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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.

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.

EDH APAC Submits Recommendation on Summer Brook TM-R21-0001

Finds that request to modify 2008 conditions of approval for the signalization of the Green Valley Rd – Deer Valley Rd intersection should be denied.

EDH APAC April 5, 2022 letter to El Dorado County Planning Commission

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Full project documents and details can be found on the project document page:

Summer Brook documents page

Green Valley Rd – Deer Valley Rd intersection 2012 prior to 2014 intersection improvements- looking west
Green Valley Rd – Deer Valley Rd intersection 2021 following 2014 intersection improvements – looking west

EDH52 – Costco Commercial Center NOP Draft EIR and EDH APAC Response to Virtual Scoping Meeting

El Dorado County issues Notice of Preparation of DEIR and Virtual Scoping Meeting Scheduled for September 8, 2021 at 6PM

On August 23, 2021 El Dorado County Planning Department published a Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed EDH52 Commercial Center, featuring a Costco Membership Warehouse to be located at Silva Valley Parkway and US50, near Tong Road. The NOP also included a notice for a Public Scoping Meeting, which will be held virtually on September 6, 2021 at 6PM. To attend the Scoping Meeting, residents must register in advance.

The NOP and a subsequent corrected notice of the Public Scoping Meeting are shown below.

Notice of Preparation of Draft Environmental Impact Report

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Corrected Notice of Public Scoping Meeting

EDH APAC Submits letter seeking an in-person Scoping Meeting

El Dorado Area Planning Advisory Committee Officers believe that a project of this prominence, and generating interest among hundreds of El Dorado Hills residents merits an in-person public meeting. EDH APAC has heard from many community members with numerous questions, concerns, and comments about the project. The August 11, 2021 EDH APAC meeting held at El Dorado Hills Fire Department’s Station 85 Meeting room drew over 60 attendees in person to hear from the project applicants a presentation, and for the opportunity to ask questions. The meeting was also live streamed to over 68 virtual attendees.

EDH APAC Officers believe that a virtual scoping meeting diminishes the opportunity for the project applicants to meet with residents, and to directly hear, and answer questions that may result in a project that better benefits the El Dorado Hills Community, as well as the applicants.

EDH APAC Letter Regarding The Virtual Scoping Meeting

August 11, 2021 APAC Meeting In Person At EDH Fire Station 85, also Streaming Via Zoom and YouTube

Find the meeting details on the event page

Meeting in Hybrid Format

The August 11th EDH APAC meeting is being held in-person at the El Dorado Hills Fire Department Station 85 Meeting Room, located at 1050 Wilson Blvd, in El Dorado Hills. The meeting start time is 7:00PM

Since this will be the first in-person meeting for EDH APAC since restrictions for public gatherings were implemented in 2020, and because many community members find value in being able to attend EDH APAC Meetings virtually, the meeting will also be streamed via Zoom – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84531672523

Additionally, because the meeting topics are expected to draw increased attendance, EDH APAC will also attempt to stream the Zoom virtual session via the EDH APAC YouTube Channel – the live YouTube meeting link is https://youtu.be/kNmI-t_z6fE

The in-person attendance is limited to 114 guests. The EDH APAC Zoom Webinar attendance is limited to 100 attendees. Because of the these limits, if the Zoom session maxes out on attendees, Zoom will prompt every attendee beginning with the 101st attendee to follow the meeting live stream on YouTube. YouTube attendees will not be able to participate in the discussion, but will be able to view the live video, and hear the live audio.

REMINDER

Because EDH APAC has not conducted an in-person meeting in over a year, and also because meeting topics may be viewed by some members of the community as controversial, we offer these EDH APAC Meeting reminders:

  • PUBLIC COMMENTS are limited to three minutes, to allow all attendees the opportunity to participate.
  • PUBLIC COMMENTS on matters not on the published agenda are heard at the beginning of the meeting, at a designated time.
  • Courtesy is extended to all attendees from the Community, as well as to all speaking guests, and project applicants.
  • When public comment and questions from the community begins, we ask attendees to come forward to use the microphone – this allows all attendees to hear the comments and questions, both in-person, and for our streaming attendees. We cannot accept questions shouted from the audience.
  • Keep comments and questions short and focused – 1 or 2 questions/comments are permitted.
  • If your question has been asked, please do not repeat the same questions – we only have a limited time availability to use the meeting space.
  • Courtesy is expected in allowing guests to respond to questions and comments without interruption.

