Update on Citizen’s Law Suit against the College Park Development
Friday morning, Citizens Voice (CVO) and their Attorney attended the mandatory settlement meeting required by CEQA at City Hall. Representatives from Cresleigh Homes, the Evergreen Company (Sierra College’s developer), and the Rocklin City Attorney attended.
The settlement meeting was short and productive and included the typical procedural items these meetings entail. Out of this meeting we expect to hear from the opposing counsel this week whether they agree to our proposed path forward. Additionally, we have discerned that the city and the developers’ legal counsel see merit in our underlying legal challenges to stop this outrageous development.
Citizens Voice states it is optimistic but cannot continue moving this forward without your support! Thousands of dollars in legal fees will continue. CVO is asking for your pledges and support to help them to continue this fight! This is a small amount compared to destroying our neighborhoods, lifestyle, environment, and home equities. CVO is asking residents to give $300, $500, or $1,000! All residents are part of this team, and we must each help carry this load.
On December 6, 2022, the Rocklin City Council held a public hearing to consider whether to certify the “College Park” Final EIR and approve the Project. Members of the public attended the public hearing and gave testimony opposing the certification of the Final EIR (FEIR) and approval of the Project. Rocklin City Councilmembers unanimously voted to approve the FEIR and the project.
Effective January 6th, the Citizens Voice Organization (CVO) filed with the Placer County Court a Petition for a Writ of Mandate and a Complaint for Declaratory & Injunctive Relief against the City of Rocklin, the Rocklin City Council, and Sierra Community College (College Park Developer) along with the College’s partnership developers Evergreen Corp., Cresleigh Homes Corp. and USA Properties Fund.
In 2016, the Sierra College Board of Trustee’s declared the “College Park”high density mixed-use urban development consisting of 108 acres of land adjacent to Sierra College as “surplus” property which includes any property “which is not or will not be needed by the district for furthering the educational mission of the district.”
Since 2016, the District has reversed the “surplus” declaration by now declaring it is “vital to the education mission of the District” and have retained ownership rather than selling the surplus properties. Such reversal of surplus property was testified to at the December 6, 2022, City Council Public Hearing by numerous Sierra College Board of Trustees members in support of the College Park Project.
At the December 6, 2022, City Council Public Hearing numerous members of the public raised concerns throughout the administrative process that the Project will have significant negative environmental impacts.
The Writ states the Respondents (City of Rocklin, Sierra College et.al.) failed to disclose or adequately analyze these impacts, failed to identify and adopt feasible mitigation measures to reduce them, and failed to consider reasonable alternatives to the Project.
The “College Park” Environmental Impact Report (EIR) fails to satisfy the basic purposes of CEQA. The EIR fails to adequately disclose, investigate, and analyze the Project’s potentially significant impacts, and fails to provide substantial evidence to conclude that impacts will be mitigated to a less than significant level…The EIR must be revised to resolve its inadequacies and must be recirculated for public review and comment. The Writ also challenges the initial Draft EIR (DEIR).
The Court has jurisdiction to issue a writ of mandate to set aside Respondents’ decision to approve the Project.
The Writ also addresses Mayor Bill Halldin’s refusal to recuse himself from voting on the project. Bill Halldin was formerly a Sierra College Board Trustee who had voted for the College to develop the College’s 108-acres of surplus property and to hire an outside developer firm to pursue this endeavor on the College’s behalf.
Also addressed is the City of Rocklin changing the College property from a “PQP – Public Quasi Public” General Plan Land Use Designation (and zoning) to a “Mixed Use” designation. Mixed Use allows 10 to 40 dwelling units per acre of land along with many other categories of use including commercial uses. Bill Halldin worked closely with the City Manager to get the land use designation changed.
The Writ alleges the Project is inconsistent with mandatory City of Rocklin General Plan policies.
The Petitioners are asking the Court to direct the Respondents (City & College) to
vacate and set aside certification of the EIR, adoption of the Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations, and approval of all associated Project permits, entitlements, and approvals;
to comply with CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines; and
for a temporary stay, temporary restraining order, and preliminary and permanent injunctions restraining Respondents, and their agents, from taking any action to implement, fund or construct any portion or aspect of the Project, pending full compliance with the requirements of CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines; as well as
Issue an injunctive order, enjoining Mayor Bill Halldin from participating in the hearing for reconsideration of the Project and mandating that the Rocklin City Council provide a new hearing for the consideration of the Project.
Your support is needed! Urgent Action is required.
