Staff-led informational workshop presented for the public and Planning Commissioners
El Dorado County Planning Department to offer a Staff led informational workshop for the the public and Planning Commissioners to learn about the proposed Village of Marble Valley Specific Plan and the Lime Rock Valley Specific Plan. The Public review period for the Draft Environmental Impact Reports for BOTH projects closed in July 2024. Both projects are expected to be scheduled for formal hearings before the Planning Commission, and then the Board of Supervisors within the next several months, with the intent to have the projects reviewed for environmental impacts, entitlements, and approvals finalized by the end of 2024.
PURPOSE The purpose of this informational workshop includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Provide the Planning Commission and public a general overview and introduction of both the proposed Village of Marble Valley Specific Plan (VMVSP) and the proposed Lime Rock Valley Specific Plan (LRVSP) projects, including the size and scope.
Give a “heads-up” that these projects are in the pipeline and will soon be formally brought before the Planning Commission for consideration and recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.
Provide an opportunity for decision-makers and the general public to ask questions share comments prior to a formal hearing.
Encourage staff to pursue additional research regarding questions from Planning Commissioners and the general public, so that the future formal hearing may be better informed and responsive to specific questions. The intention of this staff-led informational workshop is that it be a non-binding introduction to the projects for the Planning Commission in a setting less formal than a public hearing. No action nor recommendation to the Board of Supervisors is being sought from Planning Commissioners for this item at the August 8, 2024, Planning Commission Meeting. County CEQA Consultant, Pat Angell from Ascent Environmental will deliver most of the introductory presentation. Guest speakers from County Divisions and Local Agencies may deliver brief relevant information. The proportion of Applicant participation in delivering this introduction is expected to be proportional to other projects heard by the Planning Commission.
County Transportation Department Director Martinez shares letter concerning Carson Crossing Drive area issues with EDH APAC.
El Dorado County Director of Transportation Rafael Martinez provided EDH APAC a copy of a letter to El Dorado Hills residents addressing concerns about traffic and development issues near Carson Crossing Drive.
In his letter Director Martinez identified six areas that the Transportation Department is exploring, based on concerns expressed by El Dorado Hills residents.
Analyzing Speed Surveys, Setting Speed Limits, and Stop Signs
Enhanced Signage and Road Markings
Pedestrian Crosswalks and Signals
Traffic Enforcement
Community Engagement and Education
Implementation of Roundabouts
Director Martinez addresses the difficulty of restricting truck traffic on Carson Crossing Drive due to ongoing construction projects in the area (both in the adjacent El Dorado Hills Business Park, and the ongoing construction of the residential Lennar Heritage developments).
EDH APAC appreciates the ongoing dialog of the Transportation Department with El Dorado Hills residents. Since El Dorado Hills is the largest community in the County, and is the source of the majority of new development, residents frequently forget that the Transportation Department has obligations that extend to all areas of the County, and many of those other County Communities lack development funding to provide road capacity improvements, and like El Dorado Hills, the funding required for ongoing road maintenance. EDH APAC welcomes community participations as we address transportation and circulation issues in our Communities.
45 day public review period to end on September 9, 2024
The El Dorado Count Planning and Building Department released the Notice of Availability for the Town and Country Village El Dorado DRAFT environmental impact report on July 26, 2024. A 45 day public review period has been established to accept public comments, questions, and concerns, regarding the ENVIRONMENTAL impacts of the project. Public review comments can be submitted via email to TownAndCountryElDorado@edcgov.us.
This DEIR identifies that the proposed project could result in significant environmental impacts to the following CEQA topics: Aesthetics; Air Quality, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Energy; Biological Resources; Cultural Resources; Geology and Soils; Hazards and Hazardous Materials; Hydrology and Water Quality; Noise; Transportation; Tribal Cultural Resources; and Wildfire.
In the Notice of Availability, the County also details that they will conduct a meeting to receive comments regarding the content of the DEIR and answer general questions regarding the environmental process. The meeting will be held in-person with a remote option via Zoom on Thursday, August 22, 2024, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the El Dorado County Planning and Building Department, 2850 Fairlane Ct, Building C, Placerville, CA 95667 in the Planning Commission hearing room. The Zoom meeting link is accessible at the following: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88543474078 – This is NOT a Planning Commission Hearing, but a presentation for the public facilitated by El Dorado County.