EDH APAC strives to make sure that our public discussions remain civil. Development projects can be controversial, for both supporters and for those who may be opposed. It is human nature to be motivated by emotion, but in EDH APAC’s experience of 40 years of reviewing proposed projects, we have found that emotion tends to cause decision makers to tune out the community’s concerns – and we have been guilty of that in the past too, just like any other community members. We’re committed to better, more effective, communication.

EDH APAC is not focused on supporting a project, or denying a project – we have no land use authority – EDH APAC strives to review proposed projects in a thoughtful informed manner, so that when we provide our findings, that they are based in facts, and reason. This allows the community’s concerns, questions, and suggestions, to be heard by the project applicants, the County Planning process, and our elected decision makers. EDH APAC’s goal is not to see a project approved, or denied, but to result in the best possible project outcome for El Dorado Hills residents, the County, and the project applicants. EDH APAC never seeks advocacy to support or oppose a project.

We’re excited to welcome the El Dorado Hills Community back to in-person public meetings – your participation is valuable.

Intersection Improvements – Silva Valley Parkway at Harvard Way

El Dorado County announces road construction activities beginning July 12th through September 30th

From the El Dorado County Press Release:

(PLACERVILLE, CA) — El Dorado County’s Department of Transportation will be performing road work at the intersection of Silva Valley Parkway and Harvard Way in El Dorado Hills beginning the week of July 12 through September 30, 2021. The construction work will require occasional lane and shoulder closures for which motorists should expect delays.

The closures are necessary to ensure motorist and worker safety while the County’s contractor constructs additional capacity in right and left turn pockets in both directions and adding a southbound through lane at the intersection on Silva Valley Parkway. Additionally, the project will improve bike lanes, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements at the crosswalks and curb ramps, and optimize the traffic signals for safety and efficiency.

Every effort will be made by the County’s contractor to minimize any impacts to school drop off and pick up times while school is in session.

Motorists are advised to slow down through the work zone and expect delays during reversing traffic control. Motorists are also advised to allow extra time when traveling through the work zone in order to arrive at their destinations on time.

The County sincerely appreciates the cooperation and patience of motorists that use this roadway and we apologize for any inconvenience as a result of these closures.

For questions regarding this construction, please contact the County’s Transportation main line at (530) 621-5900 (select Option 3 for Engineering).

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

Montano de El Dorado Phase 2 Public Hearing March 25th

The County of El Dorado Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on March 25, 2021 at 8:30AM to consider:

Rezone Z15-0002/Tentative Parcel Map P15-0006/Planned Development PD15-0004/ Conditional Use Permit S17-0015/Montano De El Dorado Phase I and II Master Plan submitted by MONTANO VENTURE 2, LLC to: 1) Rezone (Z15-0002) from Regional Commercial – Community Design Review Combining Zone (CR-DC) to Regional Commercial – Planned Development Combining Zone (CR-PD); 2) Commercial Tentative Parcel Map (P15-0006) on Assessor’s Parcel No. 118-010-012 to create a total of 12 commercial parcels from an existing 16.85-acre parcel, ranging from 0.72 acres to 3.48 acres in size, as part of proposed Phase II of the Montano De El Dorado Master Plan; 3) Planned Development (PD15-0004) to establish a Development Plan for the existing Montano De El Dorado Phase 1 development and the proposed Phase II expansion. Phase I consists of an existing commercial center, consisting of five buildings, on the 20.1-acre project site with a combined total of 39,645 square feet of floor area.  Existing uses include retail stores, restaurants, and a bank. The proposed Phase II expansion consists of nine additional commercial buildings with a combined total of approximately 80,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, commercial and office uses, a 55,136 square foot, 100-room hotel, a small community pavilion and on-site parking, lighting, signage and landscaping; and 4) Conditional Use Permit (S17-0015) to allow outdoor special events and office uses within existing Phase I and proposed Phase II of the Montano De El Dorado Master Plan. The properties, identified by Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 118-010-012, 118-010-014, 118-010-015, and 118-010-016, consisting of 20.1 acres, is located approximately 0.5 mile south of U.S. Highway 50 on the east side of Latrobe Road at the intersection with White Rock Road, in the El Dorado Hills area, Supervisorial District 2. (County Planner: Tom Purciel, 530-621-5903)  [An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (State Clearinghouse No. 2017072027) consisting of a Draft EIR and Final EIR has been prepared for the project]

County Staff Reports and the project Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) as referenced in the Public Notice, have not yet been made available on the County’s Legistar website, or on the County’s eTRAKiT website. Project Documents are typically available about two weeks prior to a public hearing.

