Planning Commissioner Public Hearing Opening Speech

What we build today becomes the foundation for how we ourselves hope to age tomorrow—with grace, dignity, and the embrace of familiar surroundings.

Good evening, Planning Commissioners, neighbors, and community members. I'm Adlai Grutas, and I’m one of the owners of The Carnelian. Thank you for letting me share our vision: a vision for creating a place where our most vulnerable neighbors can age with dignity, right here in the community they've called home for decades.

For over fifty years, The Carnelian has been more than just a building in Saranap—it has been a sanctuary, a lifeline, and a beacon of compassionate care in our community. Today, we stand at a crossroads where the choices we make will shape not just the fabric of our neighborhood, but the emotional landscape of countless families facing the challenge of memory care for their loved ones.

From the very beginning of this journey, we've recognized a fundamental truth about community development: meaningful progress requires balance—between vision and compromise, between individual interests and collective benefit, between hearing concerns and maintaining the heart of what makes this project vital for those who need it most.

Our approach to the Carnelian project has been rooted in genuine connection with our neighbors. We've walked these streets, engaged in meaningful conversations, and listened intently to concerns both directly expressed and subtly conveyed. These weren't simply boxes to check—they were bridges to build between what is and what could be.

This commitment to meaningful dialogue began in earnest when traffic concerns emerged during our first public hearing. Rather than offering vague promises, we responded with immediate action. Within a week, we had already relocated staff parking and deliveries to Flora Avenue, demonstrating that good neighbors don't just listen—they act.

That moment set the tone. Over the months that followed, we reached out in every way we could. We held three neighborhood meetings for open conversation. We went door-to-door to over 200 homes for personal conversations. We hand-delivered more than 350 flyers, not just once, but across several weekends, so that no mailbox got left behind.

We also launched a project website and shared detailed FAQs to answer the most common questions. We posted signs outside The Carnelian so anyone walking by could learn more. We held weekend tabling sessions—low-key, approachable, a chance to talk without the formality of hearings. And we showed up, fully and consistently, at every county hearing. Through it all, our goal wasn’t just to be visible—it was to be understandable.

But real engagement isn’t just about numbers—it’s about impact. It’s about whether concerns raised turn into real changes made. And because of your feedback, this project looks—and works—very differently than it did at the start.

When neighbors shared their worries about Warren Road becoming congested, we acted quickly and decisively. We moved staff parking and deliveries to Flora Avenue—a significant operational adjustment that required us to rethink our daily routines and staff protocols. For larger events, we've committed to using an offsite parking lot with shuttle service, accepting this additional expense to keep visitor vehicles away from residential streets. And while the county only requires 14 parking spaces, we’ve planned for 17—using every bit of space we have to reduce the burden on the neighborhood.

We also heard concerns about the height and visibility of the building.So we went back to the plans and made some changes. We relocated the elevator shaft to the back of the building, lowered it by 2.5 feet, and made it flush with the roofline so it’s less visible. We also conducted shadow studies to make sure there would be minimal impact on nearby solar panels.

When requests came in for a single-story design, we took them seriously. We spent four months working closely with our architect, exploring alternative single-story alternatives. Unfortunately, after careful evaluation, we determined that a single-level option would significantly reduce our bed capacity, substantially encroach on our garden space and ultimately compromise the project's financial viability.

So while we couldn't accommodate a single-story plan, we still made substantial changes. We lowered the overall building height to 25 feet, which is 10 feet below what the county allows. We increased the second-floor on the eastside from 10 feet to 14 feet to reduce visual impact on adjacent homes. We adjusted ground-floor rooms to minimize our overall footprint and strengthened our landscape barriers — doing all of this while protecting the green outdoor spaces that are so essential to our residents.

We also redesigned the exterior to better match the character of the neighborhood. We used board-and-batten siding, added dormers and more windows to soften the facade and create a more traditional residential feel. And to help the building blend seamlessly with its surroundings, we brought in a landscape architect to add layers of trees and plantings that provide beauty, shade, and privacy.

Despite our efforts, however, I must acknowledge that not every conversation has been easy. We want to acknowledge that what started as open dialogue with some of our immediate neighbors turned into formal opposition, mischaracterization, and legal correspondence.

In facing this challenge, we've chosen to remain steadfast in our commitment to respectful engagement, maintaining open communication with the broader neighborhood while honoring boundaries with those who prefer formal channels. This approach reflects our belief that even when full agreement feels out of reach, dignity and respect in dialogue never should be.

We fully understand that change can be concerning. New developments alter familiar landscapes and daily routines. These feelings deserve acknowledgment and respect. Yet we also believe in the profound promise this project holds—a promise that would fade if every objection became an insurmountable barrier.

The path to community harmony isn't about perfect consensus or giving each party exactly what they want—an approach that would often render projects impossible— it's about ensuring all voices are heard, all perspectives considered, and all feasible adjustments embraced. This is the delicate balance we've sought to maintain.

At its heart, this project embodies a simple but powerful principle: We all deserve to age with dignity in the neighborhoods where our memories live. For over five decades, The Carnelian has been a quiet guardian of this principle, offering sanctuary when minds begin to wander but hearts still know where home is.

Our expansion isn't about adding square footage and beds—it's about creating space for more stories to continue in familiar surroundings. It's about ensuring that when memory fades, the comfort of community remains. It's about allowing families to find specialized support without saying goodbye to the neighborhood they cherish. This vision of inclusive neighborhood planning recognizes that truly vibrant communities accommodate residents across all stages of life. 

As one of the few homes equipped to support individuals facing the fog of dementia and Alzheimer's, The Carnelian offers something increasingly precious in our fragmented world—continuity. The comfort of familiar surroundings becomes a lifeline when other certainties begin to slip away.

After careful review of our modifications and extensive community engagement efforts, the Zoning Administrator has determined that our project meets all necessary requirements. While we recognize that no project can satisfy every concern of every neighbor, we believe our approach represents a thoughtful balance that honors both our mission of care and our commitment to neighborhood character.

In the end, finding this balance isn't about splitting differences exactly down the middle—it's about creating harmony from diverse perspectives, reasonable accommodations, and the recognition that thriving communities make room for all stages of life, especially the most vulnerable ones.

We deeply appreciate the time, thought, and heart our neighbors have shared—whether in hearings, gatherings, or quiet conversations. Each voice has helped make this project better.

We respectfully ask the Planning Commission to uphold the Zoning Administrator’s approval, so we can continue our legacy of care while remaining thoughtful stewards of the community we all call home.

Just as we began with a commitment to balance, we end with a vision of harmony—where the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors are met within a community that protects its character while embracing its responsibility to care for all. The bridge we've built through this process connects not just differing perspectives, but different generations—those who call Saranap home today and those who hope to remain here tomorrow, even as their needs change.

Thank you for your consideration. The door to dialogue remains open, and we welcome the opportunity to continue this journey together.