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The Rocklin City Council has postponed a decision on a proposed 281-unit affordable housing project after residents raised concerns about traffic, parking, emergency access and safety.
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The council voted last week to continue consideration of the Midas Apartments project until Oct. 13, giving city officials and council members more time to review questions raised during public testimony.
The project is proposed for a roughly 7.1-acre vacant site at the northwest corner of Midas Avenue and Pacific Street. Plans call for three four-story buildings with 281 affordable apartments, about 379 parking spaces, a community facility, playground, landscaping and other site improvements.
The Planning Commission recommended approval of the project and its environmental exemption on Aug. 4.
Much of the discussion Tuesday centered on traffic and parking.
Residents said Midas Avenue and surrounding streets already experience heavy traffic, particularly during school and rush hours. Some questioned whether the project’s 379 parking spaces would be enough, raising concerns that residents and visitors could park on nearby neighborhood streets if the apartment parking lot fills up.
Others said additional traffic could make it harder for residents to access their driveways and increase risks for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The site’s proximity to Union Pacific railroad tracks and a Kinder Morgan petroleum pipeline also prompted questions about safety and emergency response.
Residents asked the city to take a closer look at potential risks involving train accidents, pipeline emergencies and emergency access if a train blocks a nearby crossing.
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City officials said the pipeline is approximately 140 feet from the closest proposed apartment building. No proposed site improvements or underground infrastructure would be located within 20 feet of the pipeline.
Rocklin police and fire officials also reviewed the project and did not identify concerns about emergency access being blocked by trains, according to city officials. About 18 trains travel through the railroad corridor each day, including eight at night.
The project would have two vehicle entrances. The Pacific Street entrance would allow full turning movements, while the Midas Avenue entrance would be limited to right turns in and out.
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Council members questioned the parking plan and discussed whether changes should be made to the Midas Avenue entrance.
Ideas included limiting the Midas entrance to emergency vehicles or changing the way vehicles enter and exit the property.
The additional review comes as Rocklin considers several affordable housing projects while facing state requirements to accommodate new housing. City officials said the Midas project meets the state’s required housing density for the property and complies with applicable affordable-housing requirements.
The debate also reflects a larger discussion in Rocklin over the city’s ability to control where and how new housing is built.
Mayor David Bass raised similar concerns in a Facebook post earlier in August, saying residents have contacted him about the city’s housing growth and issues involving density, traffic, parking, construction and the conversion of commercial property to housing.
Bass said he supports workforce housing but argued that state housing laws can make it difficult and financially risky for cities to reject projects that meet state requirements.
He specifically cited Assembly Bill 712, which took effect Jan. 1, 2026, along with the state’s Housing Accountability Act, Density Bonus Law and other housing legislation. Bass said those laws can expose cities to litigation, attorney’s fees and penalties when housing projects are rejected under circumstances protected by state law.
The Midas project is not the only affordable housing proposal before the City Council this year.
The city is also considering the proposed Sierra Wilds Apartments, a 120-unit affordable housing project near Maria Montessori Charter Academy. The council recently delayed a decision on that project until Sept. 22 after several hours of public testimony.
Meanwhile, Rocklin continues to add affordable housing. In May, the City Council approved a $2.23 million loan to help finance The Steven, a 180-unit affordable apartment complex for seniors on Rocklin Road.
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