludes that those challenges can be mitigated with the proper measures, which have been incorporated into the town’s conditions of approval for the project.
Danville residents continued to have their doubts ahead of this week’s meeting, with dozens of written comments received by the town opposing the project as of Monday.
The area was identified for up to 19 units in the town’s current Housing Element. Developers are requesting additional units under the state’s density bonus law. Four of the single-family homes are set to include accessory dwelling units that, if rented out, would be subject to affordability requirements for 55 years.
The hearing is set to include an architectural review of the proposed units, which are subject to standards set forth in the town’s Scenic Hillside and Major Ridgeline Development Ordinance. An additional architectural review will be required if the project moves forward.
Because the application includes a rezoning request, the project will have to come before the Town Council for final approval, including certification of the EIR. Planning commissioners are set to vote on whether to recommend approval of the applications to the Town Council.
The Planning Commission will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday (Oct. 27). The agenda is available here.
