Planning Commission forwards El Dorado and Diamond Springs design standards to Board after language edits

The El Dorado County Planning Commission voted 4–1 on Aug. 27 to forward the El Dorado and Diamond Springs design standards and associated zoning ordinance amendments to the Board of Supervisors, after commissioners and staff agreed to reword a controversial section that commenters said blurred the line between design guidance and housing policy.

Senior Planner Tom Purcell presented the packet and the environmental addendum, telling commissioners that the document includes objective design standards to guide projects brought as ministerial permits. "So developers must select an architectural style or theme for the new buildings in the Eldorado and Diamond Springs community region," Purcell said, describing how Gold Rush themes would be required in historic townsites and Craftsman/rustic styles would apply elsewhere. The packet includes attachments A–G: the staff report, draft environmental addendum, draft zoning ordinance amendment and a public-review draft of the standards and guidelines.

Commission discussion centered on Section 1.3, which had language referenced to supporting affordable and workforce housing and incentives. Commissioners and public commenters said that phrasing made a design-only document appear to allocate or prioritize housing. After a 15‑minute recess, staff proposed removing the 1.3 header and moving the prior language into 1.2 as two clarified paragraphs that emphasize support for the county housing element while maintaining the document's design focus. Commissioner Hansen moved to approve staff recommendation as amended; the motion passed 4–1 (Commissioner Williams recorded a No vote). The commission will forward the environmental addendum, the revised design standards, and the zoning amendment to the Board of Supervisors with a note that minor editorial and formatting edits are expected before final Board consideration.