This petition is in opposition to a current rezoning initiative in Placer County unincorporated areas.
We ask that you please read, sign and share with your friends and neighbors if you share our opposition to this rezone proposal.
We hope to collect a SIGNIFICANT number of signatures to share with Placer County Leadership before the rapidly approaching rezoning approval deadline.
Stop the Dry Creek High Density RM30 Rezone - Community Petition
Statement of Opposition:
We, the undersigned, are concerned residents and/or property owners in Placer County who oppose the rezoning of rural properties to high-density, low-income housing. We believe this rezoning effort poses significant risks to the character, environment, and well-being of our rural community.
Overview of our Opposition:
Our opposition to the proposed rezoning is based on the following reasons:
1. Preservation of Rural Character: The rezoning would lead to development that is incompatible with the existing rural character of our community.
2. Environmental Impact: Increased development threatens local wildlife habitats, water resources, and the natural landscape that define our rural area.
3. Infrastructure Strain: Our current infrastructure is not equipped to support the increased traffic and public service demands that would result from the proposed development.
4. Property Values: The change in the area's character and increased congestion could negatively affect property values for existing and future homeowners.
5. Quality of Life: The increased density and potential for commercial or industrial activity would disrupt the tranquility and lifestyle that residents of Placer County's rural properties currently enjoy.
6. Public Input: We feel that there has been insufficient opportunity for public input and consultation on the proposed rezoning, which affects our community's future.
Call to Action
We respectfully request that the Placer County Board of Supervisors and the Placer County Planning Commission:
- Reject the proposed R30 high density rezoning initiative.
- Ensure any future rezoning efforts in rural areas are compatible with the desires and interests of the current residents and property owners.
- Provide ample opportunity for public involvement in all stages of the planning and decision-making process.
Details Outlining Our Opposition:
We would like to express our firm opposition to Placer County's proposed property rezoning in the Dry Creek Community of the following four properties in District 1:
The impact of this RM30 density rezoning would drastically change current zoning designations of these sites from low density residential/agricultural to multifamily residential at 20-30 units per acreto satisfy the Placer County RHNA requirements for low to very-low income housing in our area.
If approved this rezoning would be a huge blow to our community and would drastically alter our long established rural lifestyle. For many years Placer County has adopted a 10% affordable housing goal in which developers were required to set aside 10% of their housing product for rentals and affordable purchased housing. But many of those developers were allowed to mitigate that requirement which has resulted in the current situation we are in now where the County is short of their affordable housing goal.
Placer County has the responsibility through its land use authority to adequately zone for the future needs of residents and it is tragic that our rural community is now being targeted to make up for a foreseeable and avoidable shortfall in affordable housing in Placer County.
We oppose this rezoning endeavor because it would result in:
Negative Changes to the Character of the Community:Our original Community Plan designated 1 house on a minimum of 2 acres, but over the years the County has allowed developers to build on much smaller lots. Now they are trying to install low to very low income apartments, with a minimum of 20 units per acre/maximum 30 units per acre, in our rural community. An example of this type of density is this structure housing 27.3 units per acre:
Proposed sites for these developments are: Sites 9/10 on Cook Riolo directly across from Creekview Ranch School, Site 8 on the strawberry patch on the corner of East and Baseline, and Site 7 on Vineyard near the new Brady Vineyards development on the corner of Vineyard and Brady. Our roads and infrastructure can’t support the hundreds of residents, cars, and traffic these newly proposed high density, multifamily developments will bring. This will mean more congestion on our roads, more foot traffic, decreased quality of life, lower property values and a potential for increased crime.
Dry Creek is a rural area and our current neighbors understand the agricultural nature of our properties and they are aware that many of us have farm animals. You might hear a pig squealing throughout the day, an early morning rooster crowing, or unpleasant smells and flies that are inherent when you raise animals, even with the utmost care and husbandry. Building apartments directly adjacent to rural properties with acreage that could have livestock and farm animals like horses, cattle, chickens, goats, sheep, pigs, dogs, horticulture and a variety of business operations is not the same as building an apartment complex next to more urban housing that is similar in use and compatibly zoned.
