Skip to content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer

DR08-003-R Saratoga Retail

DR19-0003 Saratoga Retail Phase 2 Update

On July 5, 2019, a Notice of Decision by the County of El Dorado Planning and Building Department to take action on the proposed revisions to the approved Saratoga Retail Project in El Dorado Hills was issued.

From the Notice of Decision:

A design review application modifying the approved site plan and related exhibits associated with the Saratoga Retail Phase 2 Design Review (DR-R18-0001) approved on October 9, 2018 by the Board of Supervisors. This design review seeks the approval of the Planning Director for proposed minor changes and making a determination of substantial conformance with the approved project referenced above and Conditions of Approval, in accordance with the County of El Dorado Zoning Ordinance Title 130, Article 5, Section 130.54.070 (Revision to an Approved Permit or Authorization).

The DR19-0003 application is being processed in accordance with Title 130, Article 5, Section 130.50.040 (General Review Procedure), as a staff-level review with public notice. The decision to approve this project may be appealed to the Planning Commission by formally filing an appeal along with payment of applicable fees to the County of El Dorado Planning and Building Department within the appeal period. The appeal period is 10 working days starting on Monday, July 8, 2019 and ending at 5:00 pm on Friday, July 19, 2019 (end of business day).

Changes to the 2018 approved project stem from a lawsuit submitted by area residents concerned with the inclusion of a high volume drive thru business. The applicant has engaged with area residents in a discussion to make the project better fit the neighborhood. To this end, changes have been made to Building 3 converting it from a single tenant building, to a multi-tenant building for up to three tenants, eliminating the high volume drive thru facility, and replacing it with a lower volume drive thru tenant: suggested to be a coffee house business tenant.

From the Applicant’s May 9, 2018 Submittal Packet:

This application seeks the approval of the Planning Director that the attached plans and elevations substantially conform to the approved site plan associated with the Saratoga Retail Phase 2 Design Review approved October 9, 2018 by the Board of Supervisors. The attached site plan is a culmination of discussions with neighbors of the project which objected to the approved plan primarily due to the inclusion of a high volume drive through facility. Accordingly, the primary difference between this site plan and the approved site plan is a reconfiguration of Building 3 to make it more amenable to a multi-tenant building and the reduction of the drive through facility to a one lane configuration. Other minor changes are made to the parking and drive aisles as a result of these minor changes, which may be typical of changes that occur from tentative to final site design.

At the time of the approval of the Saratoga Retail project in 2009, the Phase 2 area had an approved site plan which was not dissimilar to the proposed site plan herein. The significance of this is that the site has already be graded and drainage and other infrastructure has already been installed at the site. The proposed site plan comports with the previously constructed improvements thus avoiding any significant changes to the site.

In preliminary discussions with Planning Department staff concerns were raised regarding the possible traffic implications of the requested change to the site plan. Specifically it was pointed out that the drive through as proposed will be conducive to a coffee business which could result in more AM traffic trips thus affecting the conclusions of the other traffic reports prepared for the project. Attached is another traffic report examining the potential impact of the drive through being utilized by a typical retail coffee facility, which concludes no impacts different than those originally identified in previous studies.

This project was approved October 9, 2018, following a denial of an appeal filed by area residents, of the project’s previous approval. The July 5, 2019 Notice of Decision confirms consistency and final approval of the changes requested in the May 9, 2019 Design Review of the previously approved project.

The EDH APAC document page for DR-R18-0002 contains project details and document links.

EDH APAC Members Offer Vote of Non-Support For DR-R18-0001 Saratoga Retail Phase 2

*****UPDATED AUGUST 18 2018*****

El Dorado Hills Area Planning Advisory Committee voting members have offered a vote of Non-Support for the DR-R18-0001 Saratoga Retail Phase 2 project.

After hearing the project update presentation from the project applicants at the August 8, 2018 EDH APAC meeting, the EDH APAC Executive Board elected to delay a vote regarding support of the project until El Dorado County Staff report and other project findings, released only days before, could be thoroughly and thoughtfully reviewed. After voting members reviewed several hundred pages of documents and exhibits, including the archived documents from the original 2009 DR09-0003, and the 2017 revised DR-09-0003-R, a vote was conducted among members via e-mail.

The final result was a vote of Non-Support 6-0

EDH APAC will be providing a detailed letter to the Clerk of the Planning Commission by Thursday August 16, 2018 detailing EDH APAC member concerns, questions, and conclusions in regards to the vote of non-support. The letter will be added to the project document page HERE

Loader Loading...
EAD Logo Taking too long?

