Planning commission approves tentative parcel map for Gay Road parcel; requires road frontage improvements and hawk mitigation fees

The Sacramento County Planning Commission on April 20 voted unanimously to move forward a rezoned tentative parcel map, a special development permit and associated design review for a property off Gay Road in the Kasumnes community. The project is covered by a mitigated negative declaration, and the commission's approval is conditioned on frontage road improvements and Swainson's hawk mitigation measures.

The approval came after brief questions from commissioners about the scope of required road work and details of the county's Swainson's hawk mitigation program. Chair Conklin opened the discussion and Member Steblen made the motion to move the item; the roll call vote recorded Steblen, Fergus, Borja and Chair Conklin voting "aye." The clerk announced that the motion passed with those members present.

The project application listed on the agenda as PLMP 20 20 two-one hundred is a rezoned tentative parcel map with an associated special development permit and design review. County staff said the environmental document for the project is a mitigated negative declaration.

Commissioners discussed the condition to construct Class C frontage improvements along the project's Gay Road frontage. County staff and the commissioner who raised the question said the required work would include widening the roadway along the property's frontage and relocation of a roadside ditch as part of the Class C improvements. Staff cautioned that frontage improvements would extend only to the property's frontage and would not address deterioration of Gay Road beyond that frontage; widening beyond the property could create isolated wider segments on the rural road.

Commissioners also asked whether a fog line would be added as part of the frontage improvements. Staff said the road's overall condition and rural context were considerations and that fog-line decisions were not necessarily included with the frontage improvements on a parcel-by-parcel basis.

Julie Newton, the county's environmental coordinator, explained how Swainson's hawk mitigation would be handled. She said the county's analysis separates impacts to foraging habitat (which the ordinance addresses through off-site land protection or payment of in-lieu fees) from construction-period nesting protections. The seasonal nesting surveys commissioners mentioned are required during the construction window (the county's seasonal period runs February through September) and are performed within weeks of construction start to determine whether active nests are present and whether avoidance measures are needed. Newton said the project prepared a biological resources report to indicate potential impacts; the seasonal nesting surveys occur at the time of construction rather than at the tentative map stage.

The commission did not receive public testimony on the item at the hearing. The agenda contained no other contested items, and the body proceeded to a planning director's report (staff noted an administrative correction: the item was agendized as "director's planning report" and will be corrected to "planning director's report" in the action summary).

The commission adjourned after the business on the agenda was concluded.