SCOTT RANCH AGAIN REVISES PROJeCT TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY CONCERNS
Davidon has recently worked to address community concerns by further revising the residential project. The recent changes include:
Reducing the development footprint from 9.5 acres to only 6.4 acres or 11% of the entire property.
Increasing the permanent open space by 3 additional acres to a total of 52.2 acres or 89% of the property, with 47 acres being dedicated to the Helen Putnam Park Extension at no additional cost to KCPP.
Reduced house size, and reduced lot size from 10,000 sf minimum to 5,000 sf minimum, further reducing carbon emissions and water use impact of each home.
Homes will be ALL Electric (no natural gas on site).
Reduces environmental and habitat impacts.
The following sections will provide more detail of the updated project. You can also read more about the plan for the Putnam Park extension at ExtendPutnamPark.org.
SCOTT RANCH WILL PERMANENTLY PRESERVE 89% OF THE PROPERTY
Scott Ranch consists of two parcels totaling 59 acres located at the intersection of D Street and Windsor Drive. The current zoning allows development on the property of a minimum of 28 homes to a maximum of 110 homes.
The project has evolved tremendously over the many years, from originally 93 homes, to 66 homes, to now only 28 homes, the absolute minimum allowable density on the property. These dramatic changes are a result of listening to the community’s input and concerns, and by entering into a negotiated agreement with KCPP. The agreement allows KCPP to acquire 80% of the property to extend Helen Putnam Park, along with requiring modifications to the residential project to reduce the environmental impacts to the extent feasible.
Location of Scott Ranch
As a result, the project now consists of two applications: 1) a residential application, by Davidon Homes, for 28 homes on 6.4 acres and 5 acres of permanent private open space, and 2) a 47-acre extension of Helen Putnam Park application by KCPP. Combined, the applications preserve 89% of the property as permanent open space, with 47 acres of permanent public open space allowing Petalumans access to this property for the very first time. The Park extension will be ultimately owned and maintained by Sonoma County Park District, insuring its permanent protection.
The agreement with KCPP implements design changes to the residential project that addresses the most important concerns raised by the community. By reducing the number of homes from 66 to 28, most of the concerns are alleviated by default, including those environmental impacts relating traffic, aesthetics, biology (native grassland, trees, wetlands and wildlife), climate change and wildfire risk. But other design features including a roundabout at Windsor Drive & D Street, added wildlife corridors and smaller homes with fire resistant materials and Zero Net Electric technology, have also been provided in the current application.
Current combined application of 28 homes and Park Extension.
NEW CHANGES TO THE SCOTT RANCH PROJECT
Due to the community’s input and negotiations with KCPP, the Scott Ranch proposal has evolved into a development with minimal impacts. Davidon Homes’ prior proposal included a plan for 66 homes. In public hearings in 2017 and 2021, the community and decision makers raised many concerns that prompted some important changes to the project, including the following:
A reduction from 66 homes to only 28 homes, which is the minimum allowed by the current zoning designation for the property.
A reduced footprint of the development to only 11% (or 6.4 acres) of the entire property, and permanently protecting 89% (or 52.2 acres) of the most environmentally sensitive areas.
47 acres of the property to become public lands by extension of Helen Putnam Park.
Reduced impacts to wildlife habitat by 51%, native grassland habitat by 76%, tree removal by 86% and wetland impacts by 99%.
Introduces landscaped open space buffers between the proposed homes, Windsor Drive, Kelly Creek and existing neighbors, providing permanent open space and reduces environmental and visual impacts.
A reduction in size of the homes by 35% and integration of 9 junior accessory dwelling units (JADU’s).
Permanent protections of over ½ mile of Kelly Creek and its tributaries.
Incorporates sustainable design features, including being “EV ready” and providing solar energy generation on all residences, generating enough energy from renewable sources to offset ALL on site electricity use and becoming a Zero Net Electricity project.
Implements an extensive Fuel Management Program to reduce fire risk to the surrounding neighbors by constructing the homes with fire resistant materials, installing fire sprinklers, and having a maintenance and monitoring program in place in perpetuity.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SIDE-BY-SIDE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PREVIOUS 66 AND 28 LOT PLANS WITH THE CURRENT PROPOSAL!
HELEN PUTNAM PARK EXTENSION TO BE IMPLEMENTED ON 80% OF SCOTT RANCH
The Park Extension Project is a proposal by KCPP to permanently add an additional 44 acres from Scott Ranch into Hellen Putnam Park. The extension project includes many amenities for the public enjoyment including trails, playground, and conversion of the Red Barn complex into an interactive facility. All this can be seen at www.extendputnampark.com. This will allow an opportunity for Petalumans to access the property for the first time and forever.
