Part of the Sonora Shores property along Main Street/Hwy. 97 just north of downtown Oroville. The owner of the property wants to develop a Dollar General store. Gary DeVon/staff photo

OROVILLE – At the July 5 Oroville City Council meeting, a developer who wants to build a Dollar General store on the Sonora Shores property asked the city to more formally approve the removal of a city easement.

The removal request was approved at the Oroville City Council’s Feb. 7, 2023 meeting. Mayor Ed Naillon explained to the council that the buyer, Gordon Taylor, was making the request. The council was provided a copy of the Feb. 9, 2023 letter to Taylor with the proposed removal of the easement and a proposed easement agreement. That proposal was read by Mayor Naillon and some discussion took place on a public trail easement.

The council was told that city attorney Mick Howe had read both documents, on the easement removal and the public trail. He said he approved of the ordinance but also gave some comments for consideration. After the mayor read those comments, Councilman Walt Hart made a motion to approve Ordinance #932 which vacates the existing city easement. Councilman Richard Warner seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

The mayor said he had spoken with the developer about concerns regarding a trail easement prior to the meeting. Mayor Naillon said the developer agreed to discuss the agreement further for possible revisions. That easement agreement was tabled until the city can discuss it further with the developer.

Oroville City Planner Kurt Danison, who joined the meeting via the phone, said the Sonora Shores property will also need a boundary line adjustment to correct a previous boundary line adjustment from 2010. The applicant will also need to apply for a Shoreline Substantial Development Permit, according to Danison. In addition, the planner said a biological assessment will be needed for the property.

The property is the former location of the Lagoon Mobile Home Park and the Red Apple Inn motel. Over the years several proposed developments have been discussed for the property, with the development of the 12-unit Sonora Shores condominiums being the most visible. The plan to develop another 12-units with a shared elevator serving both buildings never materialized. The property, which is in the 1800 block of Main Street, is mostly zoned commercial where the store will be located, but there has been talk of developing townhouses near the water in the past. City Clerk JoAnn Denney said the developer would like to start construction as soon as possible, but speculated he might be too late in the year for construction to begin.