After years of attempting to negotiate with the City of Rocklin on the proposed College Park Project, the Rocklin City Council unanimously voted, without alteration, to proceed with their real estate developments. Citizens Voice Organization, Inc., a 501(c)3 tax-deductible nonprofit, is taking legal action to force the City to listen to the community and work with us on this project!
HOWEVER, WE CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND NEED YOUR SUPPORT NOW!
The Council unanimously voted to approve the project as is.
A large number of east Rocklin residents showed up and provided insightful comments and suggestions for improvements on the College Park 108-acre development. Save East Rocklin’s attorney also spoke providing the Council with legal arguments for reducing the density of the project and allowing a 100′ setback from the creek.
Unfortunately, all the residents (and Loomis’s) concerns fell on deaf ears. The Council did NOT consider one single alternative or change to the project including any form of traffic mitigation.
The Council unanimously voted to approve the project as is.
It was shameful to watch the Council rely on the developer’s attorney for advice on how they should proceed. The Council did not appear to understand much of anything or were already solidly in the pockets of the developer Sierra College. The Council behaved in a disgraceful mannor towards it’s citizens. Council members Greg Janda, Bill Halldin, Jill Gayaldo and Ken Broadway should either be recalled or voted out of office as they do NOT represent their constituents. Last night the Council catered exclusively to the developer as I have personally observed them do time and time again on other large development projects. It was also blatantly obvious that the Council and Developer(s) were working hand in hand. Clearly the Council, City staff and the Developer(s) have been spying on Save East Rocklin and were prepared to counter all our arguments and suggestions.
Please sign up for Save East Rocklin’s Newsletter for more detailed information. Go to Save East Rocklin’s website main page and select “JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER”.
College Park Talking Points
108-acres of high density residential development will impact:
Traffic on Rocklin Road and other local surface streets including cut through traffic on El Don Drive.
Much development has already been approved and developed in east Rocklin along and nearby the major arteries of Rocklin Road and Sierra College Blvd. Everyone in the east Rocklin community is aware of the intense traffic congestion from Sierra College campus student traffic on Rocklin Road between I-80 and Sierra College Blvd. None of these prior projects EIR’s were approved with improvements to these heavily traveled roads. Rather their traffic impacts were ignored with continual future promises of improvements namely the widening of Sierra College Blvd. and Rocklin Road from 4 to 6 lanes. None of those improvements have ever been made and are now no longer planned. Now the most massive development to hit this pocket area of Rocklin also has no plans for road improvements. The city will allege they are doing a study for yet again future improvements. The new future plan is to make improvements to the I-80/Rocklin Road interchange however many City of Rocklin officials have stated the City does not and will not have the money for such a traffic circulation project. Of more importance… even if the so called
I-80/Rocklin Road Interchange Project were to be implemented as currently proposed with no actual widening of the I-80/Rocklin Road underpass this would not solve the congestion problems on Rocklin Road when school is in session. The I-80/Rocklin Road Interchange Project is yet another City ruse to satisfy CEQA requirements and an attempt to placate Rocklin residents. The City, as before, has no intentions of actually making traffic circulation improvements to Rocklin Road or Sierra College Blvd.
Save East Rocklin demands the following traffic mitigation measures be implemented PRIOR to any development:
The City and/or the College Park developer shall make and pay for the following improvements to Rocklin Road (and Sierra College Blvd) PRIOR to any development (the first 3 are a must):
Right hand turn lanes shall be installed at
EB Rocklin Road at Aguilar Road
EB Rocklin Road at El Don Drive
WB Rocklin Road at the I-80 on ramp
WB Rocklin Road at Sierra College Blvd.
NB Sierra College Blvd at Rocklin Road
NB Sierra College Blvd at entrance to College Park North 72-acre site (developer may already be proposing)
Proposed High-Density Residential “Mixed Use” Zoning is too high allowing for hundreds of tiny lot homes, 4-story condos and apartments, and 3-story triplexes.
The City of Rocklin General Plan Land Use Designation for the entire108-acres of the College Park development is “Mixed Use”. The General Plan Land Use Element category of “Mixed Use” equates to 10 to 40 dwelling units per acre.
Save East Rocklin believes the development as currently proposed is too dense at 40 units to the acre. College Park as currently proposed is the densest project in all of Placer County.
Save East Rocklin is asking the City Council to only approve the lower end of zoning of 10 units to the acre to reduce the number of housing units down from almost 1,000 thus reducing impacts on the east Rocklin community.
College Park at its current density allows for a row of 3-story triplexes all along Sierra College Blvd. on the west side of the project, a four-story condominium complex and potentially multiple 4-story apartment units along with single family residential homes on lots as small as 2,500 sq. ft.