THE MINIMUM ALLOWABLE NUMBER OF HOMES AND PERMANENT PRESERVATION OF 89% OF THE PROPERTY
Current City zoning allows development on the property of a minimum of 28 homes to a maximum of 110 homes. The Scott Ranch proposal provides for the absolute minimum number of 28 homes on only 11%, or 6.4 acres of the property. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of the property, or 52.2 acres, will be permanently preserved, with 5 acres being privately owned and maintained by the HOA, and the remaining 47 acres will become publicly owned land by an extension of Helen Putnam Park.
For more information on the Park Extension Plan: www.extendputnampark.com. The Draft Environmental Impact Report prepared for the City in 2017 called a 28-lot option the “environmentally superior alternative.”
VIEWSHED PROTECTION
Scott Ranch protects the viewshed of this amazing property with the recent design changes to the project. With the reduction of the number of homes from 66 to 28 and the lot sizes reduced as much as 50%, the residential footprint has been significantly reduced and clustered in the north west corner of the property away from the most environmentally sensitive areas. The homes sizes have been reduced by 27%, from an average of 4,000 sf executive level homes to an average 2,900 sf for mid-range homes. Open space buffer areas, planted with over 150 native trees and many shrubs, were created to provide spacing between new and existing homes, Windsor Drive and the proposed trail system, effectively visually screening and lessening the visual impact of the homes. An additional 3 acres of permanent open space north of the creek has been set aside for further protection of the creek corridor.
Proposed landscape buffers and tree planting plan to provide screening of the homes.
ROUNDABOUT AT D STREET AND WINDSOR DRIVE
Scott Ranch will construct a roundabout at the intersection of D Street and Windsor Drive – at no cost to taxpayers- to provide traffic calming and safety to this intersection for not only the benefit of drivers, but also safe crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists. This is not a requirement of the project but a benefit being offered as part of the application.
HOMES THAT REFLECT PETaLUMA’S CHARACTER
Every home is designed to blend with the surrounding styles of the adjacent neighborhoods and to fit the unique character of Petaluma. The mid-sized homes, ranging from 2,489 to 3,380 square feet, will be nestled on 5,818 to 9,448 square foot lots. These homes will be constructed with fire resistant materials and will meet and exceed energy saving standards, including the installation of solar panels and electric vehicle charging outlets in all homes. The project will also have no natural gas. Click here to see the renderings of Scott Ranch’s proposed architecture.
PROJECT HISTORY
The following timeline describes the long road to the current application that proposes the minimum homes allowed per the City General Plan while preserving 89% of the property as permanent open space.
2003 – Davidon acquires the property and submits an application for 104 homes.
2004 - After implementing some changes based on City staff review, the application was deemed complete for 93 homes. The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) commenced preparation.
2008 – During the Great Recession the projects EIR consultant, closed their offices and stopped working on the DEIR. A new EIR consultant was hired by the City to restart the document.
2009 – Due to constructive feedback from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Davidon reduced the project to the 66 and 63 lot mitigated alternatives to protect Red Legged Frog habitat. The mitigated alternative plans reduced the number of homes from 93 to 66 or 63 homes, increased open space preservation to 56% of the property, preserved 81% of the protected trees and 84% of the on site wetlands. It provided for wildlife corridors, a public park, a parking lot and trail access to Helen Putnam Park, and gave the decision makers the option of what to do with the Red Barn.
2013 - The DEIR was released for the public’s review and comment. The released DEIR was confusing and not very well written. Though both Planning Commission & Council voted to allow the EIR process to continue to the FEIR, Davidon and the City decided that the document was inadequate to proceed and the decision was made to start from scratch. The Revised DEIR begins preparation.
2017 – The Revised DEIR was completed and released for the public’s review and comment. Comments received from the public and decision makers were extensive. Both Planning Commission & City Council agreed that it was not adequate to move forward to a Final EIR. Council directed City staff to revise the DEIR and focus on the “28 lot preferred alternative.”
2017 – Discussions of a compromise commence with Kelly Creek Protection Project (KCPP) and Davidon enters into an Agreement with for KCPP to acquire 44 acres and to reduce the number of homes to 28, along with many other details to reduce environmental impact.
2018 – The combined project for 28 homes and the Extension of Helen Putnam Park was submitted. The Revised DEIR preparation commences.
2021 - Feb – Planning Commission unanimously recommends to Council that the Revised DEIR proceed to the Final EIR.
Mar - City Council unanimously approves the Revised DEIR to proceed to the Final EIR.
Sept - Davidon submits a revised project that significantly further reduces the development footprint, increasing the Park extension to 47 acres.
Click the below images to see how the Scott Ranch plan has evolved into what it is today.
