Locals Oppose Potential Development of Kassis Property

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Proposed development of the 40-acre Kassis property in Rancho Cordova could destroy a sizeable area of open space along the American River. Just north of Folsom Blvd., the property is privately owned and bounded by quiet neighborhoods near the western boundary of Rancho Cordova. TruMark Homes plans to build 245 new residences on the property, ranging from townhouses along Folsom Blvd. to riverfront homes on quarter-acre lots.

An approximate 20-ft. embankment separates the open fields of the 20-acre upper plateau from the 20-acre lower basin, which is part of the 100-year floodplain and contains the remnants of an old walnut orchard and many heritage oaks. TruMark would remove most of the trees in order to level the grade, moving dirt from the upper plateau to fill the lower basin.

The property currently provides habitat for a variety of wildlife such as deer, bobcats, foxes, coyotes, hawks, eagles, owls, and many more. Sergio Diaz lives near the property, describing it as “quiet and beautiful.” The development as proposed would “change the Parkway forever,” he said.

The property also has historical significance. The lands around the American River were home to the Nisenan tribe, and 3,500-year-old remains were found on a parcel adjacent to the Kassis property. Signs of a village were unearthed there as well, and the owner of that parcel, Lisa Pappas, is certain more archaeological discoveries would be disturbed or damaged if the Kassis property is excavated for development.

The property was part of the 35,521-acre Rancho de los Americanos land grant given to William Leidesdorff (one of the founders of San Francisco and one of California’s first bi-racial black citizens) in 1844 by the Mexican government. The Pony Express—which delivered mail between Missouri and California from April 1860 until October 1861—followed the American River through the Sacramento Region, passing right through the Kassis property.

Jean Fox worries about the potential loss of this historical site in Rancho Cordova: “Our roots have been forgotten.” While she is glad to see more development in Rancho Cordova, she stressed the importance that development “be thoughtful.”

Most concerned residents do not object to development of the upper plateau; it is the lower basin they believe should be preserved as wild, open space. Mark Berry said, “It’s a unique asset of Rancho Cordova.” Building over the land would “squander it,” he said.

Because the property was zoned for agriculture, neighbors thought the land was safe from development. But the City of Rancho Cordova adopted the Folsom Boulevard Specific Plan in 2006, with the goal of transforming the Folsom Blvd. corridor into a more vibrant urban area. Amendments to the Plan in 2013 rezoned the Kassis property for residential mixed use. Adjacent property owners say they weren’t notified of this change or given the opportunity to voice objections. Berry said they didn’t even realize this change had been made until they heard about the TruMark development.

When asked about the lack of notification, the City’s communications and public affairs director, Maria Kniestedt, explained that when notifications are required for more than 1,000 properties within 500 ft. of the rezone, the Zoning Code allows for notification by taking out a 1/8^th page advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation. Multiple properties were rezoned as part of the 2013 Amendment to the Specific Plan, pushing the number of required notifications for the entire project to well over 1,000.

The rezone of the Kassis property to residential mixed use opened the door for a potential housing development, and a presentation by TruMark introduced residents to the plans last year. “That’s what made us start to dig,” said Helen Bashaw. She said that TruMark gave a “sales pitch” instead of answering their questions. “They’re not looking at what damage they’re going to do to this gem of the land,” said Bashaw. Representatives for TruMark did not respond to a request for comment.

Residents were alarmed to find out that the TruMark plans had already been underway for a couple years. The developer had been meeting with City staff as they work to finalize plans for the official Rancho Cordova City Council public hearing, so Diaz feels there has been “a lack of public transparency. It’s creating a suspicion.” Residents have expressed their concerns multiple times during public comment at Rancho Cordova City Council meetings.

Residents want access to whatever information is available to City staff as part of the planning process. Berry commented, “For us, in our neighborhood, it’s become very pressing. … It’s important to those of us who would be dramatically impacted by this development to have that information.”

At a City Council meeting late last year, Councilmember Donald Terry said, “This is the time in the process for our staff to be collecting public data and public input on this matter to share with us at a public hearing at a later date.”

Rancho Cordova City Attorney Adam Lindgren responded to comments, stating that the environmental impacts of the project are still being analyzed by staff: “The community doesn’t have final documents because we haven’t produced any.”

Communications and Public Affairs Director Kniestedt provided a recent update, writing, “We are in the fact-finding stage of the Kassis project, which includes in-depth studies of various elements that could affect the project, including studies on Traffic, Drainage, Biological, Cultural, Geotechnical, Noise, and Trees. We do not yet have all of the data we need to complete the environmental report.”

The City anticipates the public hearing on the project will be held in late spring, and neighbors and interested residents will be mailed notices.  

Representatives from Save the American River Association (SARA) plan to attend the eventual public hearing to oppose the TruMark development, citing destruction of wildlife habitat, impacts to threatened and endangered species, and increased risk of flood and erosion. SARA President Stephen Green said of the plan, “I can’t imagine it’s viable.” Green explained that development of the lower basin would be restricted by the American River Parkway Plan of 2008. As proposed, the current plan “would violate state law,” he said. “If this goes forward, there will be lawsuits.”

The development plans spurred neighbors to research the property, discovering another legal issue. Public easements through the property were granted to the County in 1973 by John Kassis and the other owners as part of a limited development agreement. Locals say that although the official easements were never marked, generations of residents have used existing pathways on the property to enjoy the river views. After reports by neighbors, Code Enforcement concluded that an established wooden fence near the end of Stirling Park Drive had been blocking the easements for years, and more recently installed chain link fencing was prohibited in residential neighborhoods.

The current owners were cited for the violations and they removed the chain link fencing, but they are appealing the violation regarding the easements. The owners’ position is that the easements as granted in 1973 cannot be accessed by the public without trespassing, because the construction of adjacent properties over the intervening years has effectively blocked the original easement entrance. They want the City to abandon the easements in favor of future easements created in the TruMark development, if approved. The appeal hearing is scheduled for April 20.