Additionally and according to local realtors another major concern is that this type of high-density, small lot residential development will attract corporate investors who will buy these up and turn them into high priced rental properties. This goes against the primary reason for high-density development which is to provide “affordable” housing to local residents.
Protect the creek and preserve the wildlife corridor on the College Park 36-acre South site by increasing the development setbacks from the creek’s bank from 50’ to a minimum of 100’.
Hundreds of wildlife species including fox, deer, coyote, bobcat, raccoons, beaver, river otters, minks, wild turkeys, Western Pond Turtles, multiple species of raptors including White-tailed Kite, Great Egrets, Blue Herons, Great Horned owls, many species of ducks including Merganser ducks and many more reside in and traverse the areas around the feeder creek to Secret Ravine creek.
Additionally, many residents in east Rocklin currently use the SPMUD easement road that runs parallel to the creek for nature walks. This would be destroyed with only a 50’ foot setback from the creek. Save East Rocklin does NOT want this trail to be paved by the developer.
Development should not be allowed near FEMA flood zone on the College Park South site. Such development is in direct conflict with Rocklin Municipal Code Chapter 15.16 – FLOOD HAZARD AREAS which states:
A. Restrict or prohibit uses which are dangerous to health, safety, and property due to water or erosion hazards, or which result in damaging increases in erosion or flood heights or velocities;
B. Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;
C. Control the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers, which help accommodate or channel floodwaters;
D. Control filling, grading, dredging, and other development which may increase flood damage; and
E. Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert floodwaters or which may increase flood hazards in other areas.
FEMA FLOOD ZONE MAP
Do not allow developer to install high retaining walls along southern portion of creek on the College Park South site – some are proposed at almost 10’ in height. Conveniently buried in the developer’s Preliminary Grading and Drainage documentation you will see that the developer is proposing extremely high retaining walls along the northern, western and eastern borders of the 25-lot subdivision proposed on the College Park South site (south of Monte Verde Park and the creek). Incidentally you must zoom in about 500 percent to actually see the notations regarding the retaining walls. We found the latter quite concerning as the general public would never think to look for this information given its hidden location. Below are enlarged sections of this map showing 9 foot tall retaining walls on north western side of subdivision and 7.5 foot tall retaining walls on the north eastern side of subdivision.
Save East Rocklin strongly objects to any retaining wall over 2 feet in height. Perhaps if the developer was not proposing to develop in a flood zone these high retaining walls would not be necessary.
Developer cannot develop within the Freeman Circle homes 45’ slope easement on the College Park South site. There exists a 45’ Slope Easement behind all the homes on Freeman Circle that border the College Park South project site. Save East Rocklin has presented several attorney letters to the City legally objecting to any form of development within this 45’ slope easement. Once this information was presented to the City, the developer reduced the number of proposed lots and moved all house lots outside the easement. However, the developer is still trying to intrude into the easement with an access road and retaining walls. Again you must refer to the hidden Preliminary Grading and Drainage map to see the developer’s plans to put an access road within the 45’ easement. Again be sure to zoom in about 500 percent to see.
Save East Rocklin objects to any form of development including an access road within the 45’ slope easement belonging to the owners of the Freeman Circle homes bordering the college property.
Grading – grading of ALL land must be kept at a minimum (not to exceed 2-4 feet in height) or we will end up with another Granite Bluffs with newly constructed homes towering over existing neighbor’s homes.
Deanna Ellis of Cresleigh Homes stated to Save East Rocklin and developer’s attorney George Phillips that they did not need to grade more than 2 feet on the College Park south site’s 25-lot subdivision.
4-story, 180-unit low-income apartments (Sierra College Senior Apartments)proposed on 7.3 acres on the College Park South site (NE corner directly off Rocklin Road):
These apartments should be moved from the small 7 acres on the College Park South site to the College Park 72-acre North site where there is twice the acreage of undesignated “Mixed Use” land available which would provide better traffic circulation and the potential for more affordable housing units.
(There are 15 acres along Rocklin Road on the North site directly across from the Rocklin Manor Apartments available for this project. Currently there are no submitted plans for this 15+ acres of land. The North site location is a much more suitable site for this project. )
At the current proposed location on the College Park South site there is an existing median on Rocklin Road at the entrance/exit that inhibits traffic circulation (right hand turns only) and would affect emergency vehicle traffic. There are no traffic circulation problems on the North site.
At the current location with only 7 acres available for this project the developer must go up 4-stories to get 180 units. 4-story apartments will tower over existing neighborhoods. This would not be the case if the project were moved to the North site farther down Rocklin Road.