The project site is located in El Dorado County, California, approximately 500 feet north of U.S. Highway 50, east of Bass Lake Road. The approximately 60.5-acre site is identified by Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APN) 119-080-12, -021 and -023. The project site is located in the southern central portion of the Bass Lake Hills Specific Plan (BLHSP); the northern portion of the project site is located within the Community Region of the El Dorado County General Plan, and the southern portion of the site is located within the Rural Region.
The project site includes two areas: the Project Development Area and the Program Study Area. The Project Development Area consists of the northernmost and southernmost 30.3 acres of the project site, and would be developed with two hotels, retail services, two restaurants, a museum, an event center, associated parking, 56 residential cottages for employee housing, and an additional 56 residential cottages that may be rented on a daily or extended stay basis. The Program Study Area consists of the central and easternmost 30.2 acres of the project site, and may include future development of additional hotels, medical facilities, senior housing, townhomes and cottages, and other uses allowed by the proposed zoning districts. Development within the Program Study Area of the project site is not currently proposed; however, a maximum buildout scenario is included for program level analysis in the EIR. Vehicle access to the project site would be provided by private roads connecting to Bass Lake Road to the west and to Country Club Drive to the north. In addition to on-site utility improvements, full buildout of the proposed project would require installation of off-site water, sewer, and natural gas utilities within Bass Lake Road, other nearby roads, and with respect to the sewer line, generally to the west along Old Bass Lake Road/Lincoln Highway towards Carson Creek.
The proposed project would require approval of: A General Plan Amendment BLHSP Amendment BLHSP Public Facilities Financing Plan Amendment Rezone Planned Development Tentative Subdivision Map Conditional Use Permit (CUP) Other responsible agency approvals (e.g., El Dorado LAFCO related to annexation of the project site into EID’s service area).
The Officers of the El Dorado Hills Area Planning Advisory Committee (EDH APAC) submitted a letter expressing concerns about the tentative review schedule of multiple projects impacting El Dorado Hills in the third and fourth quarters of 2024.
Adequate time for thoughtful project review and analysis along with input from residents results in projects that offer increased benefits for a community to better balance against potential negative impacts.
The El Dorado County Planning and Building Department must operate in a manner that adheres to both state law, as well as El Dorado County policies and ordinances, in a process that respects the rights of project applicants, and County residents. EDH APAC recognizes that Planning and Building Staff have a challenging task to respond to both developers and the community. EDH APAC is grateful for the collaborative manner that County Staff conducts project review, and the amount of assistance that Staff generously provides to EDH APAC volunteers, and the community.
Please note that the letter contains a typo regarding the date of the Town & Country Village El Dorado Scoping meeting date – the letter indicates August 2024, when in fact the Scoping meeting was held in August 2023.
County issues NOA 107 days following scoping meeting
45 day public comment period closes on August 12, 2024
From the notice of availability –
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The proposed project is a request to amend the General Plan land use designations of the project site from Low Density Residential (LDR) and Open Space (OS), to High Density Residential (HDR), LDR, and Public Facilities (PF); a Rezone from Residential Estate, Ten-Acre (RE-10), Residential Estate, Five Acre- (RE-5), and Recreational Facilities, Low Intensity (RF-L), to Residential, Single-Unit (R1), RE-5, OS, and Recreational Facilities, High Intensity (RF-H); and a Tentative Subdivision Map to subdivide the project site into 379 residential lots, a clubhouse lot, a park site, 13 landscape lots, and nine (9) open space lots. 214 of the proposed lots would be age-restricted for residents 55 years or older. 18 of the Residential Estate (RE) zoned lots would be located generally along the northern, eastern, and southern perimeter of the site, as well as along Green Valley Road. The project includes two proposed access roadway connections to Green Valley Road (C-Drive and A-Drive). The project site is within the General Plan designated El Dorado Hills Community Region boundary. The project would require the El Dorado Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to approve annexations of the site into the service boundaries of El Dorado Hills Fire Department for fire protection services, El Dorado Hills Community Services District (CSD) for parks, recreation, and other community services, and the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) for water and wastewater services. Additionally, the proposed project would include improvements to Green Valley Road, as well as other off-site improvements for transportation, water supply, wastewater conveyance, and utilities.
