PUC Development Project Components: Application As Of 09/2009

• Pacific Union College (PUC) is the sole project applicant.
• The project site is located within 1,890 acres of land (72 Assessor's parcels) currently owned by PUC. Approximately 150 acres of this property are devoted to the PUC core campus. PUC proposes to sell 118.8 acres to a developer upon approval of their "Ecovillage" application. PUC proposes to additionally sell approximately 591 acres to individual buyers. The overall divestment of PUC lands will be 709.8 acres, leaving PUC with 1,180.2 acres.
• The project includes 380 new housing units (275 units of new housing and a 105-unit senior assisted living facility) and replacement of 6 existing housing units (single-family homes to be displaced by the project) with an equal number to be located within the PUC campus. The proposed replacement housing would occur in advance of demolition of the existing housing.
• The proposed "Ecovillage" includes three distinct and non-contiguous residential neighborhoods: (1) "Village Square Neighborhood" encompasses 76.4 acres and would consist of 260 mixed residential housing units (single-family homes, detached cottages, townhouses, flats and rental units within a senior living facility); (2) "Highland Oaks Neighborhood" encompasses 29.8 acres and would consist of 96 new housing units (single-family homes and townhomes); (3) "Las Posadas Neighborhood" is comprised of 12.6 acres and 24 single family homes.
• The prior PUC/Triad application did not use the Las Posadas site in the development plan. The current PUC application puts 24 housing units at that site (site also known as Affordable Housing "Parcel B" in the Housing Element).
• The proposed 3-story senior living facility would be a combination of assisted and independent living in apartment like rental units. The facility would contain recreational common areas, a cafeteria, laundry rooms, and office space for personnel.
• The existing approximately 59,000 square foot commercial area would be replaced with a 72,500 square foot all new commercial foot-print south of the existing already paved over area and would include the 20-unit/13,000 square foot Inn. It is anticipated that initial rents for the proposed commercial and community facility uses may be subsidized until the entire proposed project is completed to attract and retain the designated mix of uses. Covenants would be put in place to preserve local-serving goods and services. Parking to serve the plaza would be provided along pedestrian-scale streets and within a 197 parking space single-level parking structure below ground.
• Approximately 33 acres of agricultural land would be permanently preserved (down from the previous plans for 50 acres) to be farmed and managed through a non-profit agricultural conservancy (Angwin Agricultural Conservancy or AAC). The funding and operational mechanism is to be financially supported by the project. A Farm Director, two foremen, 4-8 laborers, a Marketing & Outreach Coordinator and a full-time office manager as well as rental office space are proposed to be supported by this non-profit AAC. The AAC would also operate a farmer's market to sell local produce from the AAC farm.
• PUC proposes to commit themselves (700 acres) and the developer (368 acres) to permanently protecting a total of 1,068 acres of forest land through covenants and deed restrictions.
• All PUC owned lots east of Howell Mountain Rd are proposed to be reconfigured by "lot line adjustment". PUC would retain reconfigured "Lot 12" that includes the PUC core campus, Parrett Field, and those forested areas outside of the other 11 proposed lots. PUC proposes to sell these 11 agricultural lots totaling approximately 591 acres with the lots ranging in size from 40 acres (smallest) to 99.1 acres (largest) for potential residential development (single-family home plus second unit and agricultural use). Reconfigured "Lots 2-10" would be located within Mill Valley and extending up slope within PUC forested lands; reconfigured "Lot 11" would comprise Window Tree Valley and Stump Field. Reconfigured "Lot 1" would be located west of Parrett Field.
• This project would amend the PUC 1975 Master Plan to include the "Ecovillage" project and set a maximum student body of 2,300.
• The proposed project provides "transportation improvements", including an extensive network of new streets, sidewalks, new public on and off street parking, traffic calming features and implementation of a "Transportation Demand Management Plan" including a "Mobility Coordinator" funded by???? (Salaried and paid by Homeowner's Association?)
