Residents to get first look Monday at a new senior development planned on long-contested Highway 12 site

The proposal calls for 275 apartments and single-family homes and about half the property would be preserved as open space.

Burbank officials say the project would add high-quality senior housing in eastern Santa Rosa, including much needed affordable housing, to meet the needs of a growing segment of the population that is increasingly being edged out of the market by rising prices, spokesperson Stefanie Bagala said.

Site plans show the layout for a proposed senior housing development on Highway 12 that includes 275 apartments and single-family homes. (City of Santa Rosa)

Residents will get a first public look at the proposal during a neighborhood meeting Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Oakmont Village East Recreation Center, 7902 Oakmont Dr.

The project team is expected to provide an overview of the plans and city officials will be on hand to discuss the review process, Bagala said.

Residents will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback during the meeting. Those unable to attend in person can join on Zoom using the meeting ID 83659439620 or dialing 877-853-5257. Online comments won’t be accepted.

Burbank’s proposal represents the latest plans for the site that have come forward in the last 30-plus years and includes concessions intended to address next-door opposition from Oakmont, which blocked a prior effort to develop the property.

Christel Antone, general manager of Oakmont Village Association, the 55-and-older community of about 4,500 people southeast of the property, said residents have long been concerned about the scale and character of any proposed project, particularly its impact on traffic during emergency evacuations.

Oakmont officials over the past three years have been working with Burbank in hopes of landing on a project that residents can get behind, she said, and many of their suggestions have been implemented into the design, such as capping the number of units built and restricting homes to seniors.

Proposal calls for four small neighborhoods, green space

The project, known as the Southeast Santa Rosa Senior Housing Community, would be designed as four distinct neighborhoods clustered around green space, according to a copy of the project plans.

All the housing would be designated for people 55 and older.

It includes 74 affordable rental apartments planned across two, two-story buildings. The buildings, surrounding a small courtyard, will be built on 2.5 acres closest to Highway 12.

Units will range in size from one to two bedrooms and the apartments will include a common room where residents can gather, a media room, on-site laundry, bike storage and a community garden, according to the project plans.

Burbank would oversee construction of this part of the project.

The nonprofit builder will partner with a market-rate developer to build out the rest of the site.

Early plans call for 72 market-rate apartments, 23 cottage-style homes and 106 single-family detached homes on lots ranging in size from about 4,000 to 21,000 square feet.

Burbank submitted preliminary plans to the city in late 2024 and submitted revised plans last November.

About 35 acres will be preserved as open space and parkland, including areas around Melita, Annadel and Oakmont creeks, which cross the property.

Developers also propose completing nearly a mile of new bike trail that will connect to the Sonoma Valley Regional Trail and adding new walking paths throughout the site that would expand access to nearby city, county and state parks.

Plan seeks to address neighborhood concerns

Burbank Housing purchased the property from prominent Sonoma County developer Bill Gallaher in December 2022 for $3 million.

Developers had unsuccessfully tried to build on the site, long known as the Elnoka property, for decades but various plans stalled following financial struggles, red tape and opposition from neighboring Oakmont residents.

Gallaher, in selling the property, said he became worn down by years of delays and wanted to turn his attention elsewhere.

For Burbank, the acquisition marked the largest land purchase in the nonprofit’s then 43-year history and a massive test.

But officials at the time said their reputation and track record of delivering large, complicated projects would help them do what others before couldn’t — get a project off the drawing board.

So far, it appears Burbank’s path has proven to be smoother.

The city and state have made sweeping changes to development processes in recent years intended to boost housing production, including cutting down the amount of time it takes to review certain permit applications.

Burbank also has gained what appears to be early buy-in from the Oakmont board.

Residents there have long raised concerns over the size of a development, that a project could mar views of the scenic Valley of the Moon and that added residents could clog the two-lane highway, the main artery through Oakmont and Sonoma Valley.

The traffic concerns have become even more pressing as large fires have threatened the community.

The neighborhood, nestled on the valley floor between the forested mountains of Sugarloaf Ridge and Trionne-Annadel state parks, is among the city’s most fire-prone areas. It escaped heavy damage during the 2017 Nuns and 2020 Glass fires but the fires forced the evacuation of thousands leading to traffic backups along Highway 12.

Residents have lobbied the city to add a second exit out of Oakmont and for the expansion of Highway 12 to ease congestion.

Antone said she and Oakmont board members have regularly met with Burbank to discuss their concerns and the effort has resulted in several concessions.

Burbank has agreed to construct an emergency vehicle access road that will run along the back of the property and connect to Oakmont at Stonebridge Drive. A new fire and utility access road also will connect to the property at Susan Road.

“Oakmont has long been looking and pushing for new evacuation routes and most have led to dead ends, would take a lot of work or would be very costly,” Antone said. “This is a big win for us.”

Burbank also agreed not to build more than 300 homes on the site — about half the units proposed under an earlier proposal by Gallaher — and to limit the height of all buildings to two stories.

Structures also will be set further back from the property line to create a greater buffer between the existing and new development.

Antone, who took over as general manager a few years ago and wasn’t involved in prior development discussions, acknowledged that the property is likely to be developed at some point. Members, she said, have long wanted to be part of shaping what’s built but prior efforts to work with developers have been rebuffed.

Burbank has been a good partner, willing to listen and incorporate residents’ input into their plans, she said.

The Oakmont board has agreed not to formally oppose the project and has encouraged residents to support the plans.

Still, Antone said the project likely will draw some tough questions from residents on Monday and some opposition, primarily over concerns that even the addition of a couple hundred new residents could impact traffic.