Fountaingrove Environmental Impact Report - City of Santa Rosa ...

3.9 LAND USE AND PLANNING
Pursuant to the FRPCD Policy Statement, development of up to 15 units per acre of single- and
multi-family residential development is permissible on the Project parcels. The City’s General Plan
designates the Project site as Low Density Residential, allowing for both single- and multi-family
residential uses, up to 8 units per acre. General Plan Policy H-D-14 also allows for increased
density regardless of land use designation as an incentive for senior and community care facility
development. Although the calculated “density” of the Project is 15 units per acre and the Project
would be consistent with the FRPCD Policy Statement, the Project is not subject to the land use
density requirement. Community care facilities are not considered a residential land use and the
land use density for the Project is not considered residential density. In addition, community care
facilities are allowed in any land use designation and in any zoning district in the City through a
Conditional Use Permit; therefore, the Project is consistent with the General Plan and the zoning
code (City of Santa Rosa, 2002 and 2007). The Conditional Use Permit is required for community
care facilities and for all development within the FRPCD to establish allowed uses, dimensional
standards, landscape requirements, parking requirements, and other development standards.
To prevent placing too many community care facilities in a given area, General Plan Policy
LUL-E-3 requires the City to avoid the concentration of large community care facilities in any
single residential neighborhood. In northeast Santa Rosa, existing continuing care facilities include
Brighton Gardens, Varenna, and Vineyard Commons. The Project is interspersed with these
facilities by other land uses and is consistent with the guidance provided in Policy LUL-E-3.
Project consistency with other specific General Plan policies is reviewed in Appendix C. To further
support Project compatibility with the General Plan, FRPCD policies, and with surrounding land
uses, the Project would be subject to consideration by the Design Review Board. Design Review is
intended to ensure that the Project incorporates superior site and architectural design.
Additionally, because the Project site includes land with slopes of 10 percent or more, the Project is
subject to the City’s Hillside Development Standards, and would require a Hillside Development
Permit. The issuance of a Hillside Development Permit requires that the City’s Planning
Commission make a finding that the Project will minimize the impacts of hillside development
and will meet City Design Guidelines. The Project’s satisfaction of Permit conditions and
adherence to the applicable Design Guidelines would further support the Project’s compatibility
with surrounding residential and recreational uses. No hilltop or ridgeline development is
proposed as part of the Project.
Potential visual, noise, and traffic impacts from the Project are evaluated in Sections 3.1, 3.10, and
3.13, respectively, of this Draft EIR, and would not interfere with adjacent land uses.
In general, the Project is not expected to conflict with surrounding land uses, or to negatively affect
the character of adjacent residential neighborhoods. The Project proposes a self-contained
community care facility for seniors with varying medical needs and onsite employee housing to
complement the facility. Progressive care needs of residents would be addressed by the proposed
36-unit Care Facility by providing high- acuitysecurity assisted living and memory
support/Alzheimer’s care. Other services, such as formal dining facilities, banking, and a fitness
center, also would be available onsite to provide for residents’ recreational, social, and
housekeeping needs. Additionally, transportation services would be
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