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Placerville planning commission forwards 2020 active transportation plan to city council with comments
Summary
The Placerville Planning Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday to forward the City of Placerville Active Transportation Plan to the City Council, finding the 2020 plan categorically exempt from CEQA and asking that the commission's written comments be included with the staff report.
The Placerville Planning Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday to forward the City of Placerville Active Transportation Plan to the City Council, finding the 2020 plan categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act and asking that the commission's written comments be included with the staff report.
The active transportation plan, prepared by the El Dorado County Transportation Commission in 2020, lists bicycle and pedestrian projects and potential funding sources for the city. City planning staff told commissioners the city engineer wants the plan on the record to meet grant-application requirements.
City planning staffer Cahill said the plan "was adopted in 2020" by the county transportation commission and that the city now needs a formal action on the plan to be eligible for some grants. Commissioners agreed the document is largely a high-level vision and a helpful list of projects, but also said a number of clarifications and minor edits would improve it.
Commissioners asked staff to include written edits sent to them and any additional comments the commission develops in the staff report that goes to council. Commissioner Smith flagged one substantive concern about a population-density map (figure 2.3), saying the map's methodology was not explained and it undercuts the reader's confidence in that panel. Cahill and other commissioners said the concern does not change the plan's list of projects but should be noted for clarification in any future update.
A member of the public, Michael Drubish of Placerville, urged consistent design standards for sidewalk detectable-warning panels (truncated domes), saying downtown domes use a dark red that he would like to see adopted as a city standard. Cahill pointed commissioners to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices as the technical reference the city engineer will follow when preparing specific projects.
Action and next steps The commission's motion directed staff to forward a recommendation of the plan to the City Council, attach the commission's written comments for council consideration, and record that the commission found the plan categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (existing facilities/minor alterations). The motion passed on a roll call of Chair Keeney, Vice Chair Lepper, Commissioners Sylvester, Smith and Stratton (5-0). The matter will be reviewed by the City Council, which will make the final determination on adoption.
Why it matters Adoption by the city council will let the city engineer pursue grant funding tied to having an active transportation plan on the books. Commissioners noted the plan will likely be updated by the regional commission in the future and asked that the council and staff treat the current action as a way to make the city eligible for grants while preserving an opportunity to refine technical maps and design guidance.
Votes at a glance - Motion to forward the City of Placerville Active Transportation Plan to City Council, attach planning commission comments, and find the plan categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301: Passed 5-0 (Chair Keeney, Vice Chair Lepper, Commissioners Sylvester, Smith, Stratton).
