At the February 21, 2018 EDH APAC meeting, El Dorado County District 1 Supervisor John Hidahl shared a presentation regarding the recent approval of the El Dorado Hills Apartments at Town Center East.
Public Comment and discussion is briefly reviewed in the APAC February 21, 2018 meeting minutes
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In considering the recommendation of the El Dorado County Planning Commission of the proposed El Dorado Hills Apartments A16-0001, by a 4 to 1 vote, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors approved a General Plan Amendment, an amendment to the 1988 El Dorado Hills Specific Plan, a revision to the PD94-0004 Town Center East Planned Development to permit multi-family residential, and a rezone of the subject parcels at the Tuesday February 13, 2018 BOS Meeting.
The vote to approve was:
District 1 Supervisor Hidahl: YES
District 2 Supervisor Frentzen: NO
District 3 Supervisor Verkamp: YES
District 4 Supervisor Ranalli: YES
District 5 Supervisor Novasel : YES
Video Recording of the hearing can be found HERE
HEARING – To consider the recommendation of the Planning Commission on 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 Board take the following actions: 1) Adopt Resolution 016-2018 certifying 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 Area
A motion was made by Supervisor Frentzen to deny the project.
Motion Failed for lack of a second.
Public Comment: D. Manning, E. VanDyke, C. Burson, N. Burke, S. Noble, K. Beal, L. Parlin, L. Bentani, B. Smart, J. Wiley, J. Harn, R. Everett, S. Mundy, R. Hargrove, S. Hayley, S. Taylor, G. Helm
Supervisor Ranalli opened the public hearing.
A motion was made by Supervisor Veerkamp, seconded by Supervisor Hidhal to:
1) Adopt Resolution 016-2018 certifying 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 area identified as Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 121-290-60,
121-290-61, and 121-290-62, based on the Findings presented;
4) Approve Specific Plan Amendment SP86-0002-R-3 amending the El Dorado Hills Specific Plan incorporating multifamily residential use, density, and related standards for the apartment project with the project site being designated as “Urban Infill Residential” within the Village T area of the El Dorado Hills Specific Plan, based on the Findings presented;
5) Approve Z16-0004 rezoning Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 121-290-60, 121-290-61, and 121-290-62 from General Commercial-Planned Development to Multifamily Residential-Planned Development, with revisions to the Multifamily Residential zone district development standards being applicable to the proposed 214-unit apartment complex, based on the Findings presented;
6) Approve Planned Development Revision PD94-0004-R-3 revising the Town Center East Planned Development incorporating multifamily residential use, density, and related design and development standards for the proposed 214-unit apartment complex within Planning Area 2 of the Town Center East Development Plan, with the proposed apartment complex being contained in
two 4-story, 60-foot-tall buildings and a 5-level, 60-foot-tall parking garage and other on-site amenities, based on the Findings and subject to the Conditions of Approval presented;
7) Adopt Ordinance 5079 for said rezone;
8) Continue item for final action to occur with the adoption of the Resolution approving the General Plan Amendments considered by the Board during the “General Plan Window”, tentatively scheduled for February 13, 2018 (Item 32 on today’s Agenda); and
9) Include an additional Condition of Approval that the project applicant fee for the Intelligent Transportation Systems Master Plan Program (“ITS Program”) be kept in a separate account specifically designated for this project.
Yes: 4 – Veerkamp, Ranalli, Novasel and Hidahl
Noes: 1 – Frentzen
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors will conduct a hearing to consider the recommendation of the Planning Commission for approval for the El Dorado Hills Apartments project A16-0001 on Tuesday February 13, 2018 tentatively scheduled for 1:00PM in the Supervisors Meeting room at 330 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA.
The Project seeks to gain four entitlements that will permit the project to move forward with two 4-story apartment buildings comprised of 214 apartment units, and one 5-story parking garage at the corner of Town Center Blvd and Vine Street. The property is currently zoned for commercial development.
The four project entitlements are:
EDH APAC formed a subcommittee to research and review the project. The subcommittee report, which recommended non-support of the project as proposed, can be seen HERE. At the August 9, 2017 APAC meeting, Project applicants generously took time to make a presentation and answer questions about the project. Following this presentation, and a review of the subcommittee report, the full APAC committee voted 7-0 to accept the subcommittee recommendation of non-support. An article in the El Dorado Hills Village Life covered details of the meeting. Following the meeting, APAC submitted its vote of non-support, along with the detailed subcommittee report, to the El Dorado County Planning Commission, El Dorado County Planning Services Dept, and the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors, and offered the report as a response to the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report. A copy of the August 9, 2017 Meeting Minutes can be found HERE
Upon the release of the Final Environmental Impact report in December 2017, EDH APAC offered additional comments to the EDC Planning Commission and EDC Planning Services Dept. concerning both environmental, and non-environmental issues not addressed by the FEIR – the full response can be read HERE.
On January 11, 2018 the El Dorado County Planning Commission reviewed the project and voted 3-2 to approve the project as proposed- with District 1 and District 4 Commissioners opposed.