Water Issues:There are serious drainage issues that would negatively affect surrounding property owners if these high density housing projects were to be developed. All of the proposed sites are bordered by residents with acreage that have lived here for decades. The water quality and quantity of our wells would be compromised and could even be contaminated, and the historic drainage routes needed to filter rain runoff and allow groundwater to recharge would be ruined. The open ground space that would normally help capture rain to feed our underground water for our community wells would be destroyed and covered by concrete and asphalt. None of us want to deal with dried up or contaminated wells and we can’t afford to, nor should we be forced to, hook-up to city water service just because the County wants to be able to build high density apartments.
Traffic Concerns: Cook Riolo is a two lane road that runs between PFE and Baseline and acts as an artery to connect Antelope and West Roseville for those who live in the area. Current residents ride horses and bicycles on our streets, but increasing the traffic will make this all but impossible. There are already approved low density zonings for over 500 single family homes off of Vineyard, and 650 homes off of PFE as well as several smaller housing projects that are slated to be built in our area. The rezoning of sites 7, 8, 9, & 10 would make a bad situation even worse.
By adding hundreds more cars from these three proposed high density projects and the traffic will simply be overwhelming. Dry Creek roads can’t support more urban housing and the hundreds of residents, cars and traffic these newly proposed high density, multifamily developments will bring. Three lane roads, street lights, and sidewalks will impose on adjacent residents' property and quality of life.
Perhaps the biggest traffic concern is regarding sites 9/10 directly across the street from the K-8 Creekview Ranch School on Cook Riolo Rd. Traffic on this road backs up in both directions so bad that residents living along this road have difficulty entering or exiting their homes. Adding cars from a high density housing project at the greatest point of traffic congestion and foot traffic would be disastrous.
No student or adult traveling by foot or bicycle from sites 7, 8, 9 & 10 would be safe. Residents of Dry Creek Community do not want anymore pedestrian fatalities like the hit and run on February 26, 2024 a few hundred yards from the future entrance of site 7.
Negative School Impact:Sites 9/10 are located across the street from the K-8 Creekview Ranch School. The crosswalk to the school is in close proximity to the where the exit from the apartments would be located.
Given the accidents and fatalities that have occurred on our roads recently, it’s a valid concern that the safety of children walking to and from school would be in jeopardy from all of the increased traffic.
The quality of education could be impacted by overcrowding as a result of all the new students from these apartments. Apartments tend to have a more transient tenant population and statistically higher crime rates. Furthermore, in most apartments only the person listed on the lease is background checked, therefore anyone else who moves in or visits is virtually anonymous. Anonymity and opportunity are a dangerous combination when put in such close proximity to a school with kids as young as 5 years old.
School transportation has also been an issue. Dry Creek school district is one of the few in the area that has bussing and if they are unable to meet the demand of 800 new apartments they may discontinue bussing all together.
Infrastructure Constraints: The proposed areas are within Placer county and not in the city limits of Roseville. Therefore sheriff, fire, paramedic and animal control services are not at a level to meet this additional demand. We have no bus service, no sidewalks, or street lights. The shoulder on our small 2-lane roads is the narrow edge of a drainage ditch. There is no employment opportunity here or public transportation available. There are no grocery stores, medical clinics, or much of anything other than a school and a small fire house along with semi-rural housing and homes with acreage. We do not have the city services or resources to accommodate this increased demand.
Conclusion
The issues we have outlined in our opposition are numerous. These rezoning proposals open the door for developments that would negatively affect property values for homeowners and the quality of life in Dry Creek Community. We chose to live here because of the community's rural nature that is only made possible by the low density housing zoning that has existed for decades. We want Dry Creek to remain the rural oasis near the city, but not in the city, and not with high density housing.
As residents of Dry Creek we stand together in opposition to the rezoning of sites 7, 8, 9, & 10.
We ask the Board of Supervisors to reject ALL of these sites proposed for RM30 rezone in the Dry Creek area and to extend the Housing Element approval for as long as necessary until more suitable properties are secured.
By signing this online petition, I affirm that I am a resident and/or property owner in Placer County and that I support the contents of this petition.
Note: Please DO NOT donate to promote this petition. It is a free petition and we do not need any funds to help spread awareness about this petition on Change.org or elsewhere. Your signature is support enough. Thank you for signing!