Reload Reload document
| Open Open in new tab

Download Vote Result [90.91 KB]

UPDATED AUGUST 18 2018: EDH APAC Letter of Non-Support

The El Dorado Hills Area Planning Advisory Committee has submitted the following letter of Non-Support for DR-R18-0001 to The County of El Dorado Planning Commission

Loader Loading...
EAD Logo Taking too long?

Reload Reload document
| Open Open in new tab

Download EDHAPAC Letter [104.37 KB]

EDH APAC August 2018 Meeting Presentation Materials And Meeting Minutes

The El Dorado Hills Area Planning Advisory Committee has posted the minutes of the August 8, 2018 meeting, and presentation materials online.

The meeting featured guest speaker El Dorado Irrigation District Division 5 Director Alan Day, discussing the EID Study underway to evaluate the merits of divesting the El Dorado Hills Service area from the District, or alternately,  establishing cost areas.

The meeting also heard from the applicants for the proposed Saratoga Retail Phase 2 DR-R18-0001 project consisting of 2 additional buildings with reduced square footage from the previously approved project, but adding a drive-thru fast food element.

Meeting Minutes

Loader Loading...
EAD Logo Taking too long?

Reload Reload document
| Open Open in new tab

Download Meeting Minutes [202.77 KB]

Meeting Presentation Slides

Loader Loading...
EAD Logo Taking too long?

Reload Reload document
| Open Open in new tab

Download Presentation Slides [2.49 MB]

DR08-0003-R Saratoga Retail Drive-Thru Modified Project

The project applicants for DR08-0003-R are exploring a revised configuration of their project that was denied by the El Dorado County Planning Commission in February 2018.

The previous project was seeking a design review: adding a third building, but reducing overall square footage of the commercial space. Two buildings were proposed to be fast food drive-thru restaurants, and a third building that would be a non-food retail space.

The revised proposal is to eliminate one of the fast food buildings, and returning to the previously approved two building configuration, again with reduced square footage. One building is proposed to be a fast food drive-thru, the second building will be a non-food retail space. By removing the third building the applicant suggests that they would be able to accommodate RV parking.

The applicant is conducting a public outreach meeting with El Dorado Hills residents on June 26, 2018, at 6:00PM at the Holiday Inn Express in El Dorado Hills Town Center.

Loader Loading...
EAD Logo Taking too long?

Reload Reload document
| Open Open in new tab

Download [2.63 MB]

Planning Commission Approves Town Center Apartments, Denies Sartoga Retail Drive-Thrus

At the January 11, 2018  El Dorado County Planning Commission hearing, Commissioners approved the El Dorado Hills Apartments A16-0001 project by a 3-2 vote, and approved the findings for denial of the Saratoga Retail DR08-0003-R project.

The Saratoga Retail project, originally approved in 2009 as the Shops at El Dorado Hills as a compromise between area neighbors, El Dorado Hills residents, El Dorado County, and the developer to limit the project to a Walgreens pharmacy with a drive thru for phase one, and phase two would consist of ’boutique’ shops in two buildings, that would serve the local neighborhood, as well as El Dorado Hills, and would not be ‘tourist drawing in nature’. The applicant sought to modify phase two by reducing overall square footage of phase two, but sought to add a third building, and two drive thru fast-food restaurants.  The Planning Commission, after hearing from numerous residents in El Dorado Hills, decided to deny the project based on concerns regarding traffic/circulation, noise, aesthetics, environmental effects, and found that the project does not comply with the El Dorado County Zoning Ordinance’s parking requirements. The applicant can submit a revised project within 12 months, and additionally, has 10 days to appeal the ruling to the Board Of Supervisors.

The El Dorado Hills Apartments project was approved on a 3-2 vote, with District 1 Planning Commissioner Jon Vegna, and District 4 Planning Commissioner James Williams voting against approving the project. The project is scaled down from a previously approved project on the site (that is currently appealing litigation that stopped the project). Instead of a 250 unit complex, it has been downsized to 214 units, in two 4-story buildings, with one 5-story parking garage in the center. EDH APAC submitted a recommendation of non-support for the project primarily based on traffic impacts, land zoning/use conflicts, the loss of future sales tax  and transient occupancy tax revenues, the loss of retail/commercial space in the Town Center Planned Development, and a General Plan amendment, changing the voter approved El Dorado County General Plan standard for multi-family density from its current 24 dwelling units per acre, and essentially doubling it to 47 dwelling units per acre for this project. The project now goes to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors for final approval. El Dorado County residents can still submit public comments, questions, and concerns, either supporting or opposing the project, to the Board of Supervisors. The hearing date for the project has yet to be scheduled.