Any written correspondence 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.

To ensure delivery to the Commission prior to the hearing, written information from the public is encouraged to be submitted by Thursday the week prior to the meeting. Planning Services cannot guarantee that any FAX or mail received the day of the Commission meeting will be delivered to the Commission prior to any action.

The EDH APAC Project Documents Page is HERE

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Notice of Public Hearing Feb 23, 2021 Carson Creek Village Specific Plan Conceptual Review

J6 Conceptual Review at the Board of Supervisors

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 23, 2021, at 1:00 p.m., to consider Pre-Application PA20-0002/Carson Creek Village Specific Plan Conceptual Review submitted by ANDREA MATARAZZO/PIONEER LAW GROUP for an Initiation Hearing (Conceptual Review) of a proposed Specific Plan that would allow medium- and high density attached and detached residential development with a potential build-out of 600 to 800 dwelling units, approximately 110,000 square feet of new commercial floor area, approximately 8.5 acres for a park and paseo site, and approximately 26.5 acres of open space. The property consisting of 98 acres, is located within the central portion of the existing El Dorado Hills Business Park, along the west side of Latrobe Road, north of the intersection with Golden Foothill Parkway

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El Dorado Hills APAC Project Document Page

Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Creekside Village Specific Plan

Review Period November 6, 2020 – December 7, 2020

County of El Dorado will be the Lead Agency and will prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Creekside Village Specific Plan (proposed project) located in unincorporated El Dorado County (County). This Notice of Preparation (NOP) initiates the environmental scoping process in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (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.

El Dorado County is soliciting written comments from public agencies, organizations, and individuals regarding the scope and content of the environmental document. Because of time limits mandated by State law, comments should be provided no later than 5:00 PM on Monday, December 7, 2020.

Virtual Public Scoping Meeting Scheduled

El Dorado County will hold a scoping meeting to receive verbal comments regarding the scope and content of the environmental document and answer general questions regarding the environmental process. Due to COVID-19 social distance requirements, the scoping meeting will be held remotely. The meeting will be on Thursday, November 19, 2020 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM.

Attendees can observe and participate via live stream of the scoping meeting by going to this website:
https://rebrand.ly/CreeksideVillageScoping
Attendees can also participate and join by phone: 1-669-900-6833 or 1-929-205-6099 Webinar ID 924 1489 7860

About the Project

The project site is located south of Highway 50, west of Latrobe Road and south of Investment Boulevard in the El Dorado Hills area (APN 117-010-012), see Figure 1. The project site is bordered on the north by the existing El Dorado Hills Business Park and the John Adams Academy Charter School, to the east by the Blackstone master planned community (Valley View Specific Plan), to the south by undeveloped rural residential and industrial lands, and to the west by undeveloped land in the Carson Creek Specific Plan zoned for research and development.

The project applicant proposes to develop a new 926-unit residential community located on an approximately 208-acre site. The project would include 115.9 acres of single-family low-density residential development, 21.0 acres of single-family medium-density residential development, 14.3 acres of parks, 46.3 acres of open space preserves and buffers, and 10.4 acres of roadways.

The current zoning and General Plan land use designation for the project site is Research & Development (R&D). The project would require a general plan amendment from R&D to AP – Adopted Plan and a rezone from R&D to SP – Creekside Village Specific Plan and establish a Specific Plan for Creekside Village.

The Creekside Village Specific Plan includes a single-family low-density residential land use designation that would include single-family residential, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and junior ADUs1 as well as neighborhood and community serving amenities such as parks, community clubhouses, and emergency services facilities. Low-density development would range from 4 to 8 dwelling units per gross acre, with a target dwelling unit count of 676. The single-family medium-density residential land use designation would allow for single-family dwellings, and two- and three-family dwellings as well as parks and public facilities. The draft Tentative Map includes two parcels designated for future development of medium-density residential that would range from 8 to 12 dwelling units per gross acre with a target dwelling unit count of 250.

Three parks are proposed: an 8.8-acre village park in the northeast area along Latrobe Road, a 3.3-acre neighborhood park in the south central area of the site, and a third 2.2-acre park located in the southeast corner of the site. The proposed Open Space Preserve designation would protect intermittent
drainages, seasonal wetlands, vernal pools, and ponds extending from the west to the northeast part of the project site. An Open Space buffer would be located along the western, northern, and southern borders of the site, as well as along Royal Oaks Drive.

El Dorado Hills APAC Creekside VIllage Project Douments Page
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