TS - Proposed development raises hackles in Manila

Another article without all the facts...

Proposed development raises hackles in Manila
James Faulk/The Times-Standard
Article Launched: 04/08/2007 04:24:13 AM PDT

MANILA -- About 20 people gathered on the outskirts of a proposed planned unit development Saturday to voice their concerns and learn about a project that many of them say could harm their community's rural way of life.

An application by landowner Robert Riley could see 17 houses built on an 8.5-acre parcel. But most of that “West Bay Dunes” development would occur on a 3.4-acre portion of the property, creating a denser development than exists in the rest of the seaside town. Half-acre minimum lot sizes characterize much of the community, but planned unit developments can utilize smaller lot sizes.

The project would also set aside the 5 remaining acres as dedicated open space to be owned and maintained by the Manila Community Services District, and it follows the “smart growth” goals of infill development, where new projects do not stretch out into existing agricultural lands or greenbelts, but rather stay within existing communities.

The homes could have as many as three stories.

”The residences will be two or three story (maximum height of 35 feet) and have a maximum size of 4,200 square feet (most residences will be ... 1,900 to 2,800 square feet),” said the public notice published by the county in a local newspaper.
Efforts to contact Riley were unsuccessful by deadline. Organizers of Saturday's tour of the site said Riley and a representative from his contractor decided at the last minute to not attend.

Issues raised by the group included the density, which resident Aryay Kalaki said would irretrievably change the community's rustic attributes that residents cherish.

”We would permanently lose the rural character,” said Kalaki.

Traffic was another concern. The potential addition of 17 homes could add more than 30 cars to the daily in-and-out traffic load borne by Peninsula Drive, which does not have sidewalks.

Resident Ray Reel, who owns a home directly north of the proposed project, said walking his dogs in the mornings and evenings is already a risk.

”It's a little bit scary with the amount of traffic we already have,” said Reel.

He also voiced concerns over trees on the property that he says have been cut down to make room for the project, trees that were a cherished part of the view outside his back window.

He and his wife were hoping to retire in their Manila abode, but given the changes in the landscape he says this project could bring, they're not so sure they will stick around.

The project will require some changes to the topography of the land, event organizers said, with some high spots cut down and some of the low-lying areas filled. That, too, filled many of the residents with concern. Other issues raised included impacts to wetlands on the property, and the potential tsunami risks.

Discussion centered on the permitting process for this project and opportunities that residents would have to air their concerns.

It's scheduled to go to the Humboldt County Planning Commission on May 3, and then it may be appealed to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. The California Coastal Commission would also have jurisdiction, since the project lies within the coastal zone.

A neighborhood meeting on the issue is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Manila Community Center.

Many of those at Saturday's walkabout, on a well-used beach access trail through the property, seemed intent on using the process to halt the project.

But several also said they didn't oppose any development on the property. It's the number of units, and the parcel size, in the current proposal that has raised hackles, they said.

James Faulk can be reached at 441-0511 or jfaulk@times-standard.com.