By Mike Hazlip—
The Citrus Heights Planning Commission on Wednesday moved to table a discussion over a planned five-lot subdivision, after opposition from neighboring residents.
The subdivision would split a 2.3-acre vacant lot at Mariposa Avenue and Church Lane into five lots and take up 16 parking spaces along Church Lane, plans show. Neighboring residents who spoke at the hearing voiced opposition to the idea, with some saying they were initially told by the new property owner that only two or three homes would be built with the loss of only two parking spaces.
The Commission voted 6-1 to table the item, with Commissioner Oleg Shishko recusing himself from the matter. City Attorney Ryan Jones informed the audience that Shishko lives within 500 feet of the proposed development.
One of the churches that meet at 7405 Mariposa Ave. is Citrus Heights Fellowship, and Facilities Manager Jarrett Facino joined other members at the meeting to oppose the plan.
Citrus Heights Fellowship recently sold the vacant lot to the new owner, but Facino said the property owner changed the plans after initially telling him fewer homes would be built and the parking spaces would remain.
“After receiving the meeting notice and additional project details, I was very confused and a little shocked at the changes in the plan concerning the parking spaces on the south side of Church Lane,” Facino said.
Members of another congregation that meets at the building, Church of the King, joined Facino other residents in opposing the development. In all, 16 people made public comments during the meeting.
The agenda packet for the Planning Commission shows the property owner, Paul Makhnovskiy, is asking for a total of five lots ranging in size from 10,664 square feet to more than 37,000 square feet.
Makhnovskiy, who was previously appointed to the Planning Commission in 2021 but no longer serves on the board, said he would be willing to work with both church congregations — with one option being to adjust the lot lines to preserve the parking spaces.
“I did not attend any church meeting, just to come on record,” he said in response to public comments during the meeting. “The first time I spoke to any church elders and neighbors was after the deal was closed.”
Makhnovskiy is a resident of Citrus Heights, and says the initial proposal was for six lots but modified the plan to accommodate the needs of future home owners.
“I wanted to work with the neighbors, I want to work with the community,” Makhnovskiy said. “I discussed multiple ideas of how we can work together and save the parking, how we can work together and have less housing, and work together in order to have something that the neighbors would be happy to have in their front yard, their backyard.”
Commissioner Thomas Scheeler called the lack of a written agreement during the sale of the property “unfortunate,” saying the commission has an interest in balancing the needs of the new property owner and those of the community.
“We’re trying to be sympathetic to our citizens, and yet we have a private property owner now that has a representation too,” Scheeler said, adding that the need for more housing is another factor the commission must consider.
“I understand old Citrus Heights and you’re comfortable with the areas that you live in,” he said in reference to public comments that the development would change the rural feel of the neighborhood. “But obviously that growth has to occur someplace at some time.”
Makhnovskiy declined to give further comment after the meeting.
Pastor Sive Nogada of Citrus Heights Fellowship said that talks will be ongoing and he hopes to reach an agreement with Makhnovskiy.
“Whatever happens with the property, we want to begin with a good relationship with our new neighbor Paul,” Nogada said. “Whatever transpires, it just needs to be in the spirit of unity and collaboration, that’s my heart.”
Commissioners voted to continue the item to an unspecified date in the future, expressing a desire to give the applicant time to meet with the church and come to an agreement.
A note to our readers: Our policy is to disclose to you any unavoidable conflicts of interest in our reporting. In this case, we want to acknowledge that the publisher of The Sentinel lives within 500 feet of the vacant lot addressed in this article. In an effort to remain objective and impartial in our coverage, this story was deliberately assigned to and written by staff members who do not reside near the project.
