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Citrus Heights Messenger

Planning Commission Recommends Adoption of Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan

Oct 28, 2021 12:00AM ● By Story by Shaunna Boyd

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - On October 20, the Citrus Heights Planning Commission held a Special Meeting to consider the adoption of the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan, which will guide redevelopment of the 100-acre Sunrise Mall site. The draft of the Specific Plan was released in July for public review, after 18 months of work by staff and the consultant firm, Gensler.

The City doesn’t own any of the mall property, so any future redevelopment will be undertaken by the various owners and any associated developers. But as Gensler’s Project Manager Nate Cherry explained, the Specific Plan will ensure that proposed redevelopment projects meet the community’s vision of transforming the site into “a new heart for Citrus Heights.”

Cherry described the Specific Plan as a “flexible framework” that will allow City leaders to gauge whether redevelopment proposals meet the established criteria and are a good fit for the vision of Citrus Heights. This framework will help drive economic growth as well as allowing the site to be revitalized, becoming “the perceptual downtown of the whole city,” said Cherry.

The Specific Plan focuses on a highly walkable site that is interconnected with the surrounding streets and neighborhoods. The central area of the property will serve as the Main Street, which will focus on food and beverage, as well as unique retail experiences.

The vision also includes a two-acre central open space called Sunrise Commons, which will serve as a town square, with space for community events throughout the year. This will be the heart of the complex, where people can gather to play or picnic, watch fireworks, attend outdoor concerts, and browse farmers markets. This flexible space could become the new center of the community, with the potential for more than 100 community events each year.

An employment anchor is planned for one end of the site, which could be a hub for tech, biotech, and healthcare, creating long-term jobs in addition to the short-term jobs created during the construction phase. An entertainment anchor on the other end of the property would draw locals and other visitors to the site for family-friendly activities. Cherry said theaters, concert space, and event programming throughout the year will maximize engagement on the site.

Numerous housing types are also planned throughout the site, which will attract working professionals, young families, and seniors. Accommodations would also include a variety of hotel options, such as boutique, full service, and extended stay.

The Specific Plan also focuses on the creation of a network of parks, plazas, and open spaces, all interconnected by trails, paths, and walkable streets throughout the site. The Plan suggests up to 25 acres dedicated to open space, which is a quarter of the total property.

A transit center that is easily walkable from 80% of the property will ensure more accessibility, and other policies in the Plan encourage a greater choice in mobility, such as biking, ride sharing, and electric vehicles.

After the public review process, some changes were made to the Specific Plan to streamline the process for minor administrative modifications, increase flexibility, and enhance sustainability. Cherry explained that flexibility is critical because the Plan will be implemented over many years, and rigid guidelines could impede the marketability of projects.

Updated sustainability policies include specifications for electric vehicle charging stations in all parking structures and surface parking lots, as well as language encouraging alternative travel methods and the use of solar panels in new buildings. Language was also added to ensure increased tree canopy and continuous shade along sidewalks and pedestrian pathways.

Implementing the Specific Plan requires an amendment to the City’s General Plan. The amendment changes the site’s designation from General Commercial to a totally new designation created especially for this Plan: MarketPlace Mixed Use. (The new designation could also be applied to other sites in the future.) In addition to the General Plan amendment, the site also must be rezoned from a Shopping Center to a Special Planning Area—the Sunrise Tomorrow Planning Area. These changes would allow for a mix of uses on the site, including space for retail, offices, hotels, community areas, 2,200 residential units, and approximately 25 acres of open space.

Another consideration was the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which showed that it won’t be possible to mitigate all significant impacts from future redevelopment—in particular, air quality and greenhouse gasses. But a Statement of Overriding Consideration can be issued, which balances the unavoidable adverse impacts against the benefits of the proposed project. The Statement acknowledges that the impacts will occur, but states that the benefits of the project—from economic impacts, increased housing, and improved quality of life—outweigh the adverse impacts.

After reviewing all the updates, the Planning Commission unanimously voted to certify the EIR with the Statement of Overriding Consideration, amend the General Plan, rezone the site, and adopt the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan. The Commission’s recommendation will be passed on to the City Council, which will hold a vote later this year.

Planning Commission Chair Thomas Scheeler said, “This is an exceedingly important action that we’ve taken tonight. … This is really something for the future of Citrus Heights and all the community.”