PROJECT LOCATION: The project site is located in an unincorporated area of El Dorado County, in the eastern portion of the El Dorado Hills Community Region. The project site encompasses 280.70-acres and is located on five parcels identified by Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APNs) 126-020-001, 126-020-002, 126-020-003, 126-020-004, and 126-150-023. The majority of the site is located south of Green Valley Road, with the exception of the northern tip of the site that is north of Green Valley Road (portion of APN 126-150-023). This portion is being removed from the project as part of a Boundary Line Adjustment that is being processed under a separate application to the County.
Providing Public Comments related to ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Providing Comments: The DEIR is available for public and agency review for a 45-day period beginning June 27, 2024, and ending August 12, 2024. The purpose of this comment period is to consider the content of the DEIR and potential environmental impacts that may result from project implementation, not the positive or negative attributes of the proposed project itself. Comments pertaining to the environmental impact analysis, criteria and thresholds, mitigation measures and alternatives presented in the DEIR will be considered by the County during preparation of the Final EIR. The Final EIR will include copies of the comments and the County’s responses to comments pertaining to the environmental review and DEIR.
Informational Meeting: El Dorado County will hold a meeting to receive comments regarding the content of the DEIR and answer general questions regarding the environmental process. The meeting will be held in-person with a remote option via Zoom on Thursday, July 11, 2024, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the El Dorado County Planning and Building Department, 2850 Fairlane Ct, Building C, Placerville, CA 95667 in the Planning Commission hearing room. Here is the Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83691325117
Planning Commissioners to get CEQA refresher in June 27th Workshop
The El Dorado County Planning Commission, facing an aggressive project review schedule for the second half of 2024, will begin with a public workshop on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) at this Thursday’s Planning Commission Hearing.
CEQA – long cited by development proponents and opponents alike as the reason for California’s prohibitively expensive and often litigated project approvals process – has been in place since 1970, signed into law by California Governor Ronald Reagan.
Subsequent governors and California agencies, such as City councils, County Boards of Supervisors, and more, have complained that the CEQA process is why development in California is so expensive – and why their pet projects don’t come to fruition. Truthfully, CEQA’s intent was to allow for a full public review of potential significant environmental impacts from development projects. It allows for both project applicants, and community residents, to weigh in on Environmental concerns. CEQA allows for “significant unavoidable environmental impacts” if they provide a public benefit.
The Planning Commission’s tentative project review schedule in the second half of 2024
The Planning Commission has provided to EDH APAC a tentative review schedule from their 2024 calendar. It is rather aggressive:
June 27 CEQA training for Planning Commissioners – Planning Commissioners have asked that the workshop be made available to the public.
July 11Generations At Green Valley EIR presentation. 379 single-family residential lots, 1 Park lot, 1 clubhouse, 9 open space lots, 13 landscape lots, and 3 road lots on Green Valley Road in El Dorado Hills. Public Scoping Meeting was held on March 12, 2024
July 25Town and Country Village El Dorado EIR presentation Two hotels, two restaurants, a museum, an event center, associated parking, 56 residential cottages for employee housing, and an additional 56 residential cottages that may be rented on a daily or extended stay basis. Public Scoping Meeting was held in August 2024
August 8 Village of Marble Valley Specific Plan and Lime Rock Valley Specific Plan informational. Marble Valley SP – 2,342 acres of land consisting of approximately 3,236 dwelling units and 475,000 square feet of commercial. The project is located in between El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park area south of Highway 50. Public Scoping Meeting was held in March 2013 Lime Rock Valley SP – Lime Rock Valley Specific Plan proposes for the development of 740 acres of land consisting of approximately 800 dwelling units. The project is located south of Highway 50 in the Cameron Park area. Public Scoping Meeting was held in March 2013
Planning Commission June 27th CEQA Workshop Presentation Materials
PLANNING & BUILDING DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES ONLINE TOOL TO INCREASE PUBLIC ACCESS, UNDERSTANDING OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
El Dorado County’s Planning and Building staff launched the “Projects in Your Area” online tool that makes it easier to find the current status of and information about proposed, in-progress, and approved projects in the County. The new tool includes features and functionality community members and officials have requested.
