Parking will be provided in several areas to reduce the visual impact, and service and secondary access will be from behind buildings when possible. The Village Center architectural character will draw from the historic and cultural features of existing buildings in the Sierra Nevada Region, reflecting a high quality appearance. The eclectic combination of period architecture reflected in downtown Sonora provides many good examples. Materials appropriate to this character include stone and rock, plaster, stucco, brick, tin, painted and natural wood, heavy timbers and a variety of colors from white to warm earthy colors. Figures 4-1 and 4-2 provide two conceptual layouts of the Village Center. Further amendments and refinements of the Village Center Concepts may occur as the Community Plan is developed over time.
This Village Center concept with a central landscaped courtyard design envisions a commercial area with one and two story shops, offices, residential, and a quality multi story 154-room hotel located around a central courtyard for small gatherings and cultural events. Plans may also include a recreation facility (associated with the hotel and open to residential memberships) with related fitness facilities. Depending on the desires of residents and hotel guests the recreational facilities could include fitness facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, and meeting areas for events and activities. Four of the 154 rooms associated with the lodging facilities will be made available for employee housing.
Concept Two envisions a quality multi story 154 room hotel, one and two story commercial area with shops and offices and related residential around a central “village green” arrival area. The village green could also be used for outdoor activities and neighborhood events and could incorporate a centrally located gazebo as a focal point and gathering area. Plans may also include a recreation facility (associated with the hotel and open to residential memberships) with related fitness facilities. Depending on the desires of residents and hotel guests the recreational facilities could include fitness facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, and meeting areas for events and activities. Four of the 154 rooms associated with the lodging facilities will be made available for employee housing.
The Mountain Springs Community offers a variety of housing types in a range of neighborhoods located adjacent to the golf course, community parks and open space corridors that accommodate a wide range of housing needs. The housing types may include condominiums, townhouses, patio homes, detached and attached single-family homes and a small amount of estate homes. The Community Plan is proposing 780 of the homes to be sold at general market rates and an additional 15% (117 homes) will provide a moderate level of affordable housing for residents of Tuolumne County. The market rate and affordable homes combined total 897 homes. There is also the potential for vacation villas to be provided in conjunction with the golf course as part of the Village Center hotel lodging facility.
Residential development within the Community Plan is also intended to reflect an environmentally responsive architectural character that is compatible with the site. Even though the overall density averages less than one home per gross acre, the topography and layout of the Community Plan promotes higher density clustered homes in the central flatter areas associated with the golf course and Village Center. On hillier areas, lower density homes on larger lots (½ acre +) would be designed and situated so that grading and the visual impact from adjacent residential and agricultural lands are mitigated. Homes on larger lots would be located so as
