RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Recent meetings to discuss and share information on the progress of the Mills Crossing Civic Center project on Folsom Boulevard have made it clear that many Rancho Cordova residents are not happy. Accusations of transparency, conspiracies, and a lack of commitment have been put forth towards the City Council although a vocal minority have expressed their satisfaction with the preliminary design concepts.

“We need a better Civic Center,” said one resident at the most recent meeting. “And maybe we need a better City Council”.

On Thursday, July 15, a special informational meeting was held - the first hybrid event bringing residents in City Hall and Zoom together since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic - where the Civic Center developer, design team and city staff presented the history of the project along with preliminary designs. Just a few days later at the City Council regular meeting on Monday, July 19 with the City Council in attendance, they expanded on their presentation as well as being prepared to answer questions about the project’s hot button - housing included on the city owned site.

At the first meeting, Korin Crawford from developer Griffin Swinerton, along with members of the RIOS design team, stated their unique design was infused with the need for flexibility of use, adaptability, dynamism and the spirit of the community. Their plans showed a mixture of public spaces, buildings for the arts, wellness programs, children’s activities and many other uses, a parking structure and multi-family apartments and townhomes. The presentation also included comparisons with other cities highlighting not just how a possible Rancho Cordova Civic Center would be in step with current innovation but how it would possess even more features. Crawford stated the plans were by no means set in stone.

Almost immediately residents questioned why housing needed to be a part of the concept, that it took away space from the Civic Center proper, brought its own set of problems and had not been ever mentioned earlier in the years-long process.

City Manager Cyrus Abhar rose to answer these misgivings by saying there was no “hidden agenda” and that mixed used of the space was always intended and was a necessity for the main goal of revitalizing Folsom Boulevard. His words didn’t appear to appease the assembled residents and others like Lupe Hernandez thought the lack of a Veterans Memorial or military acknowledgement was a “slap in the face.”

“They didn’t listen to the community,” she also said in regards to the plans and previous discussions with residents. (Hernandez was so dissatisfied with the presentation she came back up to the podium interrupting the order of commenters and emphatically stated she had a voice and was going to use it.)

Developer Korin Crawford said he couldn’t attest to earlier plans when his company wasn’t yet brought on board but stated housing was just a part of the plans as did Deputy City Manager Micah Runner. Runner also called the location a “catalyst site” which would bring more investment to the area.

While community tempers ran high, they were practically on fire the following Monday when a much larger assemblage of residents both present in City Hall and online came to debate the topic. Along with the City Council, the developer, design team and city staff were again present. To allow for so many to comment and for the accompanying discussion by Council, public comment was reduced from three minutes to two (although the meeting ultimately hit the five hour mark).

Before the Civic Center presentation, City Manager Abhar gave historical background on the project and the “longstanding goal of revitalizing Folsom Boulevard.” While acknowledging many positive steps forward, he said there has been limited success in bringing outside investment to the area and the Civic Center could change that.

With a few audible guffaws from the crowd in City Hall, he stated housing has always been part of the plan for years. Abhar also tried to answer likely questions from residents by saying a Veterans Hall site along with an oft requested bowling alley and movie theatre were currently being pursued as best as possible but the reward of revitalizing the area could make locations like a theatre or bowling alley more likely to be taken on by developers.

The presentation by Griffin Swinerton and RIOS covered most of the territory from the previous night touting a Mixed Used development/Catalyst site. Designs and comparisons with other city civic centers were shown. City shaping principles were highlighted and how they build into the elements of Project Character, Community Hub, Public Space and Housing. How the Civic Center fits into the overall Mills District was also discussed as was of course the benefits of including housing in the project. The idea of the the Civic Center as a place that never sleeps always abuzz with activity was also hammered home. The presentation continued to emphasize the goal of fostering future investment.

As the highly anticipated moment of public comment came near, Mayor Garret Gatewood addressing some heated words from the audience, forcefully said, “I want to know what you want! Tell me!” and later implored the audience to not get personal and stay constructive. His words were echoed by other members of the Council.

The majority of the comments were unhappy with space being used for housing (“Shame on Rancho Cordova!” said one resident who was brought to tears) with some even having put together their own designs for how the space should be used. Demands for more feasibility reports and to put the project on hold were also prevalent as were low opinions of the Council’s actions and communication skills.

Autumn Eberhardt said she felt like “rubble in an abandoned railroad” in that she thought the current plans were not focused on the community as it is. Even one resident who said they weren’t opposed to the housing added a less than positive remark that she wasn’t necessarily in favor of it either.

The much smaller number of positive responses came from the likes of Chamber of Commerce CEO Diann Rogers and Cheryl Gleason of the Mills Station Art & Culture Center (MAAC) and resident Nancy Bui Thompson who said the Civic Center will put “Rancho Cordova on the map.”

After public comment, the Council appeared to have heard some of their city’s concerns and pleas. While supporting housing, Council Member Linda Budge asked for more public spaces. She also rebuked the claim by residents that those who lived in the possible space would be upset by the large amount of activity at the Civic Center. “People know there is activity!” she succinctly said. Councilmember David Sander pointed out “the long journey” this project has been and that we couldn’t lose “the spark” that would activate the area. So, intent on keeping that spark aflame, he seemed willing to consider not having housing on the site.

Councilmember Siri Pulipati wondered if the project could be done in phases as opposed to the fell swoop “complete project” discussed. Vice-Mayor Donald Terry said, “the people from here must benefit.” But it was Mayor Gatewood who seemed to hear the residents the most by vowing to deliver more transparency from the city.

Not all in the audience were placated but by the end of the night, there was a feeling that everyone was trying to get to the same destination - a Civic Center that would make Rancho Cordova residents proud.