Require developer to move underground all existing overhead utilities that run along project perimeters.
Loomis and Loomis Schools must be fairly compensated for the impacts of College Park’s North site regarding traffic and school impacts. Note: Sierra College Blvd. is the dividing line between Rocklin and Loomis school districts. The bulk of school impacts with new students and driving those students to Loomis schools on Loomis roads will be on Loomis.
Loomis and Loomis Schools must be fairly compensated for the impacts of College Park’s North site regarding traffic and school impacts. Note: Sierra College Blvd. is the dividing line between Rocklin and Loomis school districts. The bulk of school impacts with new students and driving those students to Loomis schools on Loomis roads will be on Loomis.
The Rocklin Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, November 15, at 6:30 p.m. at 3970 Rocklin Rd. to discuss the College Park Project proposed entitlements and Final Environmental Impact Report. A second and FINAL public hearing before the Rocklin City Council will be held at a later date.
College Park is a proposed “high density residential” (1,000 dwelling units) 108.4-acre development in east Rocklin. The College Park project area is comprised of two sites: the North Village (72.6 acres) and the South Village (35.8 acres).
The 72.6-acre North Village site is located at the northeast corner of Rocklin Road and Sierra College Boulevard and consists of APNs 045-150-023, -048, and -052. The 35.8-acre South Village site is located at the southeast corner of Rocklin Road and El Don Drive and consists of APNs 045-131-001 and -003. The sites, owned by the Sierra Joint Community College District, are located one quarter mile apart along the Rocklin Road corridor.
The projects preliminary application to the City of Rocklin can be found here.
However, more current information on the project can be found here
For More Information, Contact: Nathan Anderson, Project Planner
To learn more join Save East Rocklin on Facebook and add your name to our Newsletter (email) list. You can also reach out to us at contact@saveeastrocklin.com
We are still awaiting news from the City of Rocklin as to when the College Park Final EIR will be available to the public for review. We are also waiting for dates when this massive development will go before 1) the Planning Commission and 2) City Council for approvals. Last we heard from the City on June 23rd was they still do not have a specific projected date for release of the Final EIR, nor a length of time period for the public review. Accordingly, no dates for hearings have been set. They are anticipating public hearings in a July, August, September timeframe. It may also be possible that the City is intentionally holding off public hearings until after the November 2022 City Council elections.
The College Park project is located in two locations off Rocklin Road in East Rocklin. 36-acres at the SE corner of Rocklin Road and El Don Drive and 72-acres at the NE corner of Rocklin Road and Sierra College Blvd. The proposed development will generate in the neighborhood of 1,000 new residential units including apartments and very tiny lot subdivisions, a 4-story condo complex and another 4-story low-income senior housing apartment complex. It also includes a strip of 3-story triplexes all along Sierra College Blvd. and additional retail at the corner of SC Blvd. and Rocklin Road.
For detailed information on the College Park projects, please go to the following links on the City’s website:
College Park (Formerly Sierra Villages):https://www.rocklin.ca.us/post/college-park-formerly-sierra-villages
Sierra College Senior Apartments (part of College Park): https://www.rocklin.ca.us/post/sierra-college-senior-apartments
College Park Environmental Documents: https://www.rocklin.ca.us/post/college-park-project
Please join us on Facebook for more regular updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/443005056155666/
Limited Time Left to address the massive impacts of this 108+ acre, over 1,000 residential unit project (plus future retail & apartments) proposed by Sierra College along Rocklin Road in east Rocklin.
According to the City, the College Park Final EIR will go public on April 11th and the City Council will make its decision in June!!
In between April and June (probably in May) there will also be a public hearing before the Planning Commission on this project.
What can you do NOW?
Familiarize yourself with the project details. refer to below links
Send emails to the Rocklin Planning Commissioners and City Council members NOW! refer to email addresses below
Prepare to attend both the upcoming Planning Commission public hearing as well as the City Council public hearing (TBD) – it is imperative that we fill the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Donate $ to Save East Rocklin’s Legal Fund. 100% of donations go to attorney’s fees. more info below
Each person receiving this email please enlist one neighbor to join Save East Rocklin on our website. By joining they will receive Save East Rocklin emails. This will double our outreach.
How to Donate to Save East Rocklin 1. Mail a check payable to EDNAC (El Don Neighborhood Advisory Committee aka Save East Rocklin) to Save East Rocklin 5521 Freeman Circle Rocklin, CA 95677 2. Donate using a credit card (PayPal) on Save East Rocklin’s Website Please note that PayPal takes a percentage of your donation for processing fees so checks are preferred.
