Placer Supervisors deny height variance for Auburn riding arena cover

The Placer County Board of Supervisors on June 22 denied the appeal of height variance for an existing horse arena cover on Wise Road in Auburn that exceeds the county's 36-foot structure height maximum. The structure is located on a 9.8-acre site with two residential units, an outbuilding, a pasture, horse barn, round pen and corrals. According to the staff report, the arena cover is a prefabricated, engineered truss-arch system of galvanized steel tubing and cables and is covered with white polyethylene fabric. The county has received complaints regarding the bright glow of the structure and its size, causing high visibility and blockage of the view of the nearby landscape. The request for a height variance was brought to the board following the Placer County Zoning Administrator's Aug. 20, 2020, denial and the Placer County Planning Commission's denial on Nov. 12. An appeal was filed Nov. 13 noting the variance should be approved, as the structure height is dictated by the site conditions, the structure's design provides benefits, and relocation or modification of the structure is cost-prohibitive. According to Associate Planner Bennett Smithhart, the structure could have been approved for a height of 39 feet, 6 inches through an administrative approval, which allows an increase of no more than 5 feet or 10 percent, whichever is less. Smithhart also noted the property owner, Gary Matranga, did inform Placer County Community Development Resource Agency front counter staff of plans to build a cover, though there were no discussions regarding the proposed height. "There's no intention on our part to be pointing fingers," George Phillips said, representing the Matrangas. "This is unfortunately an imperfect process and sometimes things don't get communicated as well as they might. That first conversation with the county there was discussion about putting a cover over the existing arena and there was also discussion about a shop equipment building that Mr. Matranga wanted to build. In that conversation, what he recalls being told is that there was no building requirement for the cover and there was no mention of any height limitation." Phillips said taking down the facility and constructing a new cover would cost the property owner $432,000, $112,000 more than the original cost. Phillips noted even if the structure met the 36-foot requirement, it would still be white and lighted, as it is today. "Given the fact that we have the situation we do, where we have concerned neighbors, we understand why and at the same time, the ability to propose some things to reduce that impact to those neighbors, we can do that only through the approval of a variance," Phillips said. Phillips shared proposals to reduce the structure's impact, including lowering the lights, restricting the lights so they will not be on after 7:30 p.m. and replacing the cover to an earth-tone option such as brown, gray or green. District 3 Supervisor Jim Holmes suggested the property owner reach out to neighbors to gauge their input of the structure. The board received four comments, with three in support, including two that noted young riders who utilize the arena would be impacted if the appeal was denied. "It has nothing to do with denying the kids riding," District 4 Supervisor Suzanne Jones said. "It may cause them a delay if they have to change the cover on it … but we won't be denying them riding. You can come back, you can ride. Perhaps you can ride in an area that's not under the cover, but it's all about compliance." One comment in opposition of the variance was received from Shellie Henson, representing the neighbors who reside near the property. Following public comment, District 1 Supervisor Bonnie Gore suggested the county clarify the height limitations and "do a better job of informing our neighbors and residents about what our requirements are." As the board's decision upholds the Planning Commission's decision, the property owner will have 180 days to conform to the height requirement or remove the structure.