“We’ve heard our citizens’ frustration about the challenges to being able to easily find various pieces of planning information about projects in El Dorado County, and we’re delighted to launch this easy-to-use, interactive and accessible tool today as a way to overcome the barriers to quick and easy information,” said Planning and Building Department director, Karen Garner.
In conjunction with the County’s Information Technology and Surveyor departments, Projects in Your Area allows users to find projects, by clicking the interactive map that is bound by Supervisorial Districts, or by clicking a list of residential, commercial, mixed use, campground/RV, and light industrial projects via alphabetical order, according to type of project.
Project details include a description of the project, the type of application and when it was submitted, the zoning and elevation, the applicant, the APN, assigned planner’s name, a status bar, pertinent documents and maps, and the designated General Plan Land use. One great advantage is to be able to see current projects in relationship to each other on the map. The tool will evolve to include more valuable review process information over time, including a link to CEQA documents and public comment periods.
“While not every project application will be included with this tool, we will include projects with wide public interest within weeks of an application submittal and will be updated until the project has been approved,” said Garner. “Importantly, this new tool eliminates the need for the public to use our TRAKiT system, which can be less intuitive.”
Projects in Your Area will be available on the County’s website and users are not required to create an account to access the information posted.
Scoping meeting to be held March 12 5:30PM at EDH Fire Station 85
Notice of Preparation of Draft Environmental Impact Report and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting for the Generations at Green Valley Project (General Plan Amendment GPA22-0001, Rezone Z22-0001, Tentative Subdivision Map TM220001, Development Agreement DA24-0001) Review Period: February 26, 2024 to March 26, 2024 The County of El Dorado (acting as the Lead Agency) is releasing this Notice of Preparation (NOP) on February 26, 2024, for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Generations at Green Valley Project (project) located in unincorporated El Dorado County (County). The NOP initiates the environmental scoping process in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code Section 21080.4) and CEQA Guidelines (14 California Code of Regulations (CCR) Section 15082). The purpose of an NOP is to provide sufficient information about the proposed project and its potential environmental effects to allow public agencies, organizations, tribes, and interested members of the public the opportunity to provide a meaningful response related to the scope and content of the EIR, including feasible mitigation measures and project alternatives that should be considered in the EIR (CEQA Guidelines, 14 CCR Section 15082(b)). The proposed project and location are briefly described below. PROVIDING COMMENTS El Dorado County is soliciting written comments from public agencies, organizations, tribes, and individuals regarding the scope and content of the environmental document. Because of time limits mandated by State law, comments should be provided at the earliest possible date, but no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 26, 2024. Please send all comments to: Bianca Dinkler, Senior Planner County of El Dorado Planning Department 2850 Fairlane Court, Building C Placerville, CA 95667 Email: generationsatgreenvalley@edcgov.us
Agencies that are responsible agencies or trustee agencies will need to use the EIR when considering permits or other approvals for the project. Such agencies should provide the name of a contact person, phone number, and email address in their comment. Comments provided by email should include “Generations at Green Valley Project NOP Comment” in the subject line, and the name and physical address of the commenter in the body of the email.
