Current Zoning and Land Use Designation
The site is currently zoned R-1 and is designated Medium Density Residential in the Calistoga General Plan, which allows a density of 4 to 10 units per acre. The proposed project is 5.3 units per acre, toward the low end of the allowed range. The site was designated in the 2003 General Plan update as one of twelve sites available for housing development in Calistoga to meet the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) in order to certify the city's Housing Element.
Various proposals in the past have included from 6 to 8 affordable houses (of 30 to 43 total) and in some cases have included townhouse or apartment configurations for a portion of the housing. Some of the proposals would have required rezoning to PD or R-2 designations. The current project envisions at least 27 affordable houses (of 31 total) in a more clustered approach that allows room for community gardens and a small park. This plan can be accomplished under the current zoning. The Calistoga Municipal Code R-1 Single Family Residential District generally requires lot sizes of 6,000-7,000 square feet, but both Calistoga and the State of California have provisions to allow a density bonus and other design concessions for affordable housing.
Homeowners