By Phillip Pesola–
The Citrus Heights Planning Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved a design review permit for the construction of a 27-unit apartment complex with a pool on a vacant lot directly east of Sunrise Mall.
The project, described as Sunrise Vista Apartment Complex, is planned to consist of three buildings, which are to include nine 918-square-foot one-bedroom units and 16 more 1,027-square-foot two-bedroom units. Two of the buildings will have one accessible unit each on the ground floor which is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Other improvements on the 1.38-acre site include parking, lighting, landscaping, a community lounge building, and a pool. The complete agenda packet detailing the project can be found on the city’s web site.
The complex is to be built on Sunrise Vista Drive, south of Greenback Lane and east of Sunrise Mall. Previous proposals to develop the site ran into problems due to a very large oak tree in the northwest corner of the site, according to a city staff report. A permit for removal of the tree, and two other protected trees, was approved by the Planning Commission on Wednesday, which enables room for the pool.
A traffic study concluded that the project would not have a significant impact on traffic in the surrounding area. Another study found that the noise impact of the apartment project would be minimal, once constructed, according to Assistant Planner Eric Singer. The complete July 13 meeting can be viewed on the Planning Commission’s web site.
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Developer Leonid Kotyakov applied for the design review permit the city in order to construct the 27-unit apartment complex, consisting of three buildings totaling approximately 27,600 square feet.
The project aligns with the city’s Sunrise Tomorrow plan, which aims to guide redevelopment of the nearly 100-acre Sunrise Mall property to include residential, office, restaurant and community areas, in addition to retail usage. The plan was adopted by the City Council in November of last year and is expected to take place in four phases, but work is yet to begin due to the plan requiring involvement of private developers.
The first phase aims to develop the mall’s unused parking areas over the next five years. The second phase would incorporate office space, retail, dining, and an extended stay hotel. The third and final phases include redeveloping the existing mall space into an outdoor 21st century main street.
The city has already footed the bill for an extensive Environmental Impact Report in an effort to make the property “shovel ready” and as attractive as possible to developers. The plan is projected to cost $818 million, and take 20 years to be fully completed.
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