PROJECT LOCATION The project site is located in an unincorporated area of El Dorado County (Figure 1). Existing land uses in the project area consist of single-family residences and rural residential areas. The project site encompasses approximately 280 acres located on five current parcels, Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APN) 126-020-001, 126-020-002, 126-020-003, 126-020-004, and 126-150-023. The majority of the site is located south of Green Valley Road, with the exception of northern tip of the site that is north of Green Valley Road (portion of APN 126-150-023). This portion of the project is being removed as part of Boundary Line Adjustment that is being processed under a separate application to the County. The project also includes two proposed access roadway connections to Green Valley Road (C-Drive and A-Drive) that would use existing easements to access Green Valley Road.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION The El Dorado County General Plan land use designations for the site are Low Density Residential (LDR), with approximately 1.4 acres designated Open Space (OS) associated with an existing Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) utility easement. Zoning on the site consists primarily of Residential Estate, Ten-Acre (RE-10), with the SMUD easement zoned as Recreational Facilities, Low Intensity (RF-L). The proposed C-Drive extension area is zoned RE-5, while the proposed A-Drive extension area is zoned RE-10. The Generations at Green Valley Project proposes to amend the General Plan land use designations to High Density Residential (HDR), Low Density Residential (LDR), and Public Facilities (PF). The project would also rezone the site to Residential, Single-unit (R1), Open Space (OS), Recreational Facilities, High Intensity (RF-H), and Residential Estate, Five-Acre (RE-5) (Figure 2). The proposed development area of the project would be within the General Plan designated El Dorado Hills Community Region boundary. The project proposes a Tentative Subdivision Map that would subdivide the project site into 379 residential lots, clubhouse lot, park site lot, thirteen landscape lots, nine (9) open space lots, and three (3) lots for project roadways. Age restrictions would apply to 214 of the residential lots in the project. Proposed residential lot sizes would range from 6,000 square feet up to 5.7 acres. Roadway access to the project would be provided through two (2) main connections with Green Valley Road and three (3) emergency access roads connecting to existing roadways along the project’s boundary. The project also anticipates constructing improvements and adding additional lanes to segments of Green Valley Road. The proposed park site would be 4.0 acres and would be proposed for dedication to the El Dorado Hills Community Services District (CSD). The design of the park site would be determined by the El Dorado Hills CSD, but may include a baseball diamond, tot lot, parking lot, and a restroom. The clubhouse site would be owned and maintained by the homeowners association (HOA) and may include community building, pool, barbeque facilities, bocci courts, and a pickle ball court. The open space would be owned and maintained by the HOA.
Proposed offsite transportation improvements
Optimize traffic signal coordination on El Dorado Hills Boulevard/Latrobe Road from White Rock Road to Saratoga Way (North).
Modify traffic signal phasing and hardware for the Silva Valley Parkway and Harvard Way intersection to provide a southbound right-turn overlap.
The project would construct improvements to Green Valley Road at the project proposed access points with C-Drive and A-Drive that would provide left- and right-turn pockets to promote safe traffic flow.
Water and utilities
With the exception of proposed onsite wastewater systems for the RE-5 lots and park site, the project would obtain water and wastewater service from El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) and would involve the following offsite water and wastewater improvements
Offsite Water Supply Improvements:
Connection to an existing 8-inch water distribution pipeline within Lima Way on the project’s western boundary.
Construction of a new water distribution pipeline from the project’s southern boundary to an existing 10-inch pipeline located in Greenview Drive.
Construction of a new water distribution pipeline from the project’s eastern boundary along Green Valley Road to an existing 12-inch pipeline west of Pleasant Grove Middle School. Offsite Wastewater Conveyance Improvements:
Connection to an existing 8-inch gravity wastewater conveyance pipeline within Lima Way on the project’s western boundary.
Upsizing of approximately 1,600 linear feet of existing gravity wastewater pipeline upstream of the Highland Hills Lift Station.
Construction of approximately 8,500-linear foot force main from the Highland Hills Lift Station to an existing 15-inch gravity wastewater pipeline that flows to the St. Andrews Lift Station.
Other utility improvements for the project would include the following:
Construction of eight (8) onsite detention/water quality basins
Improvement of existing electrical cable facilities and addition of new electrical cable along Sangiovese Drive, Appian Way (new trenching anticipated along Appian Way), and Lima Way
Improvements to the existing electrical facilities along eastern portion of the project site.
In addition to the General Plan Amendment, Rezone, and Tentative Subdivision Map entitlement requests, the project is also requesting that the El Dorado Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) approve the annexations of the site into the following districts:
El Dorado Hills Fire Department (also known at the El Dorado Hills County Water District/Fire Protection District) for fire protection services
El Dorado Hills CSD for parks, recreation, and other community services
EID for water and wastewater services.
