The Planning Commission approved a residential development on July 16, advancing plans for 10 single-family residential units on a 2-acre lot located on the east side of Mary Street between Frances Street and De Grazia Road, in Ward 4.
The proposed new single-family residences will range in size from 2,651 square feet to 3,121 square feet. The two-story homes will include four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a loft, office, porch and attached two- or three-car garages. Each new residence will feature private open space ranging from 1,547 to 2,263 square feet while the existing residence will have 16,513 square feet of private open space, according to the staff report.
The project, brought by Burke Construction, currently consists of a single parcel developed with a 2,404-square-foot single-family residence, a detached two-car garage and multiple smaller accessory structures that were previously used for animal keeping.
The current residence and garage will remain intact while the smaller accessory structures will be demolished in development, the report said.
The development will also contain nine on-street guest parking spaces and an internal pedestrian network of sidewalks with a seating area, with vehicular access provided from a private street via Mary Street.
However, the project drew opposition from residents living near the site, who argued the development would worsen already congested intersections, increase cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets and create additional safety hazards for pedestrians and schoolchildren.
Resident Clark Taylor, who lives right next to the planned development, questioned why residents didn't have the opportunity to give input.
"We live in Hawarden Hills, which is a very beautiful, old, traditional Riverside neighborhood," he said. "And all of a sudden this high density tenement is coming into our property right in our neighborhood. There'd be traffic issues. There's going to be privacy issues. There's going to be noise issues. All sorts of different things are going to be happening because this is a high density place."
Another resident told commissioners he was concerned that the added electrical and plumbing infrastructure needed for such a development would "break up the road," causing extra traffic in an already congested area.
The resident also said there is an active red-tailed hawk nest in the area — a protected species — and urged the area to be looked at by a biologist.
Planning commissioners spent much of their discussion examining whether the proposed density was appropriate for the site and asking staff about traffic operations, emergency vehicle access and compatibility with adjacent homes.
Staff responded that the project met applicable city development standards.
Several commissioners acknowledged residents' concerns about traffic but said those issues extend beyond a single development and would require broader citywide transportation improvements.
In supporting the project, commissioners cited the city's need for additional housing and noted that infill development along major transportation corridors aligns with Riverside's long-term planning goals.
Correction Wed. July 22, 1:07 p.m.
An earlier version of this story, titled "Planning Commission OKs Magnolia Center Townhomes, La Sierra Subdivision," incorrectly identified this project as a 36-unit townhome development by Melia Homes at Magnolia and Jackson streets. It is a 10-unit single-family residential development on Mary Street, brought by Burke Construction. The story has been updated to reflect the correct information.