Saratoga Retail Fast Food And Town Center Apartments Projects Back At Planning Commission Jan 11, 2018

The January 11 2018 meeting of the El Dorado County Planning Commission will feature the return of two El Dorado Hills Projects as separate hearings for Planning Commission approval.

The Planning Commissioners will consider Findings for denial for the Saratoga Retail project DR08-0003-R, that was conceptually denied by the Planning Commission on December 14, 2017. Commissioners will be voting to accept the Findings for Denial as presented by County Planning Staff. This project is a Design Review Revision, seeking to alter the original 2008 approved plan, by reducing over-all building square footage, and splitting the previously approved two buildings (buildings 2 and 3) into 3 buildings (buildings 2A, 2B, and 3 ) and adding two drive through fast food restaurants.

For the second El Dorado Hills project, the the Planning Commissioners will conduct a hearing to consider the El Dorado Hills Apartments project at Town Center East: A16-0001, Z16-0004, SP86-0002-R-3, PD94-0004-R-3. This project was continued from the December 14 2017 meeting at the request of the project applicant, the EDH APAC, and area residents, to allow additional time to fully review the project Final Environment Impact Report. This project is seeking approval to construct a 214 unit apartment complex, comprised of two 4-story apartment buildings, and a 5-story parking garage at the corner or Town Center Blvd and Vine Street.

The project needs to be granted four entitlements:

  1. General Plan Amendment adding a new Policy (Policy 2.2.6.6) under Objective 2.2.6 (Site Specific Policy Section) to increase the maximum residential density allowed in the General Plan from 24 dwelling units per acre to a maximum of 47 dwelling units per acre specifically for the 4.565-acre project site within the TCE Planned Development area identified as Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 121-290-60, 61, and 62.
  2. El Dorado Hills Specific Plan Amendment incorporating multi-family residential use, density, and related standards for the project site. The project site would be designated as “Urban Infill Residential” within the Village T area of the EDHSP Plan.
  3. Rezoning of the project site from General Commercial-Planned Development (CG-PD) to Multi-Family Residential-Planned Development (RM-PD) and revisions to the RM-zone district development standards applicable to the proposed 214-unit apartment project
  4. Revision to the approved Town Center East Development Plan incorporating multi-family residential use, density, and related design and development standards for the proposed 214-unit apartment project within Planning Area 2 of the TCE Plan area.

Residents can submit public comments on these projects as late Wednesday January 10, 2018

17-1316
Agenda Item 2
Community Development Services, Planning and Building Department presenting Findings for Denial for the Saratoga Retail project (Design Review Revision DR08-0003-R) on property identified by Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 120-690-07 and 120-690-08, consisting of 1.71 acres, in the El Dorado Hills area, that was conceptually denied by the Planning Commission on December 14, 2017; and staff recommending the Planning Commission take the following action: 1) Deny Design Review Revision DR08-0003-R based on the Findings for Denial as presented. (Supervisorial District 1)

Address public comments to:
County Planner Efren Sanchez [ efren.sanchez@edcgov.us ]
Please be certain to cc: planning@edcgov.us
As well as the Clerk of the Planning Commission, Char Tim [ charlene.tim@edcgov.us ]

17-0846
Agenda Item 5
Hearing to consider the El Dorado Hills Apartments project (General Plan Amendment A16-0001/Rezone Z16-0004/Specific Plan Revision SP86-0002-R-3/Planned Development Revision PD94-0004-R-3) on property identified by Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 121-290-60, 121-290-61, and 121-290-62, consisting of 4.56 acres, in the El Dorado Hills area, submitted by The Spanos Corporation; and staff recommending the Planning Commission recommend the Board of Supervisors take the following actions: 1) Certify the Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse No. 201704217) based on the Findings presented; 2) Adopt the Mitigation Monitoring Reporting Program in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15074(d), incorporated as Conditions of Approval; 3) Approve A16-0001 adding a new policy under Objective 2.2.6 (Site Specific Policy Section) in the General Plan increasing the maximum residential density allowed in the General Plan from 24 dwelling units/acre to a maximum of 47 dwelling units/acre for the 4.565-acre site within the Town Center East Planned Development