SCOPING MEETING
El Dorado County will hold a public scoping meeting to receive verbal comments regarding the scope and content of the environmental document and answer general questions regarding the environmental process. The meeting will be held in-person with a remote option via Zoom on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the El Dorado Hills Fire Station, Station 85, located at 1050 Wilson Boulevard, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762. Here is the Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83062366195
Written comments regarding the scope and content of the environmental document may be submitted throughout the scoping period, which closes at 5:00 p.m. on March 26, 2024.
The County of El Dorado is committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities are provided the resources to participate in its public meetings. If you require accommodation, please contact Planning Services at 530-621-5355 or via e-mail, planning@edcgov.us.
BOS Receives Staff Presentation at January 9, 2024 Meeting.
At the January 9, 2024 Board of Supervisors Meeting, the Department of Transportation provided a El Dorado Countywide Housing and Employment Projections, 2018 – 2045 Memorandum and Presentation pertaining to the 2024 Major Update of the Traffic Impact Fee (TIF) Program, recommending that the Board adopt an annual residential growth rate of 0.62% and an annual employment growth rate of 0.62% through 2045.
The annual residential and employment growth rates impacts the TIF formula, that helps to set the fee schedule for development fees for impacts to the El Dorado County Road Network.
This is the first time that a more detailed set of historical data for both residential growth, and employment growth has guided the analysis for the determination of the County-wide growth rate(s) – the data is based on Community Regions (El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park, Shingle Springs Diamond Springs/El Dorado, and Placerville Community Regions), and also incorporates Rural regions as “Balance of West Slope”. Key data points for Residential Growth indicated the following actual growth rates:
El Dorado Hills 3.30% Cameron Park 0.44% Shingle Springs 1.06% Diamond Springs 0.23% Placerville 0.10% Balance of West Slope 0.62%
A PDF version of the Staff Presentation is located at the end of this article.
The Board of Supervisors voted 4 to 1 to approve the adopting of the updated residential and employment growth rates
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
This is the second workshop to discuss policy items, specifically data and information focused on growth rates and projections, related to the 2024 Major Update to the Traffic Impact Fee (TIF) Program.
On December 8, 2020 (Item 39, Legistar 20-1585), the Board of Supervisors adopted the 2020 Major Update to the TIF Program. That update made a number of changes to the program, including adjusting the Countywide residential growth rate from 1.03% to 0.70% annually; setting the anticipated level of grant funding to 10%; reducing the non-residential equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) shift from 65% to 62%; consolidating the TIF Zones across the unincorporated West Slope from 8 Zones to 3 Zones; prorating fees for residential single-family dwellings based upon square footage, as required by California Assembly Bill (AB) 602; adding Vehicle Miles Traveled as a traffic impact measure under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), as required by California Senate Bill (SB) 743; upholding the use of reduced fees for age-restricted housing; and upholding the offset for affordable housing as outlined in Board Policy B-14.
The 2024 Major Update to the TIF Program will consider the projected growth throughout the County through the year 2045; allocate the growth to community regions, including updates to those regions based upon the 2020 US Census; and update the County’s Travel Demand Model (TDM) to reflect the projected growth patterns. The Board will also be asked to consider the grant funding and non-residential offsets, based upon anticipated funding opportunities and the effects of residential growth upon commercial development. Utilizing the updated TDM, a deficiency analysis will be performed to establish a nexus with any needed capital improvements resulting from the projected growth, which will be included in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), and the anticipated improvement costs will be distributed across the number of permits anticipated to be issued over the next twenty years to update the TIF Program Fee Schedule.
The workshop, held on December 5, 2023, launched the 2024 Major Update with the analysis of growth projections across the Western Slope of El Dorado County (West Slope) through 2045. The El Dorado County Housing and Employment Projections, 2018 – 2045 Memorandum (Memorandum) has been prepared by the County’s consultant, BAE Urban Economics, Inc. (BAE) (Attachment A).
