paul maska/the placer herald Off-road riding in the areas surrounding Secret Ravine may be a popular pastime, but the trails will eventually be replaced with a 14-foot wide bike path, 120 single-family homes and a nature preserve.

Developments seek to protect wildlife

By: Brad Alexander, The Placer Herald

Tucked away near Interstate 80 and Rustic Hills, developers are making special efforts to work with the surrounding land to preserve a creepy, crawly threatened species.

The Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle is one of California's two officially threatened beetle species and the emerging developments of Vista Oaks and Highlands are expected to have a substantial preserve for the colorful beetle's habitat.

The Rocklin City Council unanimously approved the general plan amendments, rezoning a tentative map for the Vista Oaks and Highlands Parcel A Developments at the regular meeting last week.

"The open space in the area has been heavily damaged from off road vehicle use," said Brad Shirhall, Senior Planner for TLA Engineering and Planning.

The Rocklin Planning Commission approved the Vista Oaks/Highlands project on Oct. 3 with a unanimous vote, leaving the project's future up to the City Council, which approved the project last week.

Although construction on the area isn't expected until 2008, the sign off brought the project one step closer to a reality.

Vista Oaks and Highlands have marked off fewer homes for the project than the city allotted them, with the housing projects expecting to add 120 single-family homes to Rocklin's housing needs.

While many other large housing projects take full advantage of the area they sprawl through, the Vista Oaks/Highlands project will be working together with the land.

"It looks to me like the project itself tries to keep the area in its natural state," said Senior Planner for Rocklin David Mohlenbrok.

Over 15 acres of preserved open space land is expected be added to the South Rocklin area after the project.

The Environmental Impact Report found the project would preserve 83.8 acres of land, which is preserving approximately 67 percent of the total project area's open land.

The majority of land designated as recreation/conservation area (or open space), in the report will be located in the Highland Parcel A Development, totaling 24.5 acres.

"It's a substantial amount of open space," Shirhall said.

The coupled developments are also making efforts to tie together other local developments, like Granite Lakes Estates and Rustic Hills.

A proposed bike trail, that would double as a pedestrian and emergency access trail, would connect the neighborhood park planned at the end of China Garden Road and a small park trailhead, following along side Secret Ravine Creek. Shirhall said the 14-foot wide trail could also become part of a larger bike trail that could connect unincorporated Placer County and Roseville.

"I think the project is going in beautifully," said Mayor George Magnusson. "The bike trail has been a long time visionary plan of the city's."

As the project site is with close proximity to Interstate 80, a sound wall has been proposed in the Environmental Impact Report to further minimize disturbance to Rustic Hills and the upcoming developments.

Construction for the project is expected to begin in 2008.

Close Window