Many in the Susanville Community are saying no to a proposed 75-unit housing complex.
Those with homes in the Numa area off Skyline voiced their concerns to the Susanville Planning Commission on November 14th, where the developer requested a use permit to construct the apartment-style homes.
In the standing-room-only city hall, residents said they oppose the HillTop Villa complex. They collectively worried about the increased traffic to the quaint neighborhood, speeding, a current problem, sanitation, safety, and noise. However, the largest shared concerns were over sewer line capacity, water pressure, and obstruction of the area’s current unblocked view of the surrounding mountain range.
The complex could potentially house 150 residents. Project Manager with NST Engineering noted that the buildings would be 17.5 feet tall, with the structure’s tip at 24 feet. The max allowed in the current zoning is 35. The engineer also suggested that the overall width of the proposed project would only obstruct ⅓ of the current view.
Many in the audience suggested the project would be better suited in a more centralized location in town. One homeowner in the Numa area said, “Everyone has the right to housing, and this has to go somewhere,” but suggested that plenty of other locations are better suited for this project.
Mayor Quincy McCourt and City Administrator Dan Newton attended the commission’s meeting. The Mayor made it a point that the city did not solicit the project, though it is the landowner’s right, and within legal measures, to build around 62 units without requesting a use permit for the additional units. McCourt also emphasized the commission could have the opportunity to add conditional terms to allow control over some of the issues the community brought to light.
Newton, though, stressed the ultimate concern was the need to address the sewer line, as the Sanitation General Manager also questioned the line capacity, calling it prudent to look into.
The commission returned with tabling the item based on Newton’s recommendation to receive more data from the sanitation department and Police and Fire assessments.
