Public Notice: Gateway El Dorado Specific Plan – Environmental Scoping Meeting and EIR Preparation

The County of El Dorado has officially issued a Notice of Preparation (NOP) for a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) regarding the Gateway El Dorado Specific Plan (SP25-0001/GPA25-0001/Z25-0004). This notice marks the beginning of the formal environmental review process under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

As part of this process, the County will host a Public Scoping Meeting to receive community input.

Project Overview

The Gateway El Dorado Specific Plan proposes a mixed-use development on approximately 97.74 acres located within the El Dorado Hills Business Park.

Key project details include:

• Location: South of Highway 50, primarily along Latrobe Road and White Rock Road.
• Commercial Development: New commercial zoning along Latrobe Road for retail and service-oriented businesses (one- to four-story buildings).
• Residential Development: Multifamily units with densities between 15 and 24 dwelling units per acre, totaling between 140 and 493 new units.
• Research & Development: Maintenance of an R&D core for light manufacturing, offices, and laboratories.
• Open Space: Approximately 24.34 acres dedicated to open space, primarily encompassing Carson Creek and its tributaries for habitat preservation.

Project Description

PROJECT LOCATION AND EXISTING USES: The proposed Gateway El Dorado (GED) Specific Plan project site consists of approximately 97.74 acres in El Dorado County, located within the El Dorado Hills Business Park approximately 1.3 miles south of U.S. Highway 50, west of Latrobe Road and north of Golden Foothill Parkway (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APNs) 117-210-019, -021, -023, -039, -044, -045, -048, -049, -050, -054, -059, -060, -061, -069, -070, and -071). The General Plan land use designation for the project site is Research & Development (R&D) and the site is zoned Research and Development–Design Review Community (R&D-DC).

PROPOSED PROJECT: The Gateway El Dorado Specific Plan proposes a mixed-use development spanning approximately 97.74 acres within the El Dorado Hills Business Park. The plan includes the retention of a Research & Development (R&D) core, where existing and future R&D buildings—ranging from one to four stories with a maximum floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.5 will be maintained for uses such as light manufacturing, offices, laboratories, and related activities. New commercial zoning along Latrobe Road will introduce one- to four-story commercial buildings with a maximum FAR of 0.5, providing space for retail and service-oriented businesses. Some commercial parcels are designated to buffer residential neighborhoods from the R&D core, with more intensive uses (such as auto-related services) limited to certain northern parcels.

Residential development will consist of multifamily units, with densities generally between 15 and 24 dwelling units per acre. These will be constructed as townhomes, apartments, or condominiums—typically in two- to four-story buildings organized with shared amenities and common areas. Select parcels are designated as Multifamily Residential/Commercial Flex (MFR/C), allowing these lots to be developed entirely as residential, commercial, or a mix of both, depending on market and project-specific factors. The plan provides for the construction of between 140 and 493 new dwelling units, and the development of between 563,220 and 723,956 square feet of non-residential building space, including existing structures.

The Environmental Impact Report (EIR)

The County, acting as the Lead Agency, will prepare an EIR to analyze the project’s potential impact on the environment. The study will evaluate several areas, including Aesthetics, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hydrology, Noise, and Transportation.

Public Scoping Meeting Details

The purpose of the scoping meeting is to allow the public and agencies to provide input on the scope and content of the environmental information to be included in the EIR.

• Date: Thursday January 29, 2026
• Time: 6:00 PM
• Location: El Dorado Hills Community Services District Norm Rowett Pavilion
• Address: 1021 Harvard Way, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

Providing Public Comment

The community is encouraged to submit comments regarding the environmental review. Please note that at this stage of the process, comments should focus specifically on environmental concerns, questions about potential impacts, and observations regarding the scope of the study. Comments regarding the “merits” of the project (whether one likes or dislikes the project itself) are generally addressed later in the entitlement process. The current goal is to ensure the EIR is comprehensive and addresses all relevant environmental issues.

• Deadline for Written Comments: February 10, 2026, by 5:00 PM.
• Submit to: Bianca Dinkler, Planning Division (bianca.dinkler@edcgov.us)

For More Information

You can view the full Notice of Preparation and project documents on the EDH APAC Gateway El Dorado document page: https://edhapac.org/documents/gateway-el-dorado-specific-plan-pre-app-pa24-0009/