PROCESS
Parker, the developer, wants to build another Serrano with over 4,000 homes South of Hwy 50 at Bass Lake Rd. to Cameron Park Rd.
The Village of Marble Valley Special Plan & Lime Rock Valley Specific Plan (VMV/LRV), were submitted to the County in a first DEIR (Draft Environmental Impact Report) that was so full of fatal flaws and discrepancies that they pulled it back for a total re-write.
Parker’s plans for VMV & LRV do not adhere to the guidelines of the County’s General Plan.
Parker is asking the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors to give them special “Entitlements” which will CHANGE the General Plan to allow them to build these two suburb projects in an area that is rural, NOT intended for suburbs.
Parker will soon submit a new updated DEIR.
45-days for public review and comment on the updated DEIR.
Comments are your letters and emails.
Comments can be made in-person at the hearings/meetings.
Your comments go on record and will be considered in how the Supervisor’s vote - and they count toward future lawsuits if necessary.
Then Parker will re-submit a final version of the EIR with responses to comments.
There will be new hearings/meetings with updated DEIR, then with final EIR:
First, in front of the 5 Planning Commissioners.
The vote at these hearings help shape how the Board of Supervisors will vote.
Second, in front of the 5 County Board of Supervisors.
We must have 1,000 people opposing these plans at the hearings/meetings!!
This is where the ultimate vote will be taken.
We only need 3 “NO” votes to defeat this!
Each Supervisor has a vote, so it’s important they all hear from you.
Your County representatives must evaluate the project plans:
Because the land is zoned rural in the General Plan, the County has not built the critical infrastructure necessary to support the number of people or homes in Parker's Plan. Therefore, these plans put the huge financial burden to pay for infrastructure (roads, water, sewage, emergency services, parks, schools, etc.) on the public.
The Board of Supervisors has the opportunity to:
1) Reject the plans.
This is an important distinction as the County is NOT required to approve the plans - Supervisors hold their office to limit sprawl and retain the rural character of the County.
2) Require that the project plans be modified to reduce impacts.
3) Approve an alternate plan that is consistent with the county General Plan.
The VMV & LRV plans were defeated in 2013. We will stop Parker again in 2025.
TIMELINE
You have the power to oppose this now: Inform your neighbors, attend the critical hearings, comment at the hearings or submit comment by letter, by email, visit your local Supervisor, sign a petition, let them know you will start a recall, a referendum, an initiative, a lawsuit...
The public voted for the new County Board of Supervisors: Their duty is to follow the GP guidelines to limit sprawl and retain the rural character of the County.
They need to hear your opinion now.
They work for you - they are public servants there to represent their voters.
They care about public appearance - your option matters!
Parker's team meets with them often to discuss the "benefits" of these plans.
Send letters and emails to state your opinion - Download templates here.
Your comments (letters and emails) go on record and will be considered in how the Supervisor’s vote - and they count toward future lawsuits if necessary.
Use the talking points in a face-to-face meeting/discussion with your Supervisor. They are public servants voted into office to represent you, their local constituents - you can schedule a meeting to cite your opposition and to discuss how you'll be voting the next time they run for office.
When the new updated DEIR is submitted, we will post the date and start the 45-day countdown for public comments. Be sure to visit your district's Supervisor and attend the hearings/meetings.
TERMS
Adjacency When different "land use" parcels/lots share a common boundary line. Like having 10-acre lots (with no buffer zones) right next to hundreds of smaller high-density, zero-lot line residential parcels.
APAC - El Dorado Hills Area Planning Committee (EDHAPAC)
Since 1981, the El Dorado Hills Area Planning Committee (EDHAPAC) has served as an advisory committee to the County, representing the community’s voice in local land use planning. Recent development trends in rezoning pose a risk to the community in that the County will not require sufficient infrastructure improvements to mitigate the traffic, public safety (primarily open space fire abatement) and public service impacts which higher densities create. APAC's recommendations have made a difference by influencing developers, County Planners, the Planning Commissioners, and the Board of Supervisors in the outcome of many proposed projects.
CEQA - California Environmental Quality Act CEQA is part of the building process to inform government decision makers and the public about the environmental effects of their plan and to prevent significant, avoidable environmental damage - Parker’s plan is deficient in this area.
Comments
Your comments go on record and will be considered in how the Supervisor’s vote - and they count toward future lawsuits if necessary. Comments are made by sending letters, emails, or can be made in-person/by Zoom when at a meeting or hearing. For the biggest impact: Come and make comments at the Board of Supervisor Meetings and at the Planning Committee Hearings! Download talking points.
Community Region Line Boundaries Used in urban planning to identify distinct regions that allow for separate rural areas and higher growth areas. The county's infrastructure of roads and water are built to meet each community region's specific demands.
DEIR - Draft Environmental Impact Report
A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) is an environmental assessment that analyzes the potential impacts of a proposed project to the area, both on-site and off-site. DEIRs are required by California State law for many projects in the county to ensure the projects conform to the County's General Plan.
Discretionary Action
A discretionary action is an action that requires judgment, deliberation, or decision-making on the part of the County. The Board of Supervisors will evaluate and vote to give either conditional approval, or to require modifications, or to reject the project.
Easement An easement is a legal right permitting the use another person's land for a specific purpose.
EDU - Equivalent Dwelling Unit This is a unit of measurement used to calculate water and wastewater capacity, usage and rates for residential and non-residential customers.
Entitlements Special changes, exceptions, or amendments made to the General Plan in order to accommodate the request.
General Plan The county uses the General Plan to make rules (Ordinances and Policies) about land use to meet the needs and wants of all its residents. This means that if someone wants to build something, they have to follow the guidelines in the General Plan.
LRV - Lime Rock Valley
Parker Development is proposing the Lime Rock Valley Specific Plan (LRVSP): it is an expired project from 2008 that was originally approved for 56 homes - but now Parker is asking approval for 800 homes.
LOS - Level Of Service "Level F"
Level F service conditions on the roads indicate that the volume of traffic exceeds the capacity of the roadway. This results in a severely congested traffic situation with extremely slow speeds, frequent stops and starts, and significant delays, essentially meaning the road is completely jammed and considered "forced and jammed" with intolerable operating conditions; it's the worst level of traffic flow on a road according to most traffic engineering standards.
ORMP - Oak Resources Management Plan The County has designated this area Medium and High Intensity Land Use for Oak Woodlands. The county Oak Conservation Ordinance and Oak Resources Management Plan (ORMP) are to protect oak woodlands; to encourage the retention of oak trees and discourage their removal. Oak woodlands are a vital habitat for wildlife, recreation, and water production. They are also a significant part of the landscape. Oaks are protected in California because they were present before the land was settled, but their numbers have been reduced by deforestation. Many states have legal protections for oak trees.
Specific Plan
Specific plans are detailed plans about developing a defined area. A developer submits specific plans to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors for review and a final decision. The BOS will then vote to approve or reject the plans.
TACs - Toxic Air Contaminants TACs are chemicals in the air that may cause serious illness or death. TACs can cause long-term health effects like cancer, birth defects, and neurological damage; and short-term health effects like eye watering, respiratory irritation, and headaches.
Town & Country Village El Dorado
The Town & Country Village El Dorado proposal is not related to Parker's plan, but is located at the same interchange of Bass Lake Road and Hwy 50. It includes mixed-use land for high-density residential, retail, hotels, museum and event center.
TIF - Traffic Impact Fee
The TIF Program funds road improvements (new roads, widened roads, and better intersections) in the county. Originally, Measure Y required new developments to fully pay for the needed road improvements to handle the traffic from their new development. In 2013, the Board of Supervisors modified the General Plan to mitigate (lower) the TIF paid by developers, placing a greater burden on taxpayers. Because of TIF mishandling following that change, the county is facing costly lawsuits from developers that will, according to Joe Harn, EDC Auditor-Controller, "...cripple our ability to build the roads that are needed to accommodate the impacts of growth."
Traffic Nexus Study A traffic nexus study in El Dorado County analyzes how future development will impact transportation needs and how much a developer should pay to address those needs. The study is used to calculate Traffic Impact Fees (TIFs).
Urban Sprawl Urban sprawl (also known as suburban sprawl or urban encroachment) is defined as "the spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city." Urban sprawl can cause environmental, economic, and social problems.
VMT - Vehicle Miles Traveled Refers to a system that calculates the overall traffic volume within that county by considering the total distance traveled by all cars, trucks, and other vehicles. This metric is used in the County Traffic Model to assess transportation demands, understand travel patterns, and evaluate the environmental impact of traffic.
VMV - Village of Marble Valley
Parker Development is proposing the Village of Marble Valley Specific Plan (VMVSP): it is an expired project from 2008 that was originally approved for 398 homes - but now Parker is asking approval for 3,236 homes.
_____________________________________________________
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 on acreage currently zoned rural and approved for only 454 homes.
Download FREE email and letter templates
Comments