As to the merits of the debate if it is better to allow the project site to stay vacant, or to move forward with this current project as proposed, EDH APAC members counter that the original proponents of the Village T Town Center East Planned Development sought in the early 90s to get what they wanted, and now have – a commercial center, and were rewarded with zoning to that effect. EDH APAC members suggest that the impacts of failure to develop the parcel in their development as granted by the originally requested zoning, shouldn’t be forced to be borne by the El Dorado Hills community, or by the El Dorado County General Plan. Vacant or developed, the property has the zoning that was requested, and the ability to develop it rests with the owners, and the Town Center East Planned Development – if the project was seeking some simple, minor, modifications to develop the property, that would merit consideration – but a General Plan amendment is never minor. EDH APAC members don’t believe it merits a General Plan amendment based on the benefits it seeks for itself, in lieu of the lack of benefit to the County, and El Dorado Hills.
Community members wishing to provide public comment or questions in support, or opposition to the project may submit those comments to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors by Monday, February 12, 2018. Comments via email should be addressed the Clerk of the Board,a s well as to all five Supervisors, to be attached to the project file at the following addresses.
Project A16-0001 El Dorado Hills Apartments
Clerk of the Board edc.cob@edcgov.us
District 1 Supervisor bosone@edcgov.us
District 2 Supervisor bostwo@edcgov.us
District 3 Supervisor bosthree@edcgov.us
District 4 Supervisor bosfour@edcgov.us
District 5 Supervisor bosfive@edcgov.us
The EDH APAC Project Document file can be found HERE
The El Dorado County Community Development Services Planning And Building Department has issued a Notice of Public Hearing regarding the A16-0001 El Dorado Hills Apartments at Town Center Project at the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors, on February 13, 2018 at 1:00PM.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The County of El Dorado Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing in the Supervisors Meeting Room, 330 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667 on February 13, 2018, at 1:00 p.m., to consider General Plan Amendment A16-0001/Rezone Z16-0004/Specific Plan Revision SP86-0002-R-3/Planned Development Revision PD94-0004-R-3/El Dorado Hills Apartments submitted by THE SPANOS CORPORATION to request the following: (1) General Plan Amendment adding a new policy under Objective 2.2.6 (Site Specific Policy Section) 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 area identified as Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 121-290-60, 121-290-61, and 121-290-62; (2) El Dorado Hills Specific Plan Amendment incorporating multifamily residential use, density, and related standards for the apartment project. The project site would be designated as “Urban Infill Residential” within the Village T area of the El Dorado Hills Specific Plan; (3) Rezone of project site from General Commercial-Planned Development (CG-PD) to Multifamily Residential-Planned Development (RM-PD) and revisions to the Multifamily Residential zone district development standards applicable to the proposed 214-unit apartment complex; and (4) Revisions to the approved Town Center East Development Plan incorporating multifamily residential use, density, and related design and development standards for the proposed 214-unit apartment complex within Planning Area 2 of the Town Center East Development Plan. The proposed apartment complex would be contained in two 4-story, 60-foot-tall buildings and a 5-level, 60-foot-tall parking garage and other on-site amenities. The property, identified by Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 121-290-60, 121-290-61, and 121-290-62, consisting of 4.56 acres, is located on the northwest corner of Town Center Blvd. and Vine Street, within the Town Center East Planned Commercial Center, in the El Dorado Hills area, Supervisorial District 1. (County Planner: Mel Pabalinas) (Environmental Impact Report prepared, State Clearinghouse No. 201704217)
The Planning Commission has recommended approval of these applications based on the Findings and Conditions of Approval on file in Planning Services of the Planning and Building Department.
All persons interested are invited to attend and be heard or to write their comments to the Board of Supervisors at 330 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667 or via e-mail: edc.cob@edcgov.us.
If you challenge the application in court, you may be limited to raising only those items you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Board at, or prior to, the public hearing.
Any questions regarding this project should be directed to the County of El Dorado Planning and Building Department, 2850 Fairlane Court, Placerville, CA 95667 or via e-mail: planning@edcgov.us.
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.
The El Dorado Hills Area Planning Advisory Committee submitted response comments regarding the El Dorado Hills Apartments project A16-0001 to the El Dorado County Planning Commission in advance of their January 11 2018 project hearing.
Read the 12 page response letter HERE
The Project seeks to gain four entitlements that will permit the project to move forward with two 4-story apartment buildings comprised of 214 apartment units, and one 5-story parking garage at the corner of Town Center Blvd and Vine Street. The property is currently zoned for commercial development. It had previously been proposed to develop a hotel project on the site.
The four project entitlements are:
In studying the project, EDH APAC volunteers were concerned with issues regarding the traffic impacts, loss of commercial space and associated employment opportunities, sales tax loss, transient occupancy tax loss, non-compatible land use and conflict with the 1988 El Dorado Hills Specific Plan, and conflicts with the Voter Approved El Dorado County General Plan regarding a general plan amendment seeking to change the current multifamily residential density standard from a maximum of 24 dwelling units per acre, to 47 dwelling units per acres for this project.
El Dorado County continues to accept public comments on this project – to have public comments available to Planning Commissioners, comments should be submitted prior to January 10, 2018
Address public comments to:
County Planner Mel Pabalinas [ rommel.pabalinas@edcgov.us ]
Please be certain to cc: planning@edcgov.us and the Clerk of the Planning Commission, Char Tim [ charlene.tim@edcgov.us ]
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:
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
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
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
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