Planning Commission unanimously recommends rezoning historic Thompson House to residential

The Placerville Planning Commission on July 15 recommended that the City Council approve a general plan amendment, a zone change and a conditional use permit to return the historic Blair/Thompson House at 3062 Cedar Ravine Road to single‑family residential use.

The commission voted unanimously to forward General Plan Amendment 25-0001, Zone Change 25-0001 and Conditional Use Permit CUP25-004 to council, subject to the conditions in the staff report and an amendment to condition 6 requiring that “the uses entitled pursuant to the permit shall comply with the Placerville City Code, including but not limited to zoning ordinance section 10-4-10 (historical buildings in the city), and all other applicable City of Placerville ordinances and state and federal codes.” Chair Keeney called the vote as all members present voted “aye.”

Carol Kendrick, Placerville Development Services director, presented the Thompson House project and explained the sequence of applications: a zone change application received April 15, a general plan amendment submitted May 30 and the conditional use permit submitted June 11. Kendrick told the commission the proposal would change the property’s land use designation from “business and professional” to “high density residential” to match surrounding uses, and rezone the lot from Business and Professional to R-3 (medium‑density residential). She said the general plan amendment is the first of four amendments the city allows annually.

Kendrick said the project was determined to be exempt from CEQA under CEQA Guidelines sections 15061(b)(3) and 15301 as an existing facility. She also described required tribal consultation under SB 18, noting the city mailed 20 letters based on the Native American Heritage Commission list and had received one response from the Shingle Springs Miwok; a consultation meeting that had been scheduled for the day before was moved to the day after the commission meeting.

Applicants Sean Manwaring and Jacob Rigoli, who identified themselves as the property owners and historic preservationists, told the commission they have spent years restoring the house and intend the residence to remain a preserved, residential resource. “We’ve poured so much of our hearts into restoring it,” Manwaring said. He said the owners plan to seek listing on the state and national registers once the local approvals are secured. The applicants stressed that, in their view, residential zoning best protects the structure’s integrity over time.

Two neighbors spoke in support. Mark Simmons, a Cedar Ravine Road resident, said the owners had “painstakingly” restored the property and opened it for community events. An additional speaker identified in the transcript only as a resident praised the application’s documentation and urged the city to consider broader steps to protect historic districts.

Commissioners asked staff and the applicants questions about nonconforming setbacks, whether a later owner could convert the property to multifamily use and the interplay between the CUP and future site‑plan review. Kendrick said the structure meets R‑3 development standards and that the CