New owner proposes 74,000-square-foot senior care facility on Sunrise Blvd

Sentinel staff report–
The Citrus Heights Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Wednesday night prior to voting on whether to approve a developer’s plan to construct an 88-bed senior care facility on a 4.5-acre vacant parcel on Sunrise Boulevard.

The proposed 74,000-square-foot project, referred to as Carefield Senior Care Facility, would be constructed at 8220 Sunrise Blvd., 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.

According to a project description included in the commission’s Feb. 26 agenda packet, 20 of the 88 beds would be designated to provide memory care and living assistance for those with Alzheimer’s, dementia, “or similar illness.” The facility would be state-licensed and 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.

The site’s current owner is listed as Steve Barklis, of SH 7 Citrus Heights, LLC, based in Solana Beach, California. The project applicant is Portland, Oregon-based LRS Paul Boundy Architects.

A site plan shows 44 parking spots situated in the front of the primary assisted living building, with a fire lane along the north side wrapping around behind the memory care building in the rear. An additional vanpool parking spot is shown in the rear.

Proposed amenities 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 would be “secured 24 hours a day for security and well-being of the residents.” Full-time housekeeping and maintenance staff would also be at the facility, along with executive, nursing, dining, activity and marketing staff.

All development at the site would maintain a 45-foot setback from Cripple Creek, which travels along the northern boundary of the property. Twenty-eight trees would be removed at the site, but three of four large Sycamores near Sunrise Boulevard would remain, along with several dozen other trees.

According to a planning division staff report, no written comments in support or opposition to the proposal were received by the city as of last week. Property owners within 500 feet of the site were mailed notice about the proposal, and the area’s neighborhood association was also notified. A public hearing notice was also published in the Sacramento Bee, the report said.

As a condition of approval, planning division staff are recommending the commission require the developer to install several public improvements, including a separated six-foot sidewalk along the street frontage.

The Planning Commission’s public hearing will take place on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at City Hall, located at 6360 Fountain Square Drive. A full copy of the agenda packet can be viewed online here.

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