Santa Rosa's Planning Commission Thursday approved the first-ever gay and lesbian retirement community proposed in Sonoma County, a once controversial project that won neighborhood acceptance after it was scaled back in size.
"This has been a long, arduous process but this is a better match with the neighborhood," said Commissioner Patti Cisco, who joined other commissioners in praising Aegis Senior Living for reducing the size of the 148-unit community care Fountaingrove Lodge facility to 109 units.
Twelve of the units would be for employee housing.
Senior planner Erin Morris said the reduction in building square footage from 316,000 to 236,600 square feet along with the elimination of some residential structures and 18 parking spaces allowed the developer to preserve more trees on the oak-dotted parcel, increase setbacks, lower the project's main building height by six feet and squeeze more recreational facilities onto the site for the age 60-and-older residents.
Morris said the smaller project reduces the project's visual impact on the Fountaingrove neighborhood site that had drawn the most concern from neighbors.
The 9.8-acre, mountain-top property is sandwiched between Thomas Lake Harris Road to the west and the Fountaingrove Golf Course to the east.
Thursday's hearing was a quiet end to a project that was contentious almost from the day the developers filed its plans with the city in October 2006.
Charges of homophobia were leveled at opponents of the project who accused the developers of using that tactic to denigrate the motives of anyone with legitimate criticism of the project.
While past hearings had drawn crowds of more than 100 and often lasted for hours, Thursday's discussion drew only a handful of speakers and was completed in 45 minutes.
Morris said unless the commission's approval of the project is appealed to the City Council, the only step left is for the project to go before the Design Review Board for its approval.
Aegis representative Scott McCullagh said that process could take as long as 18 months.
Morris said the project is a commercial, not residential development, because it is licensed by the state as residential care facility.
Morris said such a facility is largely self-contained because it provides residents with many of their needs on-site.
The Fountaingrove Lodge would include entertainment and activity rooms, a beauty salon, fitness center, a dining center, a small grocery store, and an array of recreational facilities including a swimming pool, bocce and tennis courts and two pet parks.
While residents will have their own cars, Morris said the development will have its own transportation to take residents shopping or to medical appointments.
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