Commission approves correction removing 30% slope restriction on Winchester Lot 296 after on‑site survey; unpermitted grading previously halted

The Placer County Planning Commission approved a map correction to Winchester Phase 6 Lot 296 that removes a previously mapped 30 percent slope (an unbuildable designation) after the applicant submitted a licensed on‑the‑ground topographic survey showing slopes between about 21.11% and 25.9%.

Assistant planner Joe Plumley told commissioners the 1999 aerial-derived slope mapping used on the subdivision final map can misidentify steep areas where dense tree or brush cover affected the aerial elevation model. The applicant provided a stamped topo map dated December 17, 2024, that satisfied the subdivision note requiring an on‑site survey to revise a 30% slope designation.

Staff also documented that unpermitted grading and retaining-wall work occurred on Lot 296 before a grading permit was issued; county code enforcement issued a stop‑work order and the…