Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan

June 9, 2022 in Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan Planning Commission

Planning Commission June 9, 2022 CEDHAP Hearing – Commissioners vote to recommend project denial

Findings center on lack of General Plan Consistency, and El Dorado Hills public sentiment.

The El Dorado County Planning Commission held a public hearing to complete their deliberations on recommendations to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors regarding the proposed Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan. After a morning of receiving additional Public Comments (continued from the Planning Commission’s April 28, 202 2public hearing) the Commissioners heard additional updates from the project applicant, and from County Planning Staff.

After a lunch break, the Commission resumed their deliberative process, discussing issues among themselves, and providing their own opinions on many elements of the proposed Specific Plan. Eventually settling on concerns that the project as proposed was inconsistent with the Adopted 2004 Voter Approved General Plan, the commissioners first voted to not accept the Final Environmental Impact Report as complete on a four to one vote, with Commissioners Payne, Nevis, Harkin, and Vegna supporting, and Commissioner Clerici voting no. Following this, the Commissioners voted unanimously to provide a recommendation of Denial to the Board of Supervisors.

The project will move on to the Board of Supervisors for consideration. The Board of Supervisors does not have to accept the recommendation of the Planning Commission, and may, in fact, approve the project. No hearing date has yet been publicly announced.

The Meeting Minutes of the Planning Commission Hearing will be posted in the Planning Commission Documents section of the EDH APAC website when they are published by El Dorado County.

A Message to the El Dorado Hills Community from EDH APAC Chair John Davey

Many, many people have reached out to congratulate APAC regarding the Planning Commission decision to recommend denial of the Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan to the Board of Supervisors – but to be honest, I don’t know that congratulations are appropriate, or warranted. I certainly join the majority in our community in thanking our APAC volunteers for their beyond-the-pale efforts in examining and reviewing the project. Additionally, many members of the community participated in providing feedback to the Planning Commission over several years, and their efforts should not go unrecognized.
As I mentioned again in public comments to the Planning Commissioners at the hearing, I really view our APAC finding of non-support, and the Planning Commission’s recommendation of denial as a failure – from all corners.
Failure from our community and APAC in conveying our concerns about the project in a way that the applicant and county planners could recognize that the project could have been modified in some beneficial manner that the community could support, and a failure from the applicant, planning staff, and the approvals process that this project took ten years to get to the Planning Commission with no meaningful compromises, that might have satisfied the community, and generated actual benefits that the community might have been able to support.
I absolutely take no joy in the project being recommended for denial by the Planning Commission. I believe it was the correct decision, but ultimately I regret the lost time of ten years, and squandered opportunities to find a recreational use for the former Executive Golf Course property, as well as the opportunity for needed multifamily housing in the Pedregal Plan area, to benefit our community.

My hope is that a community approach can be undertaken to generate a project (or projects) for the properties that respects existing zoning. One that our residents can support, that enhances the things we all love about El Dorado Hills, and that is a beneficial project for the property owner. Understandably many may perceive a sense of animosity between members of the community and the project applicant. That is unnecessary – this all revolves around a simple disagreement, and nothing more. It’s natural and healthy to have reasonable disagreements. What we do to resolve our disagreements speaks more about our community, than arguing about the issues.
JOhn Davey, El dorado Hills Area Planning Advisory Committee chair.

June 2, 2022 in Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan EDH APAC

El Dorado Hills APAC Subcommittee submits finding of non-support for CEDHSP

Click HERE to see EDH APAC Findings Report

Planning Commission Public Hearing Scheduled for June 9th at 8:30AM

The El Dorado Hills Area Planning Advisory Committee submitted the findings of the APAC Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan Subcommittee report to the County of El Dorado Planning Commission, and the El Dorado County Planning Department on Thursday June 2.

The Subcommittee Findings report is comprised of 68 pages of findings, concerns, and questions. Thirteen supporting exhibits were also included. The Report concludes with a finding of non-support, which is consistent with the Subcommittee report in January 2020, prior to a second recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report being issued to address the new Vehicle Miles Traveled transportation standard that became part of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and law in July 2020, and two new suggested project alternatives.

The subcommittee draft findings report was approved unanimously by voting EDH APAC members at a special May 25, 2022 meeting. The past two weeks, EDH APAC volunteers have worked on formatting, layout and internal linking for the supporting documents.

As part of the public comments, EDH APAC submitted the following observation in a cover letter:

The goal of EDH APAC is to review proposed El Dorado Hills development projects with the intent of finding the best possible result for our community, for the applicant, and for the County. To provide community feedback on the future of development in our community. Our reviews result in one of three possible findings:

1) Support of the project as presented
2) Conditional Support based on recommendations and improvements in the proposed project
3) Non-Support of the project based on incompatibility, or overall negative impacts for the El Dorado Hills community

As we offered in our January 2020 findings regarding the CEDHSP, our result in 2022, again, is a recommendation of Non-Support. The project has not changed in any meaningful way.

