RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Rancho Cordova Planning Commission approved adding two designs to its Ranch Villages project known as Silverbrook located within The Ranch SPA, South of Chrysanthy Boulevard. The two new floor plans are 1850 sq ft. and 2077 sq ft, the same style as with the rest of the Villages.

The reason for the additional floor plans was that buyers are now interested in them, and these two give the builders more flexibility. The Commission was told these designs are not pre-plotted so it isn’t known where they will go within the Silverbrook area. The color pallets are complimentary, each elevation having a choice of three-color pallets.

Vice Chair Lee Frechette took the opportunity to note a trend in recent development projects that the setback for garages is only about 16 feet and the garages are trending at about 18 feet. Frechette said normal garages are 19 feet. He said, “Maybe a lot of cars will not fit in this size garage.” This was a “consistent thing now,” he said. “It is not a deviation from a current plan. It is beginning to be consistent and 20 years down the road, how will these neighborhoods look, if cars and vans don’t fit and there is no parking on the street?” I see a garage discussion coming up.

A city staff spokesman responded, “A lot of our developments do go between 16 ½ and 18 sq. ft. We do see that trend, and it is something that we will pursue in subsequent plans in the city.” Commissioner Frechette responded, “I just want to put this on the radar because I am noticing something similar in the development near Raley’s. There’s no parking on the street. So where do we expect people to park their cars?”

Commissioner Leroy Tripette indicated he had been thinking about the trend in the size of the backyards.  Chairperson Cynthia Stauss added to the list of concerns by saying she was beginning to wonder when they would see a single-story residence in future developments.

Nonetheless, the motion to approve Silverbrook and implement the two designs passed 5:0.

All of the Consent Items, generally routine, passed unanimously, including for the exemption of Anatolia III Village 27 small lot tentative subdivision map (CEQA Exempt) located at the northwest corner of Kiefer Boulevard and Rancho Cordova Parkway.

Planning Director Darcy Goulart proposed to cancel the regular Planning Commission meeting on June 12 because the National League of Cities Summer Board Meeting will be hosted in Rancho Cordova then, with many events scheduled including its closing dinner on that date. No objections to moving the meeting forward were voiced. The May 22 regularly scheduled meeting was affirmed. Director Goulart indicated that at that meeting a very important work session discussion item will be brought.

Goulart indicated the City Council appointed two new planning commissioners to fill the two at-large terms, Dave Huhn and T. Nifton. Those terms will run through December 2026. “Dave is going on vacation, so he won’t be sworn in on May 22nd,” Goulart said. Goulart added, “I am not sure we have any items scheduled for the second meeting in June,” suggesting there may not be any planning meetings that month.

The meeting was adjourned before 6 p.m.