Action Items for
District 2 Communities
Cameron Park
As District 2's most populous area, Cameron Park warrants more attention from our Board than it has received. Blessed with beautiful neighborhoods and a country club, commercial development largely remains limited to a big-box stores and chain establishments. Residents deserve an integrated community center, planned in coordination with local stakeholders, for people to gather and hold events. As old town Placerville has Main Street, Cameron Park should have its modern equivalent.
Unless District 2 elects leadership which is engaged enough to spearhead such community planning, growth will remain an ad-hoc process, pushed forward only by the interests of property developers. The result will be more strip malls, with no benefit to the culture and community of Cameron Park.
There is land adjacent to the existing commercial areas suited for this type of project. As Supervisor, I will to work with local groups to identify a space, perform feasibility studies, and advocate for the implementation of an enterprise zone to spur economic development aligned with community wishes and priorities.
El Dorado Hills
Nearest to Sacramento, El Dorado Hills is the most populous area in our County and includes thousands of residents in District 2. Population has exploded due to large development projects, with several new projects currently in review which would critically impact already-burdened traffic infrastructure.
Concern about overdevelopment has reached a boiling point, and people are wondering why large corporate developers are the only entities which the Board appears committed to helping build new homes. Large subdivisions are good in some cases, but many have pointed out, the County already has thousants of vacant parcels for new homes available to be developed without any re-zoning.
We need more housing that middle-class families can afford, and I believe there is a happy medium between leaving large parcels vacant and cramming them full of high-density apartments. Growth is inevitable; we can either do it in a smart and thoughtful way with active community engagement, or we can lay down and let developers have their way.
Effective leadership is essential in threading this needle and proactively finding development solutions. As District 2 Supervisor I will ensure large developers are accountable to the existing community and deliver what is actually desired: light density residential which average families can afford, with space for backyards and gardens to preserve our rural character.
Grizzly Flats
Devastated by the Caldor Fire in 2021, Grizzly Flats has been in dire need of support. While help from FEMA did not come through as promised, many successful efforts at the County and State level deserve recognition. Much more however, could and should have been done for the people of Grizzly Flats. Waived build permit fees and RV permits are fine emergency measures, but residents trying to rebuild otherwise remain burdened by a dysfunctional permit review process. Many contractors refuse work in our County for this reason, and for owner-builder permits it doesn't get any easier.
The Board of Supervisors recently approved a proposal to begin the process of establishing a streamlined permit review process for owner-built tiny homes (Title 25) with pre-made plans which will be able to be approved on an expedited timeline. This is a great idea -- the only problem is that it comes two years too late, after many residents have already sold their land or otherwise relocated.
As District 2 Supervisor I will build on the existing recovery actions and momentum, and ensure that Title 25 aka the "owner-builder code" is enacted as soon as possible, with the maximum possible leeway for Grizzly Flats residents to rebuild their family homes.
Somerset / Mt. Aukum / Fairplay
Agriculture and small local businesses are the beating heart of the unincorporated areas of South County. As is usually the case for rural residents, the most helpful thing the County can do for them is reduce or eliminate unnecessary regulatory burdens. Core priorities for these areas include protection against the threat of wildfire, streamlining the permit review process, and enhancing winery tourism.
As Supervisor I will have an open-door policy for all rural residents to reach out and seek help with any aspect of engagement with the County. I will be an advocate for local agricultural business owners and amplify all efforts to boost the economic competitiveness of our farmers within the regional and global marketplace. My overarching mission on the Board will be to overhaul the Planning and Building Department so that average people can more easily build homes, barns, and businesses to support and benefit our community.
Vital Intelligent Leadership for South County | Vote McCarty for District 2 Supervisor
