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San Miguel County says Placerville gate will remain after resident survey
Summary
San Miguel County commissioners reported a community survey showed a majority favor keeping a gate on Front Street in Placerville; county staff said emergency responders retain access and the board will revisit the decision if community sentiment changes.
San Miguel County officials told residents at a Placerville listening session that a majority of respondents to a county survey favor keeping an experimental gate on Front Street, and the county will maintain the gate for now.
The county’s VOCC chair, Anne Brown, said the gate was installed “on an experimental basis for about a year” and that the board had surveyed Down Valley residents by neighborhood to inform the decision. Brown told the meeting the survey showed “a majority of the residents” favored keeping the gate in place to keep Front Street calmer and safer.
County staff added that emergency responders, including the fire department, retain access to the gate. A county speaker said responders “have all access to that gate, when they need to get in and out.” County staff said they had contacted the fire department during the evaluation and that the department supported the gate because it integrates with their operations.
Some residents raised practical concerns about the gate’s effect on turning and parking for vehicles towing trailers and on delivery and postal access. Mark Riddeck, a Placerville resident, said campers and vehicles with trailers have difficulty turning around and sometimes use the post office parking lot, which he said makes mail access difficult. He also questioned whether the gate could slow emergency response if someone needed to open it.
County staff acknowledged those concerns and said the survey results were not unanimous; one staff member reported the survey found “more than 80%” thought the benefits outweighed the deficits, while also inviting residents to contact the board if conditions change. Staff provided an email address for commissioners: BOCC@sanmiguelcountyco.gov.
County officials said they will monitor impacts and revisit the decision if community sentiment shifts or if access problems arise.
Residents who want to comment were told to identify themselves when speaking at meetings and to contact the board by email so staff can track concerns about access and safety.
