Resort developer sweetens pot

<p>The developers of Saggio Hills have sweetened their offer in an attempt to convince Healdsburg officials to approve the proposed luxury resort hotel and residential project.</p><p>Prodded by City Council members to cover more of the costs of a new firehouse, the developers said they will kick in another $750,000, on top of the $1 million they previously committed to the substation.</p><p>And they are willing to donate $1 million to an affordable housing project, in addition to the 14 acres developers already promised to the city for affordable housing.</p><p>The chances for approval for the 130-room resort and 70 multimillion-dollar homes appeared to improve following the offer, which was unveiled to the City Council on Wednesday night.</p><p>"If you look at the totality of the whole thing, it's shaping up to be a good project for the community," Councilman Gary Plass said after the meeting.</p><p>"I am pleased to see the enhancements. It's better for the community. It makes it a better project," Vice Mayor Jim Wood said.</p><p>Woods then added, "Is that enough for us to vote for it? That's still to be told."</p><p>It's been almost a year and 20 public hearings at the Planning Commission and City Council level since the project was first formally proposed.</p><p>"We must ask the City Council to make a decision," Developer Robert Green told the council.</p><p>The three City Council members who will decide the fate of the project -- two have recused themselves due to potential conflict of interest -- won't begin voting on parts of the application until at least Sept. 3, the next scheduled meeting. At least two more meetings will follow.</p><p>Councilman Mike McGuire was unwilling to say whether Saggio Hills has been polished sufficiently to get his vote.</p><p>"It's important to keep an open mind," he said immediately following the meeting. "The City Council needs to continue to drive the best deal for the community."</p><p>Green said that when it comes to some of the concessions asked of the development team "we've never said no. It's one of our faults."</p><p>Healdsburg Citizens for Sustainable Solutions, a group that has opposed Saggio Hills, complained that their alternative proposal for a smaller number of homes on the property was not analyzed correctly by the developer's consultant.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 521-5214 or clark.mason@</p><p>pressdemocrat.com.</p>