Sentinel staff report–
Last week Citrus Heights saw the grand opening of a new assisted living center on Greenback Lane along with approval being given for another 88-bed facility to be constructed on Sunrise Boulevard.
The latest facility to be built was approved on Wednesday by Citrus Heights planning commissioners, who unanimously voted in favor of a developer’s plan to construct a 74,000-square-foot senior care facility on a 4.5-acre vacant parcel at 8220 Sunrise Blvd. In 2017, the commission approved a 32,000-square-foot senior living center at 6550 Greenback Lane called The Oars, which held its grand opening for the general public on Saturday.
The Oars was a project of Quantum Care Place CH LLC, while the Sunrise Boulevard project, known as Carefield Senior Care Facility, is owned by Steve Barklis, of SH 7 Citrus Heights, LLC, based in Solana Beach, California.
The Carefield facility will be located towards the Roseville border near Twin Oaks Avenue. Plans call for a two-story design on a primary building, with another one-story building in the rear.
A public hearing was held prior to vote where concerns were voiced about parking at the site, which includes plans for 44 parking spots. Planning Commission Chairman Tim Schaefer said the project’s applicant agreed to shuttle employees from offsite parking areas.
According to a project description included in the commission’s Feb. 26 agenda packet, 20 of the 88 beds are designated to provide memory care and living assistance for those with Alzheimer’s, dementia, “or similar illness.” The facility is to be state-licensed and will offer “daily living assistance, medication administration, housekeeping, entertainment, transportation, and meal service.”
The Planning Commission previously approved a 93-bed assisted living center at the site in 2008 and gave approval for a final 12-month extension in 2017. But the property’s then-owner, Neil Huettenhain, never began construction and the city’s approval expired.
A site plan shows 44 parking spots situated in the front of the primary assisted living building, which exceeds minimum parking requirements, Schaefer said. A fire lane along the north side wrapping around behind the memory care building in the rear in also shown, with an additional vanpool parking spot in the rear.
Amenities are to include an art studio, media room, dining area, exercise studios, family and TV rooms, an activity/game room, library, and a pool. Both buildings include plans for central, landscaped courtyards.
A staff report says the memory care building will be “secured 24 hours a day for security and well-being of the residents.” Full-time housekeeping and maintenance staff will also be at the facility, along with executive, nursing, dining, activity and marketing staff.
All development at the site is to maintain a 45-foot setback from Cripple Creek, which travels along the northern boundary of the property. Twenty-eight trees are to be removed at the site, but three of four large Sycamores near Sunrise Boulevard will remain, along with several dozen other trees.
As a condition of approval, the developer is being required to install several public improvements, including a separated six-foot sidewalk along the street frontage.
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