PLANNING PANEL OKS SAGGIO HILLS PROJECT

Saggio Hills, the proposed Healdsburg luxury hotel and housing development, moved forward Tuesday with a series of approvals by the city's planning commission.

The project was derailed by a lawsuit filed two years ago, but Tuesday the planning commission recommended certification of a revised environmental study for Saggio Hills intended to address shortcomings identified by a judge in the original study.

"It's probably the biggest project we'll see in our lifetime, or a long time," Commissioner Phil Luks said of the $310 million project on the city's northern edge.

The planning commission on a 5-0 vote recommended the City Council approve the environmental study as well as a general plan amendment to allow the 130-room destination resort and 70 luxury homes to proceed.

Mel Amato, a spokesman for a 125-member group backed by the Chamber of Commerce and Realtors, said they strongly support Saggio Hills for the social and economic benefits it will bring.

But Warren Watkins, who headed the citizens group that challenged the project in court, was skeptical of the promised benefits, as well as developers' ability to see the project through in the current economic downturn.

-- Clark Mason