• Capital expenses for infrastructure improvements for the proposed "Ecovillage" and college, including water supply and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, storm water collection, and electricity and natural gas distribution, would be funded by the developer with all of the new utilities proposed to be privately owned and maintained and managed and operated through a private Community Service District. All proposed new roadways within the "Ecovillage", including 7 vehicular access points to the "Village Square", would be privately owned and maintained, presumably by the CSD. PUC (the applicant) would fund the Howell Mountain Rd "improvements" between Cold Springs and College Ave while the County (taxpayers) would continue to own and retain responsibility for on-going repair and maintenance of this public roadway (proposed to become 32-foot wide paved vehicle and bike lanes, plus parking lane, plus landscaping and walking path, plus bioswale for storm-water runoff?). The project will use groundwater pumped from PUC's wells; the project proposes to use no more groundwater than PUC has historically used, based on 20 years of extraction rates (averaging 155,680 gallons per year).
• Twenty percent (76 of 380) of the proposed project housing is identified as affordable ("AH"), consisting of a range of very low, low and moderate income housing. Of the proposed affordable housing, 28 units would be for sale and owner-occupied while 48 housing units would be provided for rent. Thirty-eight (38) of the 76 "AH units" will be built on PUC retained land (Mobile Manor and Court Place) as rental units. They are outside the "Ecovillage" boundary; however, they are included in the project's total number of housing units (380) and they make up ˝ of the required 20% AH for the proposed project. The remaining 38 affordable units would all be "flats" ranging in size between 700-1,100 square feet, 28 of which would be located above the commercial businesses and 10 would be flats in the proposed retirement center.
• The "Ecovillage" Homeowner's Association (HA) would own and maintain the 5.1 acres of parks and pedestrian/bicycle/trail network proposed within the project. PUC would continue to own and maintain the recreational facilities, including the tennis courts and ball-fields.
• The project would provide two parking spaces (either integral garage, detached garage or shared auto-court) for each of the single family homes and cottages and townhomes. Square footage of housing units does not include the associated garage square footage (~ 240 sq ft/garage to 400 sq ft/garage).
• All spaces at townhouses and flats would be held in common ownership by the "Ecovillage" HA, to which homeowners would pay monthly or yearly parking fees. Additionally, 300 parking spaces are proposed for the commercial and community facilities (103 on-street parking and 197 parking spaces in the below-ground "Village Square" parking structure). Retail patrons would be charged via pay stations for parking. The project includes assorted trip and parking fee reduction incentives with prices varying by location and by time of day and day of week.
• The "Ecovillage" HA would lease and operate two hybrid shuttles. Presumably drivers, insurance, and compressed natural gas (CNEG) fuel would all be financed by the Homeowner's Association. A "Mobility Coordinator" (salaried? financed by the HA?) would administer and operate the "Transportation Resource Center" (TRC). "Ecovillage" would purchase and operate 6 electric vehicles for public use within the "Ecovillage" community (funded by HA?). PUC would share in costs for programs also implemented at PUC.
• Project development is proposed to occur in "three main phases" with building to commence in 2012 and final occupancy expected in 2016.
  • Phase I = construction of a portion of the "Village Square Plaza" including grocery store, hardware, bookstore, post office, credit union, teen center, café/bakery, pizza/sandwich deli, and interpretive center overlook . It would include 156 housing units in "Village Square" (comprised of the 105 unit senior center plus 51 other housing units) and 24 housing units at Las Posadas. It would also include farm and upgraded wastewater treatment plant.
  • Phase II = construction of 96 housing units in the Highland Oaks (plus Court Place and relocation of Oaks Drive residents to Mobile Manor).
  • Phase III = Completing construction of "Village Square Plaza" (including art/office supplies, computers/technology, drop-off/pick-up cleaners, "resource center", Sheriff's Substation, professional businesses including real estate, legal services, medical clinic, and dentist, 20-unit Inn with both casual and fine dining restaurants, and "flex space" for offices, gallery or whatever, plus demolition of the existing Plaza, and construction of an additional 104 housing units surrounding the all new commercial area.

At the top of the document list is the project application dated December 14, 2009. Look very closely at pages 23 and 29 for the specific details of what is being proposed. In particular, see the number of individual housing units in this total project that are each 4,000 sq ft.

Bullet point summary prepared for SAVE RURAL ANGWIN 11/05/2009 (updated February 25, 2010) by PJ Peterson.

Webmaster