Photo Credit: Granicus / Town of Danville
(DANVILLE, CA.) – The Danville Planning Commission met on Tuesday, July 14 to open discussions on how to balance preserving Danville’s historical agriculture and address safety and noise concerns from local neighborhoods.
The meeting opened with a quick approval of the consent calendar after commissioners raised a minor point of clarification regarding the attendance record of Commissioner Ian Hawker from the prior meeting, which staff agreed to clarify.
The central discussion centered around an appeal to overturn administrative approval of a Land Use Permit for Woods Ranch, located at 2900 Camino Tassajara. This permit would have authorized an outdoor venue for gatherings, such as weddings or corporate events.
Assistant Planner Jessica Lange explained that the historic barn from 1862 is currently restricted from hosting large indoor crowds due to fire hazards and building codes, and until structural upgrades are made, events and activities remain limited to temporary tents.
Commissioners noted that eight acres of the site are zoned for multi-family housing (under M35), meaning a developer could theoretically build over 300 high-density homes (residences that can accommodate significant populations) on the land; however, in contrast, a low-intensity event venue would be a more viable option to preserve the site’s historic character.
The town also recently approved a traffic management plan that would require parking attendants for larger events, mitigating potential neighborhood impact. Additionally, the designated 2.5-acre space will be at least 200 feet away from the nearest neighbor, and loud or amplified music must stop by 10:00 PM in compliance with local noise ordinances.
Photo Credit: Granicus / Town of Danville
Property owners Jim and Emily Wood shared a heartfelt presentation about their family's 164-year stewardship of the ranch. Moreover, Jim Wood explained that while they frequently receive lucrative offers from housing developers, they themselves prefer a more adaptive use that saves the historic grain mill alongside some of the oldest housing in the neighborhood.
"What would you do if you were responsible for the stewardship of a 164-year-old family legacy?" He added, "The use that most aligns with our values and with the least impact for our family and the community currently is a small-scale boutique gathering space."
Emily Wood, representing the sixth generation, highlighted that hosting celebrations returns the ranch to its historical roots, explaining, "We take maintaining our status as an active, continuous farming operation for over 160 years seriously," and noted her hope to "once again [welcome] people here for life's own red letter days."
However, the mood greatly shifted as local appellant Kathy Crosswaite took to the podium, stating, "I have raised concerns about several aspects of the proposed Wood Family Ranch," specifically emphasizing "the overall effect of this project and the effect it would have on our surrounding neighborhoods."
On behalf of herself and her husband, Ben, Crosswaite raised numerous significant safety concerns. She argued that a commercialized venue would disrupt the quiet, residential character of the neighborhood, citing potential traffic hazards on Camino Tassajara, noise and light pollution from events, and safety surrounding alcohol consumption in a residential area.
Photo Credit: Granicus / Town of Danville
The commission continued to hear public testimony to explore potential compromises between historical preservation and neighborhood peace.
The Danville Planning Commission meets regularly on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
Correction or Addition? If you would like to add information to this report or suggest a correction, please contact me at alizeh.i@lead4earth.org.
0
0
Comments