Editor: Benica’s Elizabeth Patterson, Dirk Fulton and Marilyn Bardet offer public comments on Rose Estates proposal. >> CONTEXT: On June 25, 2026, the City of Benicia issued a Notice of Preparation (NOP) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Rose Estates Mixed-Use Project. The NOP informs responsible agencies, trustee agencies, and interested parties that the City will prepare an EIR to meet CEQA requirements and establish the scope and depth of the environmental analysis. The city sought PUBLIC comments on the scope of the Draft EIR and its evaluation of potential environmental impacts. Several distinguished Benicia residents provided comments and submitted them by the July 24 deadline. – R. S.

Elizabeth Patterson: Scoping comments on Rose Estates

July 24, 2026

The following are comments for the proposed Rose Estates project Notice of Preparation (NOP) of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The comments are organized by reference to goals and policies of the existing General Plan which supports the goal of sustainable development based on environmental issues of climate, clean air and water management, habitat and aesthetics. Appendix A of the state Land Use and Climate Innovation (LUCI) is included to support additional mitigation measures for potential significant impacts.

The EIR should identify and mitigate significant climate change impacts as listed here:

• Lead agencies must analyze the greenhouse gas emissions of proposed projects, and must reach a conclusion regarding…. [continued – see the 13-page PDF here]

Dirk Fulton – Rose Estates CEQA Scoping

I write to furnish comments on the City’s Initial Study Scoping for the Seeno family Rose Estates project. The large scale of the development and its proximity to the proposed Valero redevelopment project raise significant environmental issues described below and must be considered under scoping criteria:

1. The cumulative impacts of this project together with the neighboring Valero/Signature Properties development which has been presented to the City must be evaluated; see the No Oil case establish this principle and later case law and CEQA regulations.
2. Impacts on City services including…. [continued – see the 1-page PDF here]

Marilyn Bardet – Rose Estates CEQA Scoping

As a former appointed member of the General Plan Oversight Committee tasked to help rewrite the General Plan that was finally adopted in 1999, and as a 39 year resident of the East Side, I hereby incorporate by reference all scoping comments submitted by Elizabeth Patterson, our former mayor and the professional planner who, as a council member, served to facilitate and guide the work of the General Plan Oversight Committee. Her comments focus on the role the General Plan must play in determining the ultimate qualities of the Rose Estates project, thus, in accordance with sustainability goals, policies and programs, as well as, all applicable state laws, regulations and guidance relevant to all future development in Benicia.

I also incorporate all comments that may be submitted by residents who previously commented in 2007-08 on the Seeno DEIR for their proposed “Benicia business park”, especially Steve Goetz, Bob Berman, Roger Straw and others who were then fully engaged with that project’s lack of consistency with the General Plan’s primary goal of sustainability for benefit of the City and community of Benicia.

My general comments:
I am deeply concerned about how the proposed Rose Estates project, as it is currently presented through Tentative Maps and other preliminary application materials submitted in 2025 by Seeno’s builder, WCHB LLC, will be consistent with core values of the City of Benicia General Plan, the legally binding document…. [continued – see the 4-page PDF here]

MORE ABOUT THE ROSE ESTATES PROPOSAL

HERE ON THE BENICIA INDEPENDENT

Rose Estates on the Benicia Independent

CITY OF BENICIA

For current information from the City of Benicia, check out their ROSE ESTATES page. For larger image, just click on the map at right.

 

Prior to 2024, the City of Benicia conducted a North Study Area community visioning process – see the old web page.