Midtowne, a 34unit subdivision on Healdsburg Avenue between Ferrero Drive and Monte Vista Avenue, began construction this week. The highly visible piece of land along Healdsburg’s main street is fenced off, and site work is expected to last much of the year.
On a long list of conditions that the city of Healdsburg placed on the project approvals are extensive public outreach requirements. Comstock Homes, the Manhattan Beachbased company developing Sorrento Square, has hired a local firm, Munselle Civil Engineering, as the community outreach liaison for the project.
The city not only required a local contact for the project, but mandated that a website be established and updated regularly, with project updates. Cort Munselle said his company has established the website, and it will be updated every three weeks with information about the project. “Anyone can call us or visit the website,” he said.
Munselle said that the next six months will be spent readying the sloping parcel for residential development. “We have to remove 24,000 yards of dirt,” he explained, approximately 1,000 truckloads. The soil will not travel far. It is being relocated to land on north Healdsburg Avenue, behind the restaurant building formerly occupied by CK House.
Moving that much dirt generates dust, and a large overhead water tank is in place on the site, so that water trucks can spray the dirt to minimize dust. Water trucks are taking regular trips to Healdsburg’s wastewater plant to bring treated wastewater for use as dust control and soil compaction, Munselle said.
The project will disrupt pedestrian traffic for most of the year. Construction fences will be moved so that the sidewalk alongside the project is inaccessible. Pedestrians will be required to cross to the west side of Healdsburg Avenue at Powell Avenue or Dry Creek Road, said Munselle. Pedestrian restrictions will be in place once a gap in the sidewalk across the street is filled with a new sidewalk.
Barbara Nelson, Planning and Building Director for the city, confirmed that the 34unit project will be built as it was previously approved in July 2014. “It’s a pretty straight forward project,” she said. “We’ve gone over this quite a bit with the construction team to try and minimize impacts on the neighbors.”
The project will include a small “pocket park” on Monte Vista Avenue. Of the 34 units, six will be made available to families that cannot afford market rate homes. To qualify for one of the units, contact Housing Land Trust at 766.8875.
The website for the project is www.munsellecivil.com/midtowne. The community liaison for the project, Munselle Civil Engineering, can be reached at 3950968.