Sebastopol planning commissioners recommend City Council consider Hillsburg Avenue housing project

The Sebastopol Planning Commission on Aug. 27 voted 4–0 to recommend that the City Council consider a tentative map and conditional use permit for a housing project at 7621 Hillsburg Avenue.

Staff described the proposal as a development that includes a 12-unit apartment building facing Hillsburg Avenue with attached townhomes to the south, parking at the rear and an accessible elevator. Planning staff told the commission that a traffic study recommended the project’s Hillsburg driveway be moved to the east, and that staff asked the applicant to submit a final map showing the driveway location before the item goes to council. Staff also noted the project is subject to the city’s inclusionary-housing requirements and asserted eligibility for an infill exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The applicant, Kathy, said the traffic study’s recommendation required shifting the first several units and flipping elevator and stair locations but did not change the total number of parking spaces or the central layout. “We basically have to slide the units one through six to the west slightly,” Kathy said, describing adjustments the engineering work required. She emphasized mitigation measures for lost trees and presented plans for new plantings along Hillsburg Avenue, and outlined building features to reduce street and unit-to-unit noise, citing work by Illingworth & Rodkin on sound-mitigation strategies.

Residents who spoke at the public hearing raised traffic and safety concerns around the Hillsburg/Murphy corner, possible parking spillover and overall infrastructure strain. Online commenter Linda urged the commission to slow development and “stop build build build and start looking at the consequences of their decisions,” citing concerns about roads, water and police staffing. Carol Capria, a nearby resident, asked whether the driveway would be moved farther from Murphy and whether the existing upper house on the lot would be demolished; staff confirmed demolition and that upper-level units would have parking-lot-side entries while lower-level units have doors on both Hillsburg and the parking side.

Other speakers questioned whether the traffic analysis fully captured peak-period conditions at the intersection; Glenn Pinno, who lives across the street, said the shift from previously proposed commercial use to denser residential felt sudden. Joel Newberg and others supported converting the underused commercial site to housing but cautioned about parking pressure; one commenter said they believed the site might be 24 units (that number was not confirmed by staff at the hearing).

Commissioners debated the trade-offs between adding housing near downtown and the stresses on local infrastructure including streets, water and emergency response. One commissioner noted the fiscal benefits of development (impact fees and property-tax increases) but agreed the city needs broader infrastructure planning. After discussion, the commission voted to forward the item to the City Council in October, approving the resolution recommending the tentative map and conditional use permit by roll call: Commissioners Burns, Oner, Vice Chair Hanley and Chair Fritz voted yes; Commissioner Fernandez was absent.

Votes at a glance - Approval of prior minutes: motion approved by roll call. - 7621 Hillsburg Avenue (Tentative Map & Conditional Use Permit): Commission recommended City Council approval (motion passed 4–0; one absence).

Next steps The commission’s recommendation will be transmitted to the City Council for its review and decision in October; staff requested the applicant provide a final map showing the driveway location prior to the council hearing. The commission also discussed broader transportation and infrastructure planning needs and scheduled a September walkabout and future planning work on active-transportation and overlay-district zoning updates.