Developer accuses city of impeding progress

Who says you can’t fight city hall?

Local developer Forrest Sprague Wednesday broke through what local business owners have been saying for some time about city government standing in the way of progress.

With conceptual plans in hand for a senior housing project, Sprague sat down this week with Willows Mayor Jim Yoder, Councilor Vice Holvik, and City Manager Steve Holsinger, calling them on the carpet for being overly obstructive when it comes to new development.

Sprague had the support of a hand full of real estate figures and local ministers who said housing for the elderly is desperately needed in Willows and that the city deliberately impeded its development.

“I have a number of people in my congregation who have to move to Chico for communal living,” Jana Adamson, minister of the United Methodist Church.

Adamson said many of Willows’ elderly are forced to other communities because there are no assisted living or low-income senior housing available.

Willows’ only independent living facility, JFK Manor, typically has a waiting list of 20 to 40 people.

Sprague went public about the problem at city hall last month after a contract planner sent an email dismissing the need for senior housing. Sprague said city staff also dismissed his north Willows property as unsuitable for annexation into the city, contrary to the city’s General Plan.

According to Sprague, his property may be more suitable for the project than most of the available property in Willows or its sphere of influence, and his initial concept of the project offered a flood retention basin, a park area and other amenities that would benefit the city.

“Why am I discounted for annexation when the sphere of influence adjacent to city limits is defined as likely to be annexed into the city?” Sprague questioned.

Sprague said that only after the city planner asked for $5,000 would the city make any further consideration.

“If I thought I would get a positive review, I would be happy to pay it and move forward,” Sprague said. “But (the city) already dismissed it out of hand.”

What was viewed as the city impeding growth and development alarmed local realtors and other business figures, who now wonder how often the city has turned people away without giving consideration for a project.

“If the city says there is no need for senior housing, then (a developer) is off to another town,” said realtor Rae Ann Titus. “There’s no telling how many contacts we have lost. We could be losing business right and left.”

Titus said the city staff should be a positive contact at the front counter and that the planning process be “user friendly.”

Although Yoder and Holvik defended the staff, they eventually agreed that the city lawmakers were too insulated to fully know what the general public needed from city hall.

Holvik identified the problem as a catch 22, in that the preliminary concept of a project couldn’t be put in dollars and cents in comparison to what it would cost the city if they annexed the project. On the other hand, Sprague said he couldn’t go to all the expense of the city’s design and review process without any assurance that the city would annex the property. 

“I want it made perfectly clear that we are not against senior housing,” Holvik said. “But sometimes the concept of a project changes and you end up with something else or nothing at all.”

Holvik said the city would embrace senior housing but feared the project could turn into multi-dwelling CHIP housing.

City officials compromised by promising to develop a new annexation policy and to continue the ad-hoc committee as an extension of the city council’s role in reviewing proposed development concepts.

Yoder said the ad-hoc committee could be available to “meet and greet” proposed projects rather than having the contract planner be the first point of contact.

Yoder said that once the city began using a contract planner, fees were charged to builders and developers to offset the costs.

Susan Meeker can be reached at 934-6800 or reporter@tcnpress.com.