The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors has rejected local preservationists' attempt to block a proposal to erect two blufftop homes along the American River Parkway.
Its 4-1 decision Wednesday allows the homes to be built 35 feet from the bluff rather than the standard 70-feet guideline.
More than 40 parkway activists – bikers, kayakers, runners and birders – asked the board to keep the area free from development during a hearing that lasted more than 4 1/2 hours.
Preservationists and parkway enthusiasts had cast the debate over the homes as a fight to protect the open-space integrity of the 23-mile recreation area and nature preserve.
"The American River Parkway is a precious and irreplaceable resource," Sacramento resident Jim Morgan testified. "I'd like to urge the board to reject the … proposal."
But attorney Tim Taron said his client, Tim Lien, had proved it was safe to build the homes 35 feet from the bluff, as required, and was doing enough to hide the new homes from public view.
"This is a project that is permitted by your code," Taron said.
Supervisor Don Nottoli was the lone dissenting vote Wednesday. He sided with the staff recommendation that the homes be pushed back to 50 feet from the bluff – even though the 0.89 acre parcel wouldn't be large enough to accommodate the shift without modifying the homes' size.
The county had previously approved homes at the site within the gated Riverwood community in 2000 and again in 2004. The Save the American River Association sued to block that project and paid $5,000 to force Wednesday's hearing.
The initial project included three homes using modern designs. The current project calls for two earth-toned craftsman-style homes and includes plans for more tree plantings, new drainage requirements, and new watering rules.
The project replaces an existing single-story, 5,700-square-foot home with a single story house and a two-story house. The two-story house would be 5,800 square feet and 28 feet high. The single story would be 4,800 square feet.
Supervisor Susan Peters, whose district includes the Carmichael neighborhood where the homes will be built, said the activists' efforts helped.
"This is a better project than the one approved in 2004," Peters said. "I'm saddened that SARA does not see this project as a win for the parkway."
Wednesday's debate hinged on whether a 70-foot setback was a requirement or a suggestion. Rules governing building in the area require proponents to perform a detailed study on the stability of the soil if they want to build closer to the bluff.
After reading an exhaustive report on the issue, the board concluded is was safe to build there. The only other major question was whether the developer was doing enough to obstruct the homes' view from the parkway. On that point, the board also concluded the project met the mark.
Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan said she wants the county to do a better job ensuring that existing homes along the river abide by the rules – a point SARA raised – but added that this wasn't the project on which the association should be drawing a line in the sand.
Warren Truitt, SARA's president, conceded the point, adding that the larger goals were to push existing property owners to do a better job blending in with the habitat and to send a message to future developers.
During his testimony, Truitt took the supervisors on a digital tour of the parkway, with pictures of turtles, deer, birds, leaves turning colors and a rainbow. Then, he turned his attention to homes that he claimed aren't living by rules requiring that they have earth-tones and are screened by trees and brush.
He showed pictures of a pink home, a yellow home, homes with few trees at all, a home with an illegal grass lawn, and several photographs where the natural bluff has been covered with cement to prevent erosion.
Several board members said they want the county to do better at enforcing the rules and Truitt said they'll be back to hold them to it.
The developer Tim Lien, whose company RDN Construction owns the property, said he hopes the fight is over.
"I'm pleased to have been approved and am hopeful this is the end of the road," Lien said.
He said the plan was for his brother to occupy one home and his parents to live in the other.
Call The Bee's Ed Fletcher, (916) 321-1269.
