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Healdsburg’s Saggio Hills now before three council members

DEVELOPERS OFFER MORE HOUSING, FINANCIAL BACKING FOR CITY’S LANDMARK PROJECT

HEALDSBURG – After more than 20 public meetings, final deliberations are set to begin Wednesday and could wrap up within a week on the landmark 258-acre Saggio Hills resort and housing project.

Because two of the council members in Healdsburg recused themselves and a majority vote is required for approval of Saggio, the remaining three council members must come to a consensus on the project.

Saggio Hills is the largest of any project of its kind thus far in the Healdsburg area.

Planning commission hearings began last September, and all of the entitlements were unanimously approved before the project was forwarded to the city council for consideration.

The city council has completed 10 public hearings and is expected to now finalize the terms of the agreement between the city and the developers.

“Our approach has been to listen to the city and to the community and offer a proposal with significant benefits to Healdsburg,” said Tony Korman of Saggio Hills. “Our commitment to LEED and Build it Green will be a great example of a project that has minimal impact on the land and establishes a very high bar for green-building standards. We believe that this will be the first LEED-certified five star resort hotel in the world.”

In addition to the already agreed upon 14-acre site for affordable housing, 37 acres for a community park plus $3 million toward park construction, land for a fire substation and $1 million toward construction, Saggio Hills is prepared to give $1 million for the affordable housing and an additional $750,000 for the station, which Saggio will build.

When complete, Saggio Hills will include 33 bungalows with 130 total guest rooms, 70 for-sale luxury homes, a spa and health club, at least two swimming pools, conference and wedding facilities, a restaurant and other amenities.

Jim Wood, vice mayor and one of the three on the council who will cast a vote, said Saggio Hills is expected to generate $2 million to $3 million a year for the city.

According to the terms that Saggio Hills has agreed upon, 67 percent of the land would be a combination of open space and undeveloped land, including trails. The trail system will connect to the Healdsburg Ridge Trails.

Three years ago the city conducted a survey that found that the No. 1 priority of Healdsburg residents was more outdoor recreational space.

“It is not uncharacteristic of a complex project like this to take a long time. As for the scope of this project, it is probably on the fast side. It is a tremendous project for the community and kind of sets the bar as to what communities can request from developers,” said Rick Tooker, planning and building director for Healdsburg.

“I have been working for 20 years and have never seen a project of this size offer such contributions to the city. The community will benefit in a way I have never seen in the past,” Mr. Tooker said.