Plan for Broadway & MacArthur gets lukewarm response

It’s back to the drawing board for the developer of Sonoma’s long-vacant Broadway Truck & Auto lot as the City Planning Commission questioned the latest plan, version number four, for the 1.86 acre parcel.

Architect Alex Seidel on January 14 unveiled the latest proposal, an all-residential campus of 30 units, a mix of larger homes and smaller townhouses. Commissioners welcomed an overall reduction of height and mass compared to the earlier plan, the addition of an underground garage, and a six-unit increase in density.

After the last meeting, Seidel said, “It was clear to us we needed to re-think the building size. The thought was, this is not quite the right fit for Sonoma.”

But several commissioners felt the housing mix should include still more units, smaller in size, to create additional affordable housing.

Also of concern was the lack of a retail element. Initial ideas for the parcel, true to the property’s mixed-use zoning designation, included shops, a restaurant and a hotel. Those elements were scrapped in favor of the all-housing design.

Commissioner Chip Roberson questioned if it was even permissible to exclude a commercial element from a multi-use parcel. “That’s how we zoned it,” he said. “That’s problematic for me from the get-go.”

There was also the sense that the high-profile site at Broadway and MacArthur should be a compelling gateway for the City. Commissioner James Cribb said the development should create public engagement along the Broadway corridor. “What is it giving back to the community?” asked.

“This is a challenging site, “ said Commissioner Ron Wellander earlier. “It is important not to get caught in the idea that anything would be better than what is there now.”

Commissioner Chair Don Felder acknowledged that the design answer is “elusive,” but possible. “I’m hearing consensus,” he told developer Dan Diebold. “You have a good chance of all-residential, but there’s a lot of work to be done.

As the meeting was a study session, there was no vote. City Planner David Goodison suggested that the next time the project is brought to the commission, it would be for formal approval.