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The San Ramon Planning Commission is set to hold public hearings on a General Plan amendment that would accommodate a proposed new housing project in Bishop Ranch along with considering approval of a development application for a new housing project in the zone the amendment is being sought for.
Commissioners are set to hold their second of three public hearings on the proposed General Plan amendment from Sunset Development Company that would adjust the floor area ratio from a 1.25 minimum to a 0.5 minimum in the city’s Downtown Mixed-Use North zone, as well as review and consider approving a development application for one of several projects slated for that area.
“Reducing the Sitewide Minimum FAR to a lower threshold would allow residential developments to comply with City code and no longer rely on State Density Bonus,” Sunset officials said in a letter to the city. “Having been brought back into local compliance, the projects would be eligible to elect an Alternate Affordable Housing Implementation Strategy via the City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance which allows Land Dedication to facilitate affordable housing.”
The commission is also set to review a development application from Trumark Homes for a 195-unit housing development at Bishop Ranch 11, which currently has an FAR of 0.8 due to a waiver under the state’s density bonus law.
However, Sunset Development officials noted that while the waiver is an option, their preference is to see the proposed General Plan amendment pass in order to allow more flexibility and a lower threshold for very affordable homes that would instead be subject to the city’s inclusionary housing ordinance. Under that metric, the Trumark project at Bishop 11 would be required to consist of a minimum of six very low income homes, whereas the state density bonus law would require a total of 10 very low income homes.
Sunset officials emphasized in their letter to the city that they were committed to affordable housing in the Bishop Ranch neighborhood, pointing to existing plans including the standalone affordable Eden Housing project that was introduced to the commission last month.
“Sunset’s intent is to provide more affordable housing at deeper affordability levels in a project format that delivers a more impactful outcome,” Sunset officials said. “As we always do, we will ensure that the projects are developed in the high-quality manner we are known for.”
The proposed General Plan amendment requires a total of three public hearings before it can be denied or approved, with the third proposed for March 18. Meanwhile, the commission has the option of taking a vote on the Bishop Ranch 11 project at the conclusion of that night’s public hearing.
The San Ramon Planning Commission is set to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday (March 4). The agenda is available here.