Following the December 5th workshop, Transportation staff and their consultants collected historical data and information requested by the Supervisors for presentation and discussion at this workshop.
Base Year Housing and Employment Estimates
At this time, the extended growth projections utilize the same 2018 base year housing and employment estimates as those used in the growth projections used in the 2020 Major Update, which cover only the West Slope of the County. Growth within the Lake Tahoe Basin is under the jurisdiction of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). BAE considered five sources of estimates for housing trends and four sources of estimates for jobs trends in the West Slope. For purposes of the analysis, BAE has chosen to use the 2019 County estimates compiled by Kimley-Horn & Associates (KHA) that are based on the County’s Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping data, as they are the most current, localized estimates available.
KHA is currently developing updated baseline estimates of existing West Slope housing units and employment. BAE will incorporate the updated baseline estimates into a refined set of West Slope housing unit and employment growth projections, using the annual growth rates to be adopted by the Board as a result of this item. Community Region growth allocations will also be included at separate, subsequent Planning Commission and Board of Supervisor meetings in early 2024. While the starting point for the projections will move up from 2018 to 2023, the average annual rates of housing unit and employment growth are not expected to change significantly.
Residential (Housing) Growth Rates
As shown in the Population/Housing Units/Households section of Table 1 in Attachment A, four of five projections studied yielded average annual growth rates for the period ranging between 0.53 and 0.73 percent. The fifth source (California Department of Finance Projections to 2045) yielded a negative average annual growth rate and is an anomaly within the data sources; as such, this outlier was not considered in estimating the County’s average annual residential growth rate. The current average annual residential growth rate adopted by the Board in 2020 is 0.70%.
Employment Growth Rates
In the Employment section of Table 1 in Attachment A, the 2018 to 2045 employment growth rates for three of the four sources range between 0.45 and 0.84 percent per year. The fourth source (2010 to 2023 Caltrans Growth Trended to 2045) is an anomaly and yielded an average annual growth rate more than twice the next highest employment growth rate; this outlier was not considered in estimating the County’s likely employment growth rate. The current average annual employment growth rate adopted by the Board in 2020 is 0.67%.
Housing Unit Projections
The Housing section of Table 2 in Attachment A shows housing unit projections for the West Slope from 2018 to 2045 based on the growth rates identified in Table 1. For planning purposes, BAE suggests that the County consider a growth projection that reflects the average of the residential projections, excluding the Department of Finance projection mentioned previously, shown in the Housing section of Table 2 in Attachment A. This would yield 9,996 new residential units for a total of 64,917 residential units in the West Slope area by 2045, yielding a 0.62% annual average residential growth rate. This is slightly higher than the County’s 2010 to 2018 growth estimates and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) 2040 projections, but less drastic than the growth rates suggested by the Department of Finance (DOF) and Caltrans.
Employment Projections
The Employment section of Table 2 in Attachment A shows a series of employment projections for the 2018 to 2045 period, drawing the potential employment growth rates from the Employment section of Table 1 in Attachment A and applying them to the County’s estimated 2018 West Slope base year jobs estimate. As with the residential growth projections, BAE suggests that the County use an average of the projections shown in the Jobs section of Table 2 for the purposes of projecting West Slope job growth for the 2018 to 2045 period, excluding the Caltrans Trended Growth projection. This yields an average annual employment growth rate of 0.62%, with 6,776 new jobs and a 2045 job total of 44,095.
Summary
Based on the data and methodology described above, BAE and Transportation recommend the County use the West Slope housing unit and employment growth assumptions outlined on page 4 of Attachment A for planning purposes:
The figures in the table on page 4 of Attachment A provide the County with growth assumptions that fall within the middle range of the growth projections available from various sources and data available for this study. Further, the recommended housing unit and employment growth rates suggest the County would be producing new housing at a rate that will correspond with the rate of new employment growth, meaning that the growth pattern would be balanced and the County’s jobs/housing balance would not deteriorate over time.
Assumption of too high of a growth rate could lead to unnecessary capital improvements and an overabundance of road capacity that surpasses county need, while too low of a growth rate would collect insufficient funds over time to cover the construction of projects required as a result of growth.
