Placer County released potential designs for an affordable housing project in the Dollar Hill area on a property the county purchased for $3.42 million in August, 2018.

The county, along with the development team, came up with three potential designs for the 11.4-acre property located at 3205 and 3225 North Lake Blvd., based off multiple community meetings.

The first option would construct a total of 204 units with 92 one bedroom units, 48 two bedroom units, 50 three bedroom units, 14 single family homes and 300 parking spaces. The second option would construct 174 total units with 30 studios, 30 one bedroom units, 60 two bedroom units, 42 three bedroom units and 12 single family homes and 323 parking spaces. The third would construct the same number of units as the second with 344 parking spaces.

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“Right now we’re still conceptually looking at this and we’re just looking at what the impacts are going to be with the densities that are allowed on the site,” Placer County Principal Planner Shawna Purvines said at a January community meeting. They’ll be doing an in depth analysis that “looks at everything,” she said, including traffic, water, fire risk, sewer management, parking. “All of those things will be taken into consideration.”

“ … we’re just looking at what the impacts are going to be with the densities that are allowed on the site.” — Placer County Principal Planner Shawna Purvines

County representatives also emphasized the project would be developed in phases.

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“The main idea here is that the project will be developed over time,” said Paul Breckenridge senior architect for Placer County. “One phase leads to another.”

Due to controversy the project has caused, Placer County Board Supervisor Cindy Gustafson said “the county has taken the project over and will be determining what the community wants for this site.” She added that the developer “will certainly be a part of it.”

Gustafson said the project is still in preliminary stages and despite the release of potential plans there will be no development until they get feedback from the community.

MEETING THE NEED?

According to a Mountain Housing Council study, eastern Placer County needs 1,560 units to accommodate residents in the very low and extremely low income bracket. Additionally, another 250 moderate income units and 614 upper-middle income units are needed.

The number of occupied housing units in Dollar Point has decreased from 681 in 2000 to 571 in 2010, according to a project fact sheet. While the North Tahoe-Truckee region has 474 below market rate units, only 77 units are in the Lake Tahoe basin — in Kings Beach. Sawmill Heights, near Northstar is the only other eastern Placer County affordable project, though outside the basin.

“The missing middle is a huge driver or us moving ahead,” said Breckenridge.

An update on the Dollar Creek project will be brought to the Placer County Board of Supervisors in March with project design continuing throughout the spring. Once a design is finalized project hearings will be conducted in fall of 2021. The earliest potential start date for construction is in spring 2022.

Hannah Jones is a reporter for the Sierra Sun. She can be reached at 530-550-2652 or hjones@sierrasun.com.