Planning Commission approves Rocky Ridge Apartments despite neighbors' concerns about trees, traffic and parking

The Roseville Planning Commission on May 8 approved the Rocky Ridge Apartments project at 1995 Rocky Ridge Drive, adopting a mitigated negative declaration, a design review permit and a tree permit for an 18-unit multifamily building on a 1.23-acre parcel.

Staff said the project, proposed on the northeast corner of South Kirby Way and Rocky Ridge Drive beside Linda Creek, is consistent with the city zoning designation (R-3, multifamily) and the general plan. The developer will use the city’s density bonus provisions: the site’s base allowable density is 12 units and, by providing two on-site very low-income units, the applicant may build 50% more units (six additional units) for a total of 18. Staff said a condition of approval requires the developer to enter into an affordable housing agreement with the city that will lock the two very-low-income units for 55 years.

The proposed development is a two-story, roughly 17,000-square-foot building with off-street parking, landscaping and lighting. Staff reported the building height is about 30 feet at the roof peak. The project as presented provides 27 parking spaces under the Roseville Municipal Code (staff said state law would require 26) and includes landscape shading that exceeds the city’s 50% parking-lot-shade standard. The site plan calls for two driveways—one on Rocky Ridge Drive and one on South Kirby Way—and staff added site-specific traffic conditions to address access and safety.

Why this matters: neighbors and the Maidu Neighborhood Association expressed repeated concerns about tree loss along Linda Creek, pedestrian safety (including students walking to Oakmont High School), driveway visibility on a curved roadway and limited on- and off-site visitor parking. The public hearing drew multiple residents who urged the commission to require stronger mitigation or reduce project scale.

Traffic, access and conditions of approval Staff presented a site-specific traffic and access study prepared by Fehr & Peers (as summarized in the staff report). The study estimated the project would generate approximately 21 new daily trips and a small number of peak-hour trips (staff summarized the peak as a handful of trips in morning and evening peak periods). Based on the traffic analysis, staff added conditions requiring a right-turn deceleration taper on Rocky Ridge Drive, a raised median curb on South Kirby Way to prevent left turns in and out of the site, and a 200-foot left-turn lane into Driveway 1.

Neighborhood safety and parking concerns Public commenters, including residents of Condor Court, Bluejay Drive and Vista Creek and representatives of the Maidu Neighborhood Association, said the intersection and nearby streets already have heavy traffic, blind curves and frequent pedestrian crossings. Multiple speakers said the proposed parking supply was inadequate for 18 units, particularly for visitors, and raised the risk of people parking on nearby residential streets or retrieving parking at the adjacent commercial center. Several speakers urged commissioners to visit the site at peak travel times.

Applicant response and staff clarifications Sarah Labashi, the developer representative from D and S Development, described the company’s experience with infill projects, said many trees on the parcel were in poor condition per the arborist and said the developer would replant several valley oaks on-site and pay mitigation fees for removals. Labashi said the typical market-rate two-bedroom rent is anticipated near $2,500 per month and that low-income rents would be substantially lower.

Staff and applicant noted the project includes mitigation measures for tree removal and stormwater (bioretention) as required by state and local standards. The project’s arborist inventory identified 51 trees on site; staff reported 42 oak trees are proposed for removal and staff stated the removals total approximately 443 inches of trunk diameter (as summarized in the arborist report). Staff said site constraints (topography, access, ADA slope requirements and lot shape) limit the feasibility of retaining additional trees.

Mitigation and tree permit Staff outlined mitigation options: on-site replanting of several valley oaks as part of the landscape plan and payment into Roseville’s oak tree mitigation fund for trees not replanted on site. Commissioners asked for—and staff agreed to—specific mitigation commitments in the conditions of approval. The adopted tree permit includes conditions requiring replanting and/or payment to the city mitigation fund and identified tree protection measures during construction.

Decision and vote Commissioner Covington moved to adopt the Rocky Ridge Apartments initial study/mitigated negative declaration, the mitigation monitoring and reporting program, and to approve the design review and tree permits with the listed conditions (file PL23-0351); Commissioner Brashears seconded. The roll call vote was: Commissioner Randolph — No; Commissioner Covington — Yes; Commissioner Brashears — Yes; Vice Chair Hegginjos — Yes; Chair Pryor — Yes. The motion passed 4–1. Staff noted a 10-day appeal period for the decision.

Timing and next steps The applicant told the commission a typical schedule would be roughly 12 months to prepare construction documents and roughly 18 months for construction if all approvals and permits proceed on schedule. The project’s approvals are effective pending the appeal period and any subsequent appeals or permit conditions.

Proponents and opponents provided written comments during the 20‑day public review period; staff said two letters were received and replied to via Exhibit C of the staff report. The project includes a condition (Condition 4 in the staff report) requiring an affordable housing agreement before a building permit can be issued, and the mitigated negative declaration and mitigation monitoring program were adopted by the commission as part of project approval.