Next Steps
Based on input from the Board and direction from County staff, BAE will make any necessary refinements and finalize the West Slope growth projections. Then, BAE will analyze the pattern of growth within the West Slope and allocate the 2018 to 2045 housing unit and employment growth among Community Regions and the balance of the West Slope area. BAE will then review and discuss the refined projections and growth allocations with the Planning Commission and the Board to solicit input before finalizing the projections for the County’s planning purposes.
Staff is recommending that the Board adopt an annual residential growth rate of 0.62% and an annual employment growth rate of 0.62% for the period 2018 to 2045, and direct staff and BAE to commence allocation of the projected growth for presentation to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose a different annual growth projection within the ranges reflected in the analysis presented, or continue with the current annual rates of 0.70% for residential growth and 0.67% for non-residential growth. Staff and their consultants would need to search for documentation to support a growth projection that is not included in Attachment A.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
On December 8, 2020 (Item 39, Legistar 20-1585), the Board adopted the 2020 Major Update to the TIF Program.
On December 5, 2023 (Item 37, Legistar 23-2051), the Board received a presentation on the 2024 Major Update to the TIF Program, including data regarding growth projection options.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Planning and Building Department, Long Range Planning Unit
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost associated with this agenda item as the Major Update and associated administrative costs are covered by TIF collected and are included in the CIP budget for FY23/24 and FY24/25. The adopted growth rates will affect the number of assumed projects developed over the next twenty years throughout the West Slope of the County and could potentially result in an increase/decrease to the traffic impact fees charged for both residential and non-residential building permits.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
The TIF Program is a major funding source for the CIP, which is a vital part of the Infrastructure component of the County Strategic Plan. Adequate infrastructure is necessary for the Economic Development component and is a requirement of the County General Plan. Safe roads are a crucial factor in the Public Safety component of the County Strategic Plan.
Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Bass Lake Park Project Review Period Jan 3 – Feb 1 2024
The El Dorado Hills Community Services District provided a Notice or Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the planned Bass Lake Regional Park on February 3, 2024. The initial review period begins January 3, 2024 and ends February 1, 2024.
Public Scoping Meeting Tuesday January 23, 2024 6:00PM at the EDH CSD Norm Rowett Pavilion 1021 Harvard Way
A scoping meeting will be held: Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2024 Time: 6:00 PM Location: El Dorado Hills Community Services District Norm Rowett Pavilion 1020 Harvard Way El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 The scoping meeting is the time when the District solicits input from the public and agencies on specific topics they believe should be addressed in the environmental analysis. The scoping process is designed to enable the District to determine the scope and content of the EIR and identify potentially significant environmental effects, alternatives, and mitigation measures to be analyzed in the EIR.
Project Location and Existing Conditions From the January 3, 2024 NOP:
PROJECT LOCATION AND EXISTING CONDITIONS: The approximately 211-acre project site consists of six parcels located adjacent to Bass Lake Road and Serrano Parkway, approximately 1.5 miles due north of United States Highway 50 (US-50) in El Dorado County (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers [APNs] 123-740-001, 115-400-025, 115-400-026, 115-400-021, 115-030-018, and 115-400-002) The project site is undeveloped, with the exception of the existing Sellwood Field on the northwest portion of the project site; the existing fenced El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) maintenance yard, which is immediately west of Bass Lake; and some existing trails throughout the site. Bass Lake is centrally located and surrounded by grassland, oak woodland, and chaparral. More than 700 trees are located on site. The tree canopies are most dense in the west and north, but scattered tree stands are located on the east side of the site.
The site supports various wetland and riparian habitats, including the overflow pond northeast of Bass Lake and the spillway ditch southwest of Bass Lake. The proposed park site is bounded on the west by Serrano Parkway, beyond which are single-family residences. To the north are single-family residences and residential estate parcels (5 acres; Green Springs Development), and to the east are residential uses (Woodridge and Bridlewood Canyon developments) and Bass Lake Road. Bass Lake Road provides the southern boundary to the proposed project area, beyond which is land developed with commercial uses and single-family residences.