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City pursues Castle Creek planning grant and continued West Landing housing discussions; library expansion fundraising still unresolved
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Summary
Staff submitted a preliminary grant package to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy seeking up to $500,000 for planning and 70% design on a Castle Creek daylighting project. Council and staff also described ongoing master‑planning talks with Landing developers about a housing proposal that would set 25% of units as affordable; library expansion planning,
City staff told the council they have submitted a draft grant narrative, preliminary budget and site plan to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy for a Castle Creek daylighting project, and that the conservancy program expects project details and comment before the December 1 grant deadline. The conservancy grant would fund up to $500,000 for planning and preliminary engineering (staff described it as paying for planning and 70% of engineering to support future construction funding requests).
Staff (Todd) said the city continues weekly discussions with developers for the West Landing property. The developers’ preliminary framework proposes housing on the east side of Mountcastle Boulevard and, consistent with the Surplus Land Act, would set 25 percent of units as affordable. Todd said developers are exploring multiple approaches to workforce housing, including potential purchase of an adjacent property to create shared‑kitchen co‑housing, and are seeking a parcelized appraisal breakdown to inform master‑planning and negotiations. The city plans public outreach as part of an EPA grant–funded master plan to refine parcel uses and build community support before any planning‑commission or council approvals.
On the library expansion, staff reported meetings with the Library Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) and review of a draft RFP for construction. LTAC members asked to reconvene to give further input on drawings and financing options. Todd and others said that, because of rising construction costs and tariff‑driven lumber price increases, the council may at some point need to make financing decisions if community fundraising or LTAC commitments fall short.
Staff emphasized that these are preliminary planning efforts. The conservancy grant would fund planning phases that would make the projects competitive for later construction funding; no construction contracts or land transfers were approved at the meeting.
Clarifying details: the Sierra Nevada Conservancy grant maximum was stated as $500,000 for planning/engineering; the West Landing framework mentioned a 25% affordable set‑aside consistent with the Surplus Land Act; staff cited rising lumber costs and tariff effects as a factor in construction budgeting.
