On Wednesday evening, the Davis Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive a presentation on the Draft EIR for the Lincoln40 project. The commission will hear public comments on the Draft EIR as well as provide feedback to staff.
The proposed project would include a total of 130 rental units and will be designed specifically as off-campus student housing. The project is expected to add 708 bedrooms and provide student housing in a market that currently has a 0.2 percent vacancy rate according to 2015 and 2016 UC Davis Housing Studies.
“The development is primarily designed as an off-campus student-housing complex, but the applicant’s project narrative states that the project would be available to qualified students and non-students,” staff writes.
The Davis Chamber CEO Christina Blackman issued a statement on Thursday in advance of the Planning Commission’s hearing on the Draft EIR of the Lincoln40 project.
In her statement, Ms. Blackman writes:
“Lincoln40 project is a rental community designed to provide students and young professionals an accessible place to live close to UC Davis, shopping, dining and other amenities. It will offer 708 single and double-room occupancy style beds in 130 units to accommodate various financial situations. Rooms will be fully furnished and secure. Transportation by foot and bike will be encouraged, with access to zip cars, and ample bicycle storage space. Study rooms, a fitness center, bike lounge and other amenities will help to create a positive atmosphere for residents to live and learn.
“This project is supported by the Davis Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and we encourage our members and the wider community, to keep informed on projects such as this one and participate whenever possible. If you are in support of one or both of these items, or would like to learn more, please attend this important meeting tomorrow night.”
The following is a statement of support adopted by the Davis Chamber of Commerce Executive Board of Directors on May 25, 2017:
“The Davis Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors supports Highbridge Properties Lincoln40 student housing project proposed on a 6-acre parcel on Olive Drive.
“Highbridge Properties has a multi-family off-campus student housing focus and this project is no exception. Highbridge has a strong and stable history of over three decades of acquiring, developing, financing, and managing more than $1.5 billion in property assets.
“The Lincoln40 project is slated to include 708 beds which will be leased separately and will include over 10,000 square feet of communal areas for residents. The project is slated for 5-stories with fully furnished units ranging from 2-5 bedrooms and 204 parking spaces, all of which will be ‘paid’ by tenants and will include zip-car options.”
Chamber Position on Housing Supply
The Davis Chamber of Commerce generally supports the goals and policies of the Davis General Plan’s Housing Element which promotes an adequate supply of affordable ownership and rental housing for local employees, students, low income and disabled persons, and seniors (2001 General Plan Goals 6.1 and 6.2).
Specifically, the chamber supports the city standards and actions which implement these goals and policies, including:
- Providing a range of unit sizes and a mix of housing types, densities, designs, prices, and rents (General Plan Policy 1.1);
- Providing a buyer’s selection process for low, moderate, and middle income ownership units which gives the highest priority to households with a member of the local workforce (General Plan Policy 4.3); and
- Encouraging a variety of housing types and care choices for seniors of all income levels (General Plan Policy 1.8).
“The mission of the Davis Chamber of Commerce is to promote, support and advocate on the general economic vitality of its membership and the quality of life for the community.”
Also in the news: Sun is hot.
Should we ignore the Trackside neighbor when they oppose that development just because we expect it?
You seem to get oddly offended when I say the sun is hot.
The neighborhood is not against redevelopment of the Trackside site. We supported a mixed-use project on this site and the two blocks along the tracks in the early 2000’s and in conjunction supported bringing the two blocks along the railroad from 3rd to 5th into the Core Area Specific Plan to support that project.
That proposed project was within the Design Guidelines and tapered from one to three stories away from the neighborhood. The neighborhood supported that proposal — with a footprint all the way from 3rd to 5th. So don’t say that neighborhood opposition to redevelopment at the Trackside site is expected — the neighborhood in fact supports redevelopment there — it’s all a matter of size, appropriateness, scale, fitting in with the historic and neighborhood setting, precedent setting, impacts, and adherence with the design guidelines (not “expected” or “possible future” guidelines).
Tell me, do those of us in the neighborhood that currently have to abide by the design guidelines get to claim, “I don’t have to, because the guidelines I expect to see in the future allow me to do this!” ???
Puh-F—ing-leeeeeeez.
“Should we ignore the Trackside neighbor when they oppose that development just because we expect it?”
Hold on there a moment. Have Trackside neighbors come out opposing this development ? I know you know that I have come out in favor of it even though my home is located within a block of the development and we just spoke about it.
He was speaking of Trackside in this question.
Tia – are you missing my point by focusing on the specifics. The general point is that people often raise points that we expect them to raise from a position we expect them to take, and we don’t ignore their opinions just because they are “the usual suspects.”