Sanger Council approves introduction of ordinance, adopts mitigated negative declaration for North Avenue housing project

The Sanger City Council voted unanimously on Jan. 15 to introduce a zoning ordinance and adopt a resolution approving an initial study and mitigated negative declaration for a proposed housing development on a roughly 9.97‑acre parcel on North Avenue.

Staff presented the package recommending a general plan amendment to change the site’s designation from medium‑density residential to medium‑low‑density residential and a zoning map amendment to rezone the parcel from R‑1‑6 to R‑1‑7.5. Dr. Joshua Goggins, the city’s new community development director, told the council the change reduces planned density while remaining consistent with the city’s 2035 general plan and housing element and would permit 48 single‑family homes. “Staff recommends the city council adopt this resolution approving the initial study and mitigated negative declaration, general plan amendment and zoning amendment,” Goggins said.

Goggins said the planning commission reviewed the proposal and recommended approval. From an environmental standpoint, staff prepared an initial study that identified mitigation measures and concluded the project did not trigger mandatory findings of significance under CEQA. The presentation noted the site is not on a listed hazardous site and that mitigation measures had been incorporated into the document.

Developer representatives said they were prepared to move quickly to engineering and construction. Alex de Wiggins, a civil engineer with QK who said his firm represents D.R. Horton, said the developer agreed with staff findings and hoped to begin construction soon.

Council members discussed safety and pedestrian access. A council member asked whether a sidewalk or temporary mid‑block crossing had been added as a condition to improve student safety near Greenwood and Bethel; staff responded that a mid‑block temporary crossing had been discussed for future consideration but was not written as a condition for this project. The council also flagged a typographical error in the ordinance title that listed an extra address; the city attorney said staff would correct that error before final adoption.

The motion to introduce the ordinance and adopt the resolution passed unanimously. Staff recorded the project APN as 332‑090‑03 and estimated the site contains approximately 9.97 acres. The item will return for final ordinance adoption with the corrected language and any ministerial edits to the ordinance text.