A finding of Non-Support is essentially a failure. A failure of EDH APAC and the Community to convey the necessity of needed improvements or changes for the project to be a benefit for our community. And a failure of the applicant and the Planning Department to recognize the community’s concerns, to discover some middle ground, improvements or changes, that recognizes and respects the numerous legitimate community concerns of shortcomings, and injury that our community seeks to avoid.

All documents – report, exhibits, etc – submitted as public comment for the June 9, 2022 Planning Commission Hearing are cataloged on this findings page: https://edhapac.org/edh-apac-subcommittee-findings-cedhsp/. Each link will allow the website visitor to view the full document as a PDF, without having to download each document.

El Dorado Hills residents are encouraged to offer their own fact-based concerns and questions as public comment to the Planning Commission – comments may be submitted to planning@edcgov.us. Include the following in the subject line: Public Hearing: Agenda Item 3, Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan.

April 30, 2021 in Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan Uncategorized

Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan Notice of Availability of SECOND Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report

Released April 30, 2021 – comment/review period closes June 14, 2021

El Dorado County Planning Department has released the Notice of Availability of a Second Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report, which reflects changes to CEQA that removes Level of Service metrics for transportation impacts, and instead implements the Vehicle Miles Traveled metric. The Project also has been updated with new alternate use scenarios for the old El Dorado Hills Executive Golf Course property that is currently zoned as Recreational Facility – High (RF-H).

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The Second Recirculated DEIR is located on the Project DOCUMENTS page here

Project Alternatives 4 and 5

The Second recirculated DEIR contains two new project alternatives –

Alternative 4 Zoning-Consistent Alternative

RF zoning provided for certain types of active recreational facilities such as picnic areas, ball fields and courts, playgrounds, golf courses, and swimming pools for day use only, as well as passive opportunities such as riding and hiking trails. For both active and passive uses, no special use permit or variance was required, but a project required site plan review.

The Serrano Westside planning area under this alternative would include residential development (135 units) on the hillsides or ridgelines, which would not occur with the proposed project. Instead of residential development, the former Executive Golf Course would be entirely in active recreation. While exact uses in this recreation area have not been defined, they could include a tennis and aquatics facility, day-use and night-use sporting fields, amusement complex, indoor or outdoor entertainment facilities, hotels, and general merchandise sales or potentially indoor/outdoor golf ranges, ice-skating rinks, or other recreational uses that involve large structures and require parking lots. Residential development on the Pedregal planning area (375 units) would be more dense as compared to the project (37 units).

Alternative 5 Senior Living Alternative

The Senior Living Alternative would include residential development similar to the proposed project on the Pedregal planning area and the northern portion of the former Executive Golf Course. The former Executive Golf Course south of Serrano Parkway would be developed as a senior living facility. The senior living facility assumes a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), which provides residential services, on-site amenities and recreation, and health care. As with the proposed project, a County General Plan amendment and EDHSP amendment would be required. The Senior Living Alternative would consist of developing 37 detached, single-family residential units at a density of <1–5 dwelling units per acre on the Pedregal planning area, identical to the proposed project, 226 single-family residential units at a density of 8–14 dwelling units per acre on the Serrano Westside planning area north of Serrano Parkway, and 300 attached, multi-family residential units at a density of 14–24 dwelling units per acre in both planning areas. The former Executive Golf Course south of Serrano Parkway would be developed as a senior living facility with 1,000 independent living dwelling units and 200 assisted living dwelling units. Open space and parkland would be dedicated. This alternative would include 11 acres of civic–limited commercial land use.

Public Workshop Scheduled for the May 27, 2021 Planning Commission meeting

The Second RDEIR is scheduled for a public workshop before the Planning Commission on May 27, 2021. The purpose of this workshop is to present information on the RDEIR and receive public input; no formal action will be taken.

Serrano Associates are scheduled to present an overview of the Second Recirculated DEIR and new Project Alternatives at the May 12, 2021 El Dorado Hills APAC meeting

June 4, 2020 in Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan

Continuance Request For CEDHSP June 11 Planning Commission Hearing

Applicant looking for formal VMT Policy from County Board of Supervisors.

Serrano Associates has requested a continuance of their fourth, and presumed final Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan hearing scheduled for the June 11, 2020 Planning Commission Meeting.

The request is made in light of the State of California’s July 1, 2020 implementation of a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) analysis as part of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors is expected to consider and approve a policy on how to implement VMT analysis in the County’s planning and development processes later in June, or July.

No official continuance date is requested by the applicant, or suggested in the County Planning Staff’s Staff memo supporting the request.

A determination will be made on whether to grant the continuance request at the June 11th El Dorado County Planning Commission Hearing.

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Staff Memo 05-28-20 [678.76 KB]

November 14, 2019 in Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan EDH APAC Residential Specific Plan

El Dorado Hills APAC November Meeting Video Posted Online

The El Dorado Hills Area Planning Advisory Committee has posted the video recording of the November 13, 2019 Meeting online.

