NEGATIVE IMPACTS
Parker's plan destroys the rural beauty of El Dorado County.
The VMV & LRV Specific Plans downplay the effects of the off-site impacts such as horrible traffic at Hwy 50 at Bass Lake Rd, at Hwy 50 at Cameron Park Rd, water supply shortages, increased fire hazard risk, potential reduction in emergency services, capacity to provide services at local hospitals, health centers and schools, the constant noise pollution, the light pollution from their new stadium and event center, and adverse environmental impacts on wildlife habitats, migratory corridors, the oak woodlands, and natural resources in the area. The Board of Supervisors has to CHANGE the County's General Plan in order to approve Parker's Plan... they can vote NO to protect our County.
For definitions of the terms used below, check out More Details. | Download Talking Points
Rural Not Suburbia
Parker is trying to get the County to REZONE our area — to change it from rural land into big-city suburbia. That change only benefits Parker's pocketbook - not yours!
ZONED RURAL
Rezone for these plans is not consistent with the County’s General Plan.
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The Village of Marble Valley Specific Plan (VMVSP) and Lime Rock Valley Specific Plan (LRVSP) do not adhere to the guidelines of the County’s General Plan.
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In order to approve these plans, the Supervisors would have to grant Parker special "Entitlements" or change the General Plan.
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These are two of the largest Entitlement requests in the county.
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Parker resubmitted the 2 EXPIRED Specific Plans (VMV&LRV) for review.
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Unprecedented to run 2 plans through review together - the legality of this has been questioned - especially considering the LRV plan won’t work without approval of the VMV plan - they are not truly two independent plans but more like one massive proposal.
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Original project from 2008 expired. In 2013, public outcry against the plan put it “on hold.” Then, in 2024, Parker re-submitted plans using old data from 2008.
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398 homes were approved in the original VMV plan, now Parker is asking approval for 3,236 homes.
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56 homes were approved in the original LRV plan, now Parker is asking approval for 800 homes.
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Parker is proposing 9 TIMES the number of houses originally approved!
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El Dorado County Master Plan designated this acreage as a Rural Region (not urban region) to preserve and protect the essence of rural community and lifestyle.
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The rural character of the county is why current residents choose to live here!
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This is what the County's Strategic Plan and Supervisors promise to protect!
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EDC Strategic Plan - “STEWARDSHIP: Through collaboration and advocacy, we honor and protect our natural and historical resources, agriculture, and rural character for future generations.”
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Adjacency conflict: Zoned rural pasture lands for grazing, the area requires 5 to 10-acre lots and buffer zones for no adjacency: No 10-acre lots next to high-density or zero-lot-line parcels.
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The EDC Agricultural Committee ruled this land as commercially viable for grazing
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Parker wants to amend the General Plan that requires 10-acre lots and change it to instead allow thousands of high-density parcels right next to older homes with 10-acres lots.
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Rezoning in this area conflicts with the established Urban Limit Line of the Community Region boundary.
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The area is demarcated as an existing rural center in the General Plan - meaning it is zoned rural in order to provide and maintain an appropriate transition between El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park.
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These boundary lines concentrate growth and limit urban sprawl.
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As a rural region, this area was not built-up with adequate infrastructure, public services, or major transportation corridors to sustain this type of highest intensity compact urban- or suburban development.
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Take one look at the Bass Lake Road and Cameron Park Road interchanges on Hwy 50 during a weekday at rush hour - they were not built to sustain the current volume of traffic let alone the additional 4,000+ homes in the VMV & LRV plans.
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The County's own Auditor-Controller warns that these plans do not have adequate measures to force the developer to pay for the necessary road and water improvements.
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Parker’s Plans conflict with the County's General Plan's projected growth rate of 1.03%.
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Does not support the County's long-term "rural low growth" strategy.
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Adds approximately 13,000 new residents.
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Urban sprawl spreads out resources, leading to less efficient use of tax money and local resources.
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A rezone does not benefit the current residents - it solely benefits Parker Development at the detriment of the current resident’s quality of life.
Horrible Traffic
This plan doesn't account for all the new traffic jams it will cause and it doesn't include Parker Development paying for the new Bass Lake Rd. interchange - your tax dollars will pay for it!
TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND GRIDLOCK
Would require costly infrastructure improvements NOT funded by the developer.
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Huge increase in traffic and emissions at Bass Lake Rd. on Hwy 50.
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The traffic study shows this project creates Level Of Service (LOS) "F" road conditions: Forced and jammed, dangerous stop-and-go congestion.
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The County's General Plan requires a minimum Level Of Service"D" - The County can't develop a plan that doesn't adhere to its General Plan.
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The traffic study submitted uses LOS (capacity) based on the number of homes (454) in the original plan submitted in 2013.
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This plan should be calculated with the current day county traffic model of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT).
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The county needs to require a neutral third-party traffic nexus study to calculate Parker’s Traffic Impact Fees (TIFs).
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The County's own Auditor-Controller warns:
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TIF funding will not be enough to cover the costs of new roads or road improvements for these plans.
