[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6455325,"mediaKeyId","5846817-076251ec1c08ff218ee84d3bf3c231f1","parentId",5846817,"title","Planning commission recommends approval of Ridge Estates subdivision with traffic mitigation limit on El Margarita corridor","audioSeconds",943,"startMs",3600000,"endMs",4543000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5846817-076251ec1c08ff218ee84d3bf3c231f1&start=3600&end=4543","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5846817-076251ec1c08ff218ee84d3bf3c231f1/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6455325/Yuba-City/Sutter-County/California/Planning-commission-recommends-approval-of-Ridge-Estates-subdivision-with-traffic-mitigation-limit-on-El-Margarita-corridor","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6455325-7eec101fa01eac9d4e6c5bdbbb438921/orig.mp4?Expires=1770886345&Signature=NTafEspY3KFbx6G2wBYQsOOeYDuilsWXe7fn6fJcj4yysMOoq9ZqRZ-Lm73JAxHh8lStX5Amz5SucF9OIfqnOhEX9usiBJumCwbQYIL~spUU6evm0mk4sG5FBwsHWILWFze5UMCDz49i2MJ2EkOnMgF0Zy3gRC25yVoGImCFjgeyKHzml-33wasFPKcJSmrK46RZDHX6ncLLm7bUOefFsj9dHAEYlV0Pg1VsNs8w-pPwYLE4B8gpF6G80lpWkJrrWwL6xiLEkI-IDpgbfw5hBPjJaCXAHwQwyP6ncb2W7huLZ5rp64nlMSshwd1kWJjsZqv0RT5Qe3RwbEbEz2YsCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Yuba City","date","2025-09-29T16:39:23Z","article","The Yuba City Planning Commission recommended city council approval of the Ridge Estates development, including an environmental assessment (mitigated negative declaration), a general plan amendment, rezoning and a plan development overlay. The project proposes 141 single-family lots on about 20.76 acres on the west side of El Margarita Road, at roughly 1,850 feet south of State Route 20.

Assistant Planner Andrew Darrill summarized the application and explained the proposed general plan amendment would change approximately 4–8 acres of office/office park land to medium-density residential to accommodate the subdivision. The project density presented to commissioners is 7.12 units per acre. The plan development modifies standards for lot coverage, setbacks and lot size to allow medium-density residential development. Project features include bulb-outs for street trees and traffic calming, a median at an interior entrance to prevent left turns, a pedestrian crossing with a refuge island, and half-width improvements to El Margarita Road with bike lanes, curb and gutter, planter strips, sidewalk and a masonry wall along the frontage.

A traffic study prepared for the project estimated about 1,300 vehicle trips per day from Ridge Estates and identified potential impacts at the El Margarita/SR 20 intersection. As mitigation, staff proposed and commissioners accepted a condition that would cap development along the El Margarita corridor at 80 single-family residences (or an equivalent mix of other development types as approved by the public works director) on a first-come, first-served basis between SR 20 and Franklin Road until the northern intersection is signalized or northbound left turns are limited. Condition 15 requires a fair-share analysis of the project's intersection impacts.

Staff recommended adoption of a mitigated negative declaration under CEQA; commissioners heard from the project representative, Sean Menard, who said the applicant worked with staff on conditions and anticipates the eventual signalization called for in the city's long-range traffic plan. Public comment during the hearing was limited and the commission's roll-call vote was unanimous in favor of the motion recommending council approval.