Single Topic Meeting

The November 13, 2019 meeting was focused on the proposed Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan. A review of the plan, and it’s latest changes was provided by representatives from Serrano Associates, including Director of Government Affairs Kirk Bone, and Principal Planner Andrea Howard. Addressing the project’s traffic impacts and mitigation was Senior Associate David Robinson of Fehr & Peers Transportation Consultants.

The CEDHSP presentation at APAC was made in advance of the first of four hearings before the County of El Dorado Planning Commission. The first hearing being held November 14th in Placerville, CA. The second hearing is scheduled for December 12th in Placerville, CA at 8:30AM. The third hearing will be held in El Dorado Hills, in the evening, in January 2020, at a time and place to be determined. The fourth and final hearing before the Planning Commission will be held in January-February in Placerville, CA, in the Planning Commission Building C Hearing Room, at a date to be determined.

The meeting presentation materials/slides

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November 9, 2019 in Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan El Dorado County El Dorado County Planning Dept Planning Commission

Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan: NEW Planning Commission Hearing Schedule – One Hearing To Be Held IN El Dorado Hills

Two new hearings added to previously announced November and December Hearings

The El Dorado Hills APAC has been notified by the County of El Dorado Planning Department of two new hearings to be scheduled regarding the Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan project for the proposed Serrano Westside (Old Executive Golf Course) and the Pedregal (west of El Dorado Hills Blvd at Wilson Way) planning areas. The new third and fourth hearings will be scheduled for January 2020. The first January 2020 Planning Commission Hearing will be held IN El Dorado Hills, in the evening, allowing the opportunity for more El Dorado Hills residents to contribute to the process.

From the the Planning Department update:

During today’s agenda review meeting with Planning Commission Chair Gary Miller, Dave Livingston, and Tiffany Schmid, the following Planning Commission hearing schedule was determined for the Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan project. This will allow several opportunities for public testimony and also comply with the Board’s direction on November 5th to hold a Special Meeting in January 2020 in El Dorado Hills during the evening.

**Public Testimony will be taken at the November, December and January (Special Meeting) hearings and then closed for Planning Commission deliberation and action at the final hearing in January/February 2020.
Hearing #1 – November 14, 2019 Regular Planning Commission Meeting (Building C Hearing Room)(meeting to be continued to December 12, 2019)

Hearing #2 – December 12, 2019 Regular Planning Commission Meeting (Building C Hearing Room) (meeting to be continued to Special Meeting in January 2020 in El Dorado Hills-evening)

Hearing #3 – January 2020 Special Planning Commission Evening Meeting – El Dorado Hills (TBD)(meeting to be continued to Regular Meeting in January/February 2020)

Hearing #4 – January/February 2020 Regular Planning Commission Meeting (Building C Hearing Room)

Wednesday November 13th 7PM EDH APAC Meeting -Serrano Associates Presentation

The El Dorado Hills APAC Wednesday November 13th 7PM meeting be focused on an overview and recent changes to the proposed Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan in a presentation by representatives of Serrano Associates.

This is an opportunity for El Dorado Hills residents to learn about the proposed project, and a question and answer session will follow the presentation. Keep in mind – El Dorado Hills APAC has no land use authority, and only provides resident feedback on proposed development projects to the Applicant, the County Planning Department, the Planning Commission, and to the Board of Supervisors. We will be conducting a respectful discussion with the project applicant, who is under no obligation to appear at our EDH APAC meeting. We appreciate the applicant’s effort in providing a review and discussion of their proposed project.

The EDH APAC page for CEDHSP documents and details can be found HERE

October 25, 2019 in Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan General Plan Amendment Specific Plan

Notice of Public Hearing: Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan

The County of El Dorado has issued a Notice of Public Hearing today regarding the Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan. A hearing will be held at the November 14, 2019 County Planning Commission Meeting, at 8:30AM, at Building C Hearing Room, 2850 Fairlane Court, Placerville, CA 95667

The Planning Commission will consider General Plan Amendment A14-0003/Specific Plan Amendment SP12- 0002/Rezone Z14-0005/Specific Plan Amendment SP86-0002-R/Planned Development PD14-0004/Tentative Subdivision Map TM14-1516/Development Agreement DA14- 0003/Central El Dorado Hills Specific Plan.

From the original project description:

SP 12 0002 – CENTRAL EL DORADO HILLS SP

Number of Lots: 1028
Project Description
PROPOSED CENTRAL EL DORADO HILLS SPECIFIC PLAN CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 1,028 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, 50,000 SQUARE FOOT OF COMMERCIAL, 84.9 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE, AND 15.3 ACRES OF RECREATIONAL PARK WITHIN 250-ACRE PROJECT SITE. THE REQUEST INCLUDES AN AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING EL DORADO HILLS SPECIFIC PLAN.

Project Final Environmental Impact Report and Staff Reports

The CEDHSP Final Environmental Impact Report, and Staff Reports, are expected to be available to the public two weeks prior to the hearing.

November 13, 2019 El Dorado Hills APAC Meeting

The El Dorado Hills Area Planning Advisory Committee is dedicating the entirety of our November 13, 2019 meeting to a discussion and presentation of the project, with updated changes, from the applicant, Serrano Associates.

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