City OKS Windsor Court Project

Project includes 80 single-family residential units

The Porterville City Council approved Tuesday the Windsor Court Development Project.

The residential subdivision is located on West Henderson, between Westwood Street and the Friant-kern Canal, said Jenni Byers, the city’s community development director.

Byers said the project will include the development of 80 detached single-family residential units on 16.77 acres of land with lots ranging from 4,375 to 9,932 square feet.

The council also adopted and approved a modification to a draft resolution approving the Negative Declaration with mitigation measures for the Windsor Court Development Project, adopted a draft resolution approving a General Plan Amendment, approved a draft ordinance approving the Zone Change, adopted a draft resolution approving the Windsor Court Tentative Subdivision Map, and waived further reading of a draft ordinance approving the Zone Change and ordered it to print.

Due to the proposed density, Byers said the development is inconsistent with the current zoning of RM-3 (High Density Residential) and the General Plan land use designation (GPLU) of High Density Residential. Based on the unique configuration of parcels, a “5-pack” style development including what would typically be considered land locked and flag parcels, Byers said staff recommended a Planned Development, with a corresponding GPLU of low-medium density residential.

Byers said the Planned Development designation allows a mechanism to create a subdivision that is unique in its configuration and on-going function. She said requested entitlements include a tentative map, General Plan Amendment (High Density Residential to Low-medium Density Residential) and a Zone Change from RM-3 (High Density Residential) to PD (Planned Development).

Byers said vehicular access to the site would be provided by Henderson Avenue. She said connectivity throughout the development includes Theta Avenue, along the southern border of the Porter Slough on the north end of the project. She said three streets connect Henderson and Theta Avenues, including Elderwood, Creekview, and Redwood Streets. In order to support the necessary findings for a Planned Development, Byers said a condition of approval has been included for the applicant to install an Ada-accessible pedestrian bridge crossing the Porter Slough that would connect the development with Elderwood Street to the north to accommodate walkability to the school campuses north of the Slough. Byers said an encroachment permit to cross the Porter Slough from the Central Valley Flood Protection Board will be required prior to the issuance of a building permit.

Byers said the project would be constructed in one phase, beginning soon after entitlements are approved, and the applicant, who is a builder as well as a developer, expects construction would be completed in approximately one year. Byers said utilities required to serve the project would include water, sanitary sewer, storm drainage, electricity and telecommunications infrastructure. She said water service, sewage disposal and refuse collection would be provided by the City of Porterville. She added that on-site drainage would be conducted by surface flow and on-site retention.

Byers said the project will require gas, telephone, cable, and electrical improvements. She said natural gas would be provided by The Gas Company, telephone services would be provided by AT&T, electric power would be provided by Southern California Edison Company, and cable television would be provided by Charter Communications. She said the extent of work required

for utilities and gas would be determined during final project design.

Byers said the project is consistent with the findings for a Planned Development, would accommodate the atypical configuration of parcels, includes parkway trees, allows passive recreation and includes a pedestrian bridge connecting the project to adjacent neighborhoods and encourages walkability to nearby school campuses.

Jim Robinson, one of three partners with San Joaquin Valley Homes, the company building the homes, said their company has never built in Porterville before, but are excited to be here.

“We started this company five years ago and we are building currently in Tulare, Visalia, Hanford, Dinuba and Bakersfield,” Robinson said.

Robinson said the homes are very environmentally friendly, use very little water and electricity and range from 1,250 square feet all the way up to almost 1,600 square feet. He said the

price of the homes range from $200,000 to about $230,000 on the low end, to about $260,000 on the bigger homes.

As far as parking, Robinson said each house has four parking stalls — two in the garage and two in the driveway.

Vice Mayor Brian Ward said his biggest concern with the project is the three streets coming onto an arterial.

“Essentially, we are having three residential streets come onto an arterial, which doesn’t make any sense to me,” Ward said. “I am assuming that as we have further development out in that area, all the way out to the Friant Canal, that you are going to have a big problem with all of these exits onto an arterial instead of channeling residential streets to a collector.”

City Public Works Director Mike Reed said the layout for the project was definitely a challenge.

“I think we went through a couple of iterations, maybe even three, I don’t quite remember, trying to get this subdivision configured to

meet the standards, and also to meet the existing parcels in the area,” Reed said, adding that even though the concept is not ideal, it is quite common. “We have it on Westwood Street south of Olive Avenue and we have one on Morton Avenue.”

Ward added that the project works fine for now, but noted that he doesn’t think it will work in the future.

“I think as you add 1,000 more homes or 2,000 more homes out there you are going to have a lot more problems,” Ward said. “I would much rather have a lane where people can

slow down and turn into one street than three residential streets.”

Councilmember Martha Flores said she likes the project, but noted that she has a concern with the congestion of traffic coming onto Henderson as vehicles go to the nearby businesses.

“The project, I am OK with that, it is just the flow of the traffic,” Flores said.

Mayor Milt Stowe’s only concern was what scenario would be better for emergency access.

Porterville Fire Chief David Lapere said there needs to be at least two ways into the residential subdivision.