Rancho Cordova’s long running fight over a big housing plan on the American River just got pushed back. On Monday, the City Council delayed a decision on whether to move forward with a controversial deal involving 41 acres along the river, opting instead to kick the issue to the Dec. 15 meeting when all councilmembers are expected to be in the room.
The council spent the night walking through a draft settlement with developer Trumark that would pause ongoing litigation and let the company submit a revised application for the Kassis property. Dozens of nearby residents packed the chambers to blast any move that could fill in the river floodplain, cut off long used public easements or wipe out wildlife habitat.
Council Hits Pause While Settlement Talks Continue
City Manager Micah Runner stressed that the council was not greenlighting construction or specific site plans. “This is not approving any particular project,” he told councilmembers, describing the proposal as a way to take a breath and talk through possible alternatives, as reported by CapRadio.
Under the draft settlement, legal action between the city and Trumark would be put on hold while the developer brings in a fresh application, described in prior coverage as a roughly 245 unit concept for the Kassis site. Rather than take a split vote with one member absent, the council agreed to place the agreement on the Dec. 15 agenda so the full body can weigh in at once.
Neighbors Warn Of Floodplain Fill And Lost Access
Residents who turned out in force were not shy about their concerns. Speakers said the plan would effectively bury low lying floodplain under landfill, shut off recorded easements that neighbors have used for decades, and damage habitat that sits right next to the Parkway, according to CapRadio.
One attendee, Cathy Birch, reminded officials that this stretch of the river is not just scenic, it is powerful. “Those of us who have lived here know that this area does flood, and the American River is a mighty force,” she told the council, as cited in local coverage. Neighbors and preservation groups urged the city to stand by General Plan protections for the 100 year floodplain.
Long Running Fight And Regulatory Hurdles
The Kassis property has been a flashpoint for years, drawing organized neighborhood resistance and a thick stack of legal and planning documents. Local reporting traces an original Trumark proposal for roughly 245 homes, followed by a later resubmission under California’s SB 330 that was described as landing in the 400 unit range, a history chronicled by the Rancho Cordova Independent.
The city’s consistency review, issued in October 2023, concluded that the proposal did not line up with the General Plan, in large part because a portion of the parcel sits in a federally and locally regulated 100 year floodplain. That review also noted that any project on the site would be subject to a full environmental analysis under CEQA, a process that tends to be long, complex and litigation friendly.
What Happens Next
The council formally placed the Trumark settlement and any revised application on its Dec. 15 agenda, when all members are scheduled to be present, according to the City of Rancho Cordova calendar.
If Trumark follows through with a new proposal, the city has said it would still require environmental review and public hearings, a process that could stretch on for months and invite more public comment and potential legal challenges. The delay effectively buys time for both sides: developers can try to sharpen their plans, while opponents can refine technical critiques and legal arguments.
Advocates with local groups focused on the American River Parkway say they will keep pressing for strong protections. The Save the American River Association continues to circulate a petition and maintain information about the Kassis site’s history and ecological value on its website. Expect another round of packed hearings, scrutiny of settlement terms and pointed public testimony when the council takes up the issue again in mid December.