The commission's motion authorizes forwarding environmental assessment 25-01, general plan amendment 25-01, Rezone RZ 25-01 and Plan Development PD 21 to the city council and contingently approving the tentative subdivision map TSM 25-01, subject to the conditions and mitigation measures presented. The planning commission's recommendation does not itself change zoning or the general plan; final decisions rest with the city council.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Yuba City Planning Commission Meeting 9-24-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Yuba City Planning Commission recommended city approval of Ridge Estates, a 141‑lot subdivision on El Margarita Road, and added a mitigation measure limiting new single-family units on the El Margarita corridor until signalization or other intersection controls are implemented.","taxTitle","Yuba City, Sutter County, California","taxId",3751,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6455330,"Yuba City planning panel approves Elmer West subdivision despite traffic, drainage and annexation concerns",3322,202000,3524000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5846817-076251ec1c08ff218ee84d3bf3c231f1&start=202&end=3524","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5846817-076251ec1c08ff218ee84d3bf3c231f1/thumbnail_202000.jpg","/articles/6455330/Yuba-City/Sutter-County/California/Yuba-City-planning-panel-approves-Elmer-West-subdivision-despite-traffic-drainage-and-annexation-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6455330-e50f025d3029a8373b7b1fac6940f035/orig.mp4?Expires=1770886345&Signature=AtWU4kN8GfgSzg968-H4E0MrIvXRqNPx0pjHe6Y-8itYRH4dfIiz5QB3g8wd4jOcS1ahVc0Z9c8Ihv7mG00QkfQ2iGrG21LW33xHU379bI0KyiEvFPO~RmUIHdcRffiHTux4sr32BgsL9G9TV8B8UPNbrsV4NqOwVfKfVEFpf7mAZR25ZRIZBCiUQFNRxxy1Xc2UX83~oWg6Q2U2l0fpLA1bPtWIoz3WokiTj4TfUcPDXNxytQczDk16FF8OYAdbgynmbGH9KyobOFXZTd5TeAixBYZBlvpfFBr28GCuh6SY3ti4KhgSaorjZ0J3Nyp~Y4eAmlEE6YoEKs4-aaxYYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Yuba City Planning Commission voted to recommend city council approval of the Elmer West Subdivision, a proposal to subdivide a 10.13-acre parcel on the west side of Elmer Avenue into 55 single-family lots and rezone the property to a planned development (PD 20). The commission approved the environmental assessment and adopted a mitigated negative declaration, approved Rezone RZ 24-05 and PD 20, and contingently approved Tentative Subdivision Map TSM 24-05.

The project will request annexation to the city and, if approved by the council, the applicant will then be eligible to apply to the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) for formal annexation. Senior Planner Jaspreet Kaur told commissioners there was \"no evidence in the record that the proposed project will have a significant effect on the environment,\" and staff recommended adoption of a mitigated negative declaration and the set of conditions of approval presented to the commission.

Neighbors raised a series of concerns during the public hearing. Commenters said they worry the subdivision will increase traffic on Elmer Avenue and at the Elmer/Butte House intersection, worsen drainage and groundwater recharge for nearby wells, strain emergency access during floods or wildfires, and change county residents' ability to keep animals if their properties are annexed. Resident Robert Bookie said, \"It's too close to the other street to put a stoplight in there. It's really difficult to get out of there now.\" Several speakers asked whether adjacent property owners would be required or able to connect to new city water and sewer lines if annexation proceeds.

Project engineer Sean Menard, representing the landowner, said the lots will be served by city water and sewer if annexed and that sewer would come through the larger, adjacent Tiara Estates project. He described planned storm-drain improvements that will collect runoff into a conveyance system routed through Tiara Estates and ultimately to Live Oak Canal, and said the project will pay development impact fees and form a community facilities district (CFD) to cover incremental costs for police, fire, parks, drainage and ongoing street maintenance. Menard said the traffic study estimates the subdivision will generate about 519 daily trips, and the study projects Elmer Avenue itself will remain a low-volume roadway with roughly 100 projected daily trips under the studied conditions.

Commissioners incorporated several project-specific conditions, including limits to lot sizes and design requirements intended to minimize privacy and scale impacts on adjacent single-story homes (for example, prohibiting two-story units on certain lots or requiring second-story back windows to be at least 6 feet above the finished floor). Staff also required half-street widening and frontage improvements along Elmer Avenue, curb extensions and a rapid-flashing beacon near Amisha Loop to improve pedestrian connectivity to the adjacent Fiara Estates subdivision.

The planning commission's motion, which included the updated tentative map and revised conditions of approval presented that night, passed on a 4–1 roll-call vote. Vice Chair Joel, Commissioner McFarlane, Commissioner Blankenship and Commissioner Sluder voted in favor; Chair Brookman voted no. The motion specified that the approval is a recommendation to the city council; final approvals for the rezone, planned development and annexation remain with the council and, for annexation, with LAFCO.

