Logo courtesy of the City of Live Oak

LIVE OAK, CA (MPG) - At the Oct. 7 meeting, the Live Oak City Council considered a resolution to approve a residential lot split for a 0.33-acre parcel located at 2962 Elm St. in the southwest area of the city. If approved, the new parcel maps would be recorded with the county, and the two new parcels would then be available for new residential development.

The city code requires improvements associated with new development, including road widening and the installation of curbs, gutters and sidewalks. However, City Manager Ben Moody said those improvements are often not practical with infill development.

The property is surrounded by other small residential parcels that don’t have curbs, gutters or sidewalks. Adding those improvements and widening the road for just two parcels could cause drainage issues for neighboring properties.

“Really what it comes down to is it’s just not practical. … When you have infill development on streets where there’s a block that doesn’t have any other development, it really doesn’t make any sense to put in curb and gutter,” Moody said.

Moody said a deferred improvement agreement would allow the parcels to be developed without immediate installation of the road improvements, but he clarified that the typical deferment follows the property in perpetuity through changes in ownership, which can get complicated down the line. Instead, he proposed a deferment requiring a deposit payment of half the cost of the improvements, which would be $3,040.

The agreement would allow the city five years to determine if it wants the improvements completed. If the improvements are not necessary within five years, the properties would be released from the obligation, and the city would retain the deposit, similar to an in-lieu fee, to be used for other priority improvement projects.

Mayor Jeramy Chapdelaine said this is an example of a city code that restricts development, so he thought this was a good solution. Since the rest of the street doesn’t have those improvements, he said requiring them would just cause more issues.

Councilmember Nancy Santana said if the city is going to allow the development, it should ensure it’s done according to the code requirements, so she didn’t support the deferment.

The council voted 4-1 to approve the new parcel maps and the deferred improvement agreement, with Santana dissenting.

Councilmember Bob Woten asked about the likelihood that Elm Street would get those road improvements within the five years outlined in the agreement. Moody said those improvements would probably never happen on that street. The city would likely prioritize improvements along school routes or other more walkable areas of the city, not in infill residential neighborhoods.

During city manager updates, Moody said he’s been working with Sutter County on the updated contract with the Sheriff’s Department, and he expects that will come to the council for review at the next meeting. He has also been working on the updated fire services contract and hopes to have some progress to report soon.

Santana asked about recent water testing in the city, and Moody said testing is ongoing. He added that a recent test for PFAS, or forever chemicals, showed lower levels than previous tests. The lower levels have brought the city below the notification level, so staff members are working with the state to determine if any next steps are needed.

The next meeting of the Live Oak City Council is scheduled for Oct. 21.