Address public comments to:
County Planner Mel Pabalinas [ rommel.pabalinas@edcgov.us ]
Please be certain to cc: planning@edcgov.us
As well as the Clerk of the Planning Commission, Char Tim [ charlene.tim@edcgov.us ]

Meeting Agenda
El Dorado County Legistar Calendar Links
Event Details

EDC Planning Commission Denies DR08-0003-R Saratoga Retail, Approves Pavilions Memory Care, Continues EDH Apartments

At the December 14 2017 El Dorado County Planning Commission meeting, Planning Commissioners voted 5-0 to deny the Saratoga Retail DR08-0003-R design review project, featuring three smaller buildings, comprised of two drive through restaurants, and one unidentified commercial tenant. Citing concerns that the design review was not just a “minor modification” of the original phase 2 of the project approved in 2009, as well as traffic issues, and land use conflicting with the nearby residential neighborhoods. Meeting minutes of the hearing have yet to be posted as of Monday December 18, 2017, but the El Dorado Hills Village Life has posted the following article:

The project originally approved by the commission in 2009 includes three commercial buildings totaling 30,628 square feet. Divided into two phases, Phase I consisted of the construction of a 13,263-square-foot building now occupied by Walgreens.

On Thursday the developer was back for approval of a modified Phase 2. Instead of two more commercial buildings, the revised plans included reducing the square footage of the commercial building by 6,907 square feet and constructing two drive-thru restaurants to be occupied by Chick-fil-A and Habit Burger.

Brad LaRue, CEO of United Growth and the project developer, called the revisions a minor design modification. He told county planners there were adequate parking spots for the new uses and requested an exemption from providing RV parking spots…

LaRue reiterated he was only requesting a minor modification to the original design and that should have required a staff-level decision rather than a public hearing. At the same time he promised to build the best development possible — one that would hopefully be enjoyed by people in the future.

Seeking some kind of compromise, District 1 Commissioner John Vegna asked if LaRue would meet with the homeowners to hammer out a “win-win.” Williams also asked if the developer would consider downsizing the project.

LaRue said he didn’t want to downsize the project any more than had already been done.

After planners conceptually denied the design modification they asked staff to return to the Jan. 11 meeting with the findings of facts as to the reasons for the denial with traffic being the main sticking point. The developer has the option of appealing the decision to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors after the planners make their final decision in January.

The Planning Commission has directed County Staff to prepare findings to support their denial vote. The Project Applicant can appealing the findings to the El Dorado Count Board of Supervisors after the Commission has published their findings in January 2018.

Another project with a hearing at the same Planning Commission meeting was approved 5-0 by the Planning Commissioners. The Pavilions Memory Care project will create a 64 bed facility providing care for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. Residents expressed concerns about mitigation measures for Oak Tree loss on the project, but several commentators agreed it would potentially be one of lower impact projects possible for the site.  The Village Life published an article with more details.

Also scheduled for the same Planning Commission meeting, the hearing for the El Dorado Hills Apartments at Town Center was granted a continuance until the January 11 2018 Planning Commission Meeting.

The Five hour, thirteen minute meeting is available as an audio recording on the County Legistar website. When available, meeting minutes will be posted to the APAC documents page.

 

UPDATED 12/19/2017 – The Meeting Minutes of the 12/14/17 Planning Commission Hearings have been posted online

APAC Document Files

APAC DR08-0003-R Saratoga Retail Subcommittee Votes Non Support

The El Dorado Hills APAC subcommittee studying the DR08-0003-R Sartoga Retail/ Shops At El Dorado Hills unanimously voted 5-0 to submit a letter of Non Support for the project. A full Committee vote will be considered at the next APAC meeting in January 2018.

APAC volunteers felt it important to submit the subcommittee’s recommendation to El Dorado County Planning Staff, the El Dorado County Planning Commission, and the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors this week, in advance of the scheduled project hearing at the Planning Commission meeting on Thursday December 14 2017.

The Subcommittee has cited several reasons for non support, including the negative impact on neighboring residential homes, the significant deviation from the originally planned ‘neighborhood/boutique’ nature of the project, as approved in 2009, and issues with inadequate traffic flows, both inside the project, as well as on Saratoga Way, Park Dr, and El Dorado Hills Blvd.

The EDH APAC Subcommittee letter can be viewed HERE

APAC Project Document Page