Project Melds Retail, Office, Living Spaces

Project Melds Retail, Office, Living Spaces
By Jennifer Gentile/Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com

An application to build a mixed-use building on Merchant Street, as well as a time-extension request for the Knoll Creek subdivision, come before the Vacaville Planning Commission tonight.

Staff recommends approval of the mixed-use project, which proposes building a 7,020 square-foot retail, office and residential building on a 4.6-acre site at 446 Merchant St.

The project would feature 1,490 square feet of ground floor retail space, 3,330 square feet of second- and third-floor office space and two 1,100 square-foot residential units on the third floor.

The project proposes removal of all trees on the site, including some Pecan trees in good condition, according to a staff report.

New landscaping would be completed in the parking lot area, along the perimeter of the building and in the southwest corner of the site that would include plants and trees like Chinese pistache, river Birch and Southern Live oak.

Also, according to the report, public hearing notices were sent to all residents within a 600-mile radius of the site. As of March 29, one comment was reportedly received from one adjacent property owner who was concerned that "shared utilities and access with the proposal could create some adverse impacts on his property and that the proposed building does not architecturally match his building."

After planners met and talked with this property owner, it appears he will support the project, according to staff.

The commission's agenda also includes a proposed time extension for the Knoll Creek sub- division. Knoll Creek is a planned 38-lot development on a 22.66-acre parcel on the south side of McMurtry Lane to the west of Browns Valley Road. The lots range from 10,000 square feet to 14,939 square feet, and 10 acres would be designated open space.

The planning commission approved a tentative map and planned development application for the project in March of 2005. The commission also approved house plans for the project in November.

If approved, the map and planned development would get a two-year extension. No changes are being requested to the original conditions of approval.

The commission meets tonight at 7 in the City Hall council chamber.

Jennifer Gentile can be reached at vacaville@thereporter.com.