The Old East Davis Neighborhood Association in mid-afternoon requested a rescheduling of the Trackside Center Mixed Use Project hearing after learning that one Planning Commission member would be recusing themselves and another would miss the meeting.
In a letter from Rhonda Reed, she noted, “We were informed this afternoon that one of the Planning Commissioners has been recused, and several Commissioners with unique expertise are now unavailable. Not to detract from the expertise of the 4 Commissioners who could be present this evening, we feel that the extreme and unexpected reduction of their number also would limit the extent of the input that can be applied to their recommendation should they proceed with this item tonight.”
She additionally noted, “The City is proposing a streamlined CEQA review process with a 30 day public comment period that closes August 11, 2017. The Planning Commission is being asked to recommend to the City Council to approve the Initial Study, without having the benefit of the comments received in the public review period, as well as having only a limited period to review this document.”
She noted, “Given that this is a new process being employed by the City we would like the Planning Commissioners to provide their recommendation based on the fullest possible information.”
She said, based on her conversation, the item is re-scheduled for August 23 before the Planning Commission and scheduled to come before the City Council for the September 12 meeting. 
In a note from Kemble Pope and Steve Greenfield, the project managers, “We have decided to not object to this request as it fosters increased community involvement and will not delay the project’s hearing at the 09/12/2017 City Council Meeting. We are committed to a transparent process being followed and all voices in our community being heard with due deliberation.”
Now postponed until August 23, the Davis Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on the Trackside Center project, as the city has prepared a Sustainable Communities Environmental Assessment (SCEA) Initial Study and intends to adopt the SCEA as part of the project. Prior to that adoption, there is a mandatory 30-day public review period.
The Trackside project in its latest iteration proposes to redevelop two existing commercial buildings just to the east of the railroad tracks north of Third Street.
The current design has a new four-story, 47,983-square-foot building with 8,950 square feet of commercial retail space on the ground floor, and 27 apartment units on the three floors above.
The project also includes 30 covered and uncovered parking spaces, an outdoor plaza on the west side, landscaping, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, alley improvements, and other site improvements.
According to the report, the proposal would change the existing alleyway from a two-way to a one-way alley.
Apartment units include a mix of studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units ranging in size from 705 square feet to 1,537 square feet plus balconies. Thirty parking stalls are provided in a mix of covered and uncovered spaces. In addition to the apartment units and retail spaces, the building includes common areas for a manager’s office, lobby, mail room, bike storage, utility room, trash room, a lounge and roof terrace.
The city “has determined that the proposed project qualifies as a Transit Priority Project under the California Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 21155 for implementation of a Sustainable Communities Strategy. Consistent with the requirements for a Transit Priority Project, a Sustainable Communities Environmental Assessment (SCEA) Initial Study has been prepared pursuant to PRC Section 21155.2.”
In March of 2016, the group of local investors announced that they needed to create a new proposal in hopes of generating more neighborhood support.
They hosted a public workshop in order to receive comments.
The result was a scaled-down project that was submitted in September 2016.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