The planning commission hearing record includes multiple public requests for additional study or mitigation on evacuation routes, drainage and emergency services funding. Staff and the applicant noted the project is contingent on the Tiara Estates infrastructure for sewer and drainage connections and that some improvements—such as the widening of Elmer Avenue to a 20-foot paved width along part of the project frontage—are required as conditions of approval.

The application materials show a typical lot size around 5,850 square feet (corner lots about 7,775 square feet in the scheme described by the engineer), a proposed density the staff presented as roughly 5.53 dwelling units per acre in the initial summary, and the parcel split into 55 lots per the tentative map. Condition 37 in the draft conditions requires formation of a CFD and payment of fees intended to offset impacts on city services.

The project will next be considered by the Yuba City Council for the rezone, planned development and mitigation measures; annexation and service hookups will follow the council approvals and the LAFCO process.","The Yuba City Planning Commission voted to recommend city approval of the Elmer West Subdivision — a 10.13-acre project to create 55 single-family lots — after a public hearing where neighbors raised traffic, drainage, wildfire-evacuation and annexation questions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6455322,"Yuba City planners forward ADU code update to council to align with state law",741,4489000,5230000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5846817-076251ec1c08ff218ee84d3bf3c231f1&start=4489&end=5230","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5846817-076251ec1c08ff218ee84d3bf3c231f1/thumbnail_4489000.jpg","/articles/6455322/Yuba-City/Sutter-County/California/Yuba-City-planners-forward-ADU-code-update-to-council-to-align-with-state-law","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6455322-9ca2e5c5d366aa439e4176188bbb6e9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770886345&Signature=cEHeGjUmyXdmF2j1U4zuqYj0htYbmFc77DDzT1hEnLFKBXzSqTX6hbx2zzyX2hphaSeHrYAJssc5n9zFdJIS~--z73-Ix8PNeS1OFXs0ZYKtiNi-uoUuWDpFpXUE7gzQth30tnEDoLC1GpAJQhSyy5ERLVHQVdOT3X6SEpXIAOmWhM0aFCjgYAJCz0LMDH~-kCfqMXs1n442NYsKSdmjXktiqzoOqCUhvW5y9SSbaPpGFznHfk6RGoDnwgldMFh3z-Ylb8Xxjf6TTyvXmibYwjnMuhusrOfITFy0upniWd0aZ9a5bMlPBRY1f0JQeJLQPWBBO2Wojvmt0j2C9LdbVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Yuba City Planning Commission voted to forward a zoning code amendment to the city council to update local accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU) standards for consistency with recent state law changes. Development Services Director Doug Libby told the commission staff updated the ordinance wording, clarified maximum sizes and added language to reflect annual state changes.

Under the draft update, a JADU is limited to 500 square feet and ADUs to 1,200 square feet in most cases; staff clarified the ordinance to allow use of existing water and sewer connections rather than requiring new separate service connections in many circumstances. Libby said the state limits allowable local regulation of ADUs to objective design standards and that the local ordinance was revised to reflect that constraint: \"the state's trying to do is say cities and counties, you can't put a bunch of extra, rules on these things,\" he said.

Commissioners asked how the rules apply to detached ADUs, septic systems and addressing; staff said detached ADUs may be permitted as close as four feet to side or rear property lines under state law (where local setbacks previously were larger), and noted ADUs served by septic systems are often limited by county health requirements and available lot area. Staff also confirmed ADUs may have separate entrances and separate addressing where appropriate.

The commission's motion recommends city council find the ordinance exempt from environmental review under Public Resources Code section 21080.17 and to adopt the amendments as presented (including a late technical clarification distributed at the hearing). The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.

If the council approves the amendment, property owners in Yuba City will be able to apply under the revised, state-consistent rules; staff members noted HCD (California Department of Housing and Community Development) submits guidance and that local ordinances must be kept current with state law changes.","The planning commission recommended the city council adopt zoning code changes aligning accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and junior ADU standards with California law, clarifying size limits and utility connection rules.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning commission recommends approval of Ridge Estates subdivision with traffic mitigation limit on El Margarita corridor

Yuba City planning panel approves Elmer West subdivision despite traffic, drainage and annexation concerns

Yuba City planners forward ADU code update to council to align with state law