Rancho Cordova planning commission approves Rio Del Oro Business Park design review, requires 10-foot screening wall

The Rancho Cordova Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a major design review for the Rio Del Oro Business Park, a speculative, three‑building industrial project on about 18.7 acres near the intersection of Gold Ridge Way and Rancho Cordova Parkway.

Planning staff recommended adoption of the resolution after finding the proposal consistent with local plans and exempt from further environmental review under CEQA section 15183, and the commission approved the project 6–0 after adding one condition: increase the CMU screen wall from 8 feet to 10 feet to better screen loading docks.

Nick Sosa of the city planning department summarized the project and the staff recommendation, saying the development would include three buildings with approximately 252,730 square feet of warehouse space, about 26,000 square feet of accessory office space, a total of 80 loading docks and on-site drainage, parking, landscaping and lighting. “Staff is recommending that the planning commission determine the project exempt per section 15183 and that they adopt the resolution for the Rio Del Oro Business Park major design review subject to the findings, project plans in Exhibit A and conditions of approval in Exhibit B,” Sosa said.

Tyler Williams, representing developer VanTrust Real Estate, described the project as oriented toward smaller tenants — “10, 15, 20, 25,000 square foot” users — with internalized truck courts and a proposed screening wall to reduce visibility of loading docks. “We really pride ourselves on communication and we really like to receive feedback from the community,” Williams said.

During public comment, Helen William Beshaw told commissioners she was concerned the proposed 8‑foot wall and the landscaping plan did not meet state requirements cited in her remarks. “The minimum height for screening structures within a project buffer zone is 10 feet,” she said, referencing AB 98 and a Senate bill number she cited in the hearing. Staff responded that AB 98 applies only where there are existing “sensitive receptors” within 900 feet; because the nearby school sites are not yet built, staff said the statute would not apply at this time.

Commissioners pressed the applicant and staff on screening height, visibility of docks from Gold Ridge Way, truck routing and traffic impacts with schools planned nearby. Public Works staff and traffic consultant Mario Tambellini of Wood Rogers told the commission the project would not substantially change the transportation network and could generate fewer trips than the prior zoning allowed. Tambellini said truck routing and specific mitigations are typically set when tenants lease space and that efforts are made to avoid routing trucks immediately by school drop‑off areas.

Commissioner Frechette moved to adopt staff’s recommendation with the additional condition that the CMU screen wall be 10 feet tall; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Hune and passed in a roll call vote (one commissioner absent). The clerk recorded the vote as 6 in favor, 0 opposed.

The record shows the applicant agreed to revisit the wall height and the accent color on the buildings; the developer said it would accept a 10‑foot wall if required and was open to adjusting the neon green accent color used on the entry awnings and tower features. Staff said it could add the screen‑wall height as a condition of approval and would monitor landscape installation and survival, working with code enforcement to require replacements if required plantings fail.

The commission’s action authorizes the major design review subject to the conditions adopted at the hearing. The project packet, findings and conditions of approval were adopted as written with the additional screen‑wall condition; the agenda item also included one emailed public comment posted to the city’s website. The transcript indicates the commission will place standard compliance and landscape‑installation follow‑up into the project file; no additional votes on other entitlements were recorded at the meeting.

The commission moved on to other business and adjourned at 6:32 p.m.