Housing project advances

Housing project advances
By Jennifer Gentile
Article Launched: 05/21/2008

With minimal comment Tuesday night, Vacaville planning commissioners endorsed a revised plan for phase two of the Southtown project that will now go to the City Council.

Developer D.R. Horton has started construction on about 80 homes to date in the Southtown project area, which encompasses about 280 acres in southeastern Vacaville. The developer revised its plans for phase two of the project and now wants to build 201 single-family homes on 48 acres.

Where cluster-style housing was proposed before, the revised plan calls for detached, single-family homes in neighborhoods of small lots and wide-shallow lots.

"We feel it is the best product for the market," said applicant Vince Fletcher. "It complements what we're doing in Southtown phase one and it's what we're being told buyers are looking for when they go through our existing models."

Addressing the commission, Fletcher said, "We've been working on this for a long time, and we're very proud of where we are today."

Project Engineer Tom Phillippi added, "There's been a lot of thought and consideration, both on our part and the city's part, in bringing (this) to fruition."

The commission generally liked the changes during a study session earlier this year and endorsed them again Tuesday night. Commissioner Brett Johnson called Southtown "a tremendous master-planned development" that is unique in Vacaville.

"It's just a phenomenal project," he said.

In other business, the commission approved Vacaville Christian Schools' plan to convert a 1,800-square-foot, single-family home and freestanding garage into an overflow office building. The converted building will include six offices, a conference center, a reception area, a copy room and a storage room.

"The applicant has stated that the nature of the project is temporary (3 to 5 years)," according to a report from city staff, "and the structure will eventually be demolished to make room for future buildings in the VCS campus."

The commission continued discussion of Fire Station 75, which is part of Southtown, phase two, and has been allotted a one-acre parcel at the corner of Vanden Road and Cogburn Circle.