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He recommends requiring that Parker must agree to pay for precise road improvements before any permits will be issued.
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He recommends a NEW traffic study that includes not only the Marble Valley & Lime Rock Valley projects - but also includes the two Town & Country El Dorado projects since they are also located at the Bass Lake Road and Hwy 50 interchange.
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With no conditions in the plan to require Parker to pay for all the needed road and safety improvements, the taxpayers will pay.
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The current Hwy 50 traffic congestion is dangerous as-is, frequent stops and starts and significant delays; the thought of emergency response time and forced evacuations are alarming.
Water Shortage
There isn't enough water supply or treatment plants to handle this many new homes in our area. Your EID water rates will go way up so that Parker can overload our water lines.
WATER SHORTAGE
El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) did not provide clear numbers when questioned about their capacity to meet the increased water demand for these two projects.
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The plans increase water needs with no increase to water resources.
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The original DEIR document constantly refers to past EID studies now between 11 and 5 years old, which brings into question the validity of the document's data and conclusions.
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APAC submitted a report that challenges the initial DEIR findings.
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EID counted water use for agriculture zoning and irrigation, not EDUs.
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The county must require a new independent study to determine if there is sufficient water to meet the demand.
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In the past decade, California has endured two multi-year droughts that led to water use restrictions.
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SB 606 and AB 1668 already requires long-term water conservation practices.
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As of January 2025, SB 552 requires major water suppliers to cut water delivery significantly by 2040.
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Why add over 4,000 homes to our limited water resources?
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Plans currently show proposed water lines crossing private roads in Cameron Estates - but Parker does not have the easements or entitlements to do so.
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Parker is promising to “bring water to Marble Ridge residents” by allowing them to hook-up to a 20” water line and promising to never “ask for reimbursement” for this service.
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Note: Homeowners must then run their own lines from the hook-up point miles away near Hwy 50; costing individuals hundreds of thousands of dollars to do so.
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EID already increased rates for infrastructure updates in their Capital Improvement Plan.
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Existing EID debt burden is paid through bonds which continue to drive increasing water rates.
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The plans will require costly Water supply systems and Treatment facility improvements NOT funded by the developer.
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With no conditions in the plan to require that Parker pay for all the needed water and wastewater system improvements - the burden will again hit customer rates.
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Fire Hazard
Parker's plan puts you at risk. It ignores hazardous conditions that increase wildfire risk. As insurance companies drop homes and charge millions more - our area pays the price!
HIGH FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY
Wildfire is the most significant environmental threat to the area.
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This area has a “High Risk” of susceptibility to wildfire on CalFire’s Fire Hazard Safety Zone Map.
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The County just doubled down on fire zone and defensible space safety policies for local homeowners.
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7 of the top 12 insurance companies either paused or restricted new business in California citing rising fire risks as the cause. It is getting harder and costlier to find home fire insurance.
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The “High Risk Wildfire Zone” status should be considered in land use planning.
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Parker’s plan proposes measures that are inadequate protection to mitigate wildfire risk; proposal needs more than an evacuation plan.
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Parker says they have easements that date back to the 1960s to allow access to emergency evacuation roads in their plan; if those easements have expired or been removed, so has the access.
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Precedent: Lake County Planning Committee rejected a proposed development in a high-wildfire risk area:
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Will El Dorado County build high-density communities in high risk wildfire zones?
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Could emergency evacuation orders be safely followed on Hwy 50 from Cameron Park Rd. to Bass Lake Rd.?
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Beyond Capacity
There will not be enough room in the classrooms. Your tax dollars will have to build new schools — not Parker's dollars! While Parker gets rich, your kids get gypped.
PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS
Increased risk and demand on public safety resources.
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Emergency response services - with urban sprawl comes a sharp increase in financial and operational demand to provide services.
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As the demand increases, so will response times - rendering services inadequate.
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County must allocate more funding for personnel, dispatch, and equipment.
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Hospital, trauma and medical centers will be severely impacted by increased demand for services.
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Doctor’s appointments that already take months to be scheduled will take how long with 4,000+ more households?
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Law Enforcement will be impacted by increased complaints and calls for service.
SCHOOL KIDS IMPACTED
How many kids can we cram into a classroom?
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New schools (or the timeline to build them) are not guaranteed.
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A builder may set aside tentative land on the plans in order to get approval, but there is no obligation to maintain that land use.
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The developer does not build, or pay for building, new schools - the state does.
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It’s your tax-payer dollars that build new schools.
Bad Money
The County's own financial analysis says this is a BAD financial plan for El Dorado.
BAD FISCAL IMPACT
Why would the Board of Supervisors vote Yes for a plan that their own financial expert said is not a good financial decision?
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County Controller Joe Harn was outspoken: County can’t afford this plan the way it is written. It must contain conditions that require Parker to agree to pay for road and water improvements prior to issuing any permits to build.
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El Dorado County is in debt: Still has active lawsuits and huge payouts for previous developer’s road improvements.
