Santa Rosa City Council
March 24, 2026

Appeal of Minor Conditional Use Permit: 5761 Mountain Hawk Dr.

Overturn the Planning Commission approval based on Use Incompatibility, Scale and Operator REQUEST

Summary of Appellant’s PositionWe support recovery services, but location and scale matter and are appropriate bases for denial.The proposal is no longer a "neighborhood home“ — it is a Regional Institutional Hub. Quadrupling capacity (from 6 to 24 beds) changes the fundamental nature of the land use.Eliminating much needed 7 affordable housing units in our community.

Conflict Map"Institutional Island" in a residential sea.Directly on a primary student walking route.Adjacent to a sensitive Riparian Corridor/Fire Zone.

Zoning Integrity (The General Plan)Neighborhood Commercial (CN) Goal:To serve the day-to-day needsof local residents.The Mismatch:The proposed expansion provides zero daily services to Skyhawk residents.Precedent:If CN zoning allows a regional institution here, no local plaza in any district is protected.

Intensity vs. Physical SuitabilityFrom 6 to 24 beds: quadrupling the intensity.24/7 rotating staff shifts, medical deliveries, and emergency vehicle frequency.The site was designed for small-scale retail, not high-turnover institutional care.Lack of solution of smoking for 24 patients and staffOverconcentration: 500 feet away from another community care facility Discrediting "Independent" Support- PC Findings Unsupported by EvidencePlanning Commission was told "businesses support this”The Truth:The applicant is the landlordfor these businesses.Tenant support is a financial byproduct, not a community consensus.

Safety & Fire Evacuation Risks- No Evaluation of Impacts24 clients + staff at a single exit point in a fire-prone area is a liability.Detox patients are "under care" and cannot evacuate themselves independently.Making evacuation thru Hwy 12 exit worse for 400+ homes

Pura Vida Practice & Impact on Neighborhood10+ loud people smoking on front porch multiple times a dayNeighbors are very unhappy about the noises Neighbors are very unhappy the amount of parking the staff take up6-bed Townview Facility (1506 Rone Dr) is used for day programming for all three existing Pura Vida detox facilitiesUp to18 clients for day programming hereNeighboring houses have been on and off the market for many years without a sale after several price reductions.

Commissioners’ Dissenting Voice – Skyhawk Neighborhood was unrepresentedCommissioner Carter:Noted site is unsuitable for this intensity.Commissioner Sanders:Questioned the lack of data showing a need to expand for thisspecific location.Missing Voice:District 5’s appointee (Horton) was absent.

Collective Community Voice500+ people opposed120+ submitted written objections to City Council and Planning CommissionersConstituent opposition across all 7 Districts.This is a city-wide mandate to protect neighborhood Commercial zoning.

ConclusionThe project violates the spirit of the "Complete Neighborhood" vision.Council has the discretion and ability to say no to this proposalRequest:Uphold the Appeal. Deny the Permit.The Council cannot make Finding "C" (Compatibility) or Finding "D" (Suitability).