Rosemont Plaza Officials Get an Earful from Residents

Rosemont residents blasted the owners of Rosemont Plaza at a over concerns about noise, safety, a homeless population, business vacancies and other topics.

"We have concerns, and we want you to be successful so our community can be successful," President Doug Haaland said. "Don't wait for the next code violation to come to a community meeting and act concerned. We need you to be concerned all the time because we're concerned all the time."

In return, an attorney and the director of operations for the company that owns the Kiefer Boulevard shopping center took notes and said they would send responses to the Rosemont Community Association.

The meeting, held at and attended by dozens of residents, was scheduled to discuss an issue that : whether or not the shopping center will be required to replace a wooden fence behind the stores with a .

Sacramento County Supervisor Don Nottoli and Sacramento County Planning Department staff said the decision could affect other centers built before a law requiring masonry walls between shopping centers and homes.

Ronit Bodner, an attorney for the shopping center's owners, said not all of the neighbor's concerns would be solved by building a new wall. She also pointed out that the shopping center would have to remove all of the trees along the property line to make room for a masonry wall.

"I'm hopeful we can address the issues that have been raised by the community, with the community, by other means," Bodner said. "And I think that's possible and I think we're working towards it."

After the meeting, Bodner called "a huge cost."

"It's the type of cost you have to budget and anticipate for years," she said.

And although several residents and one business owner complained about the responsiveness of the owners, Bodner said the Bay Area-based company has tried to prevent some of the recent business closures seen in the center.

"We have made accommodations with the smaller businesses," she said, adding that the company offered deferred rent, and even that couldn't stop the store from closing.

"What we're experiencing isn't necessarily site-specific," she said.

Rosemont Community Association Vice President Terry Dugan said conditions at the center have improved recently, adding he's hopeful a solution can be reached.

"This is a community of people who come together and solve their own problems," Dugan said. "We need to do it again around this issue tonight."

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