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With no clear mechanism for payment or forced timeline for payments, this plan places the burden of paying for infrastructure on the public.
Read Joe Harn's email to the Board of Commissioners.
Read about the Grand Jury report into conflict of interest between Parker + EDH-CSD.
Wildlife
Displaced
Parker wants to plant big-city suburbia deep in our rural county. This plan destroys our biological resources, wildlife habitats, natural waterways and groundwater systems.
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
Full of discrepancies and inaccurate, outdated data, the first Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was inadequate.
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Parker submitted documents and reports over 10 years old -- Was it careless or deceptive?
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There was a failure to adequately describe the existing environment, including aesthetics, air quality (TACs), biological resources (special-status species habitat, wildlife movement through migratory corridors).
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Large-scale Heritage Oak removal - County has to protect and mitigate loss.
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Oak woodlands are a vital habitat for wildlife, grazing, and groundwater recharge. They are also a significant character of the El Dorado County landscape.
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It’s not just the trees at stake, it’s also the wildlife displacement and groundwater recharge impacted.
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Does paying the county fees/waivers equate to keeping Heritage Oaks?
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Health concerns about disturbed/airborne Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) during grading and earthwork.
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US geological survey indicates the presence of NOA serpentine rock and soil.
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What is the cost to mitigate and monitor, and who bears the cost?
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What is the health impact if it is not properly handled?
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Steep sloped terrain - How much will they dynamite to flatten the hills? Will this occur in NOA zones?
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Additional adverse environmental impacts:
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Destroys pasture lands for grazing.
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Diverse wildlife habitat and migratory corridors destroyed.
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Waterways and groundwater recharge of aquifers: More impervious surfaces, less absorption.
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Most neighboring rural lots depend on their own private wells for water.
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What effect will this have on water supply for their neighboring wells?
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Wildlife displaced, Biodiversity loss, Ecological imbalance, Urban predation conditions (wild animal attacks on humans or pets).
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Cougar breeding grounds - threat of cougar/human interactions increase as humans move into cougar territory.
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Protected rare gabbro soil plants, chaparral (shrubland biome) region.
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Destroys the Crotch's Bumblebee (Bombus crotchii) habitat - it is endangered and a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in California.
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Pollinators like Crotch's Bumblebees support food security by pollinating flowering plants that produce foods we eat, like fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
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They pollinate milkweed, a host plant for the western monarch butterfly.
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Noise Nonstop
Parker hopes you'll ignore the impact of noise pollution and how badly it affects the surrounding neighborhoods, the wildlife, and your everyday quality of life.
HARMFUL INCREASES IN NOISE & LIGHT POLLUTION
Dramatically affects surrounding neighborhoods, wildlife, and quality of life.
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Noise disturbance will be a nuisance 6-days a week for years to come during construction: Constant excessive noise and vibration from heavy machinery, drilling, loud explosions, hammering, or other building operations.
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The average noise level in suburbs is 56 decibels. This is approaching the noise level in cities, which is 59 decibels. (Only 43 decibels in Rural areas.)
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Urban light pollution disrupts the natural nighttime rhythms of wildlife, impacting insect populations, disorienting migratory birds, and even affecting human health through disrupted sleep cycles due to excessive artificial light at night.
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This area is a Rural Region in the County’s General Plan, its to preserve and protect the essence of rural community and lifestyle.
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The area is demarcated by a Community Region Boundary as a Rural Region in the General Plan to provide and maintain an appropriate transition between El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park.
Parks Depleted
Cameron Park CSD is right up the road: With a huge increase in the number of people using their services but without any increase in tax revenue — it will quickly fall short for locals.
SHORTAGE AT CAMERON PARK CSD
Increased service demand without an increase in tax revenue.
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This is a 50% housing increase on the Cameron Park CSDs border.
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The two developments are closer to Cameron Park CSD than to the El Dorado Hills CSD.
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Cameron Park CSD services will be depleted.
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Service demand will increase but without a tax revenue increase since VMV & LRV are in El Dorado Hills - thus creating a shortage in services for local taxpayers.
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The County should require an independent review to mitigate fiscal/services impact.
EL DORADO HILLS CSD & PARKER INVESTIGATED BY GRAND JURY
Financial practices and developer influence brought to light.
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April 2024 Grand Jury case #24-05: Investigation into conflict of interest between Parker + EDH-CSD.
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The El Dorado County Grand Jury's April 2024 report found that the El Dorado Hills Community Services District (EDHCSD) has a close relationship with Parker Development Company, the largest developer in El Dorado Hills. The report also found that the CSD has made favorable financial deals with Parker.
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How do the public and Cameron Park CSD trust or benefit from this type of relationship?
Who benefits from changing the County's General Plan?_____________________________________________________
We need your voice to save our rural county!Tell the County you want a NO vote for Parker.Please contact EL Dorado County officials regarding the proposed CHANGE of the General Plan for Parker’s Marble Valley & Lime Rock Valley developments that will allow 4000+ homes to be built acreage currently zoned rural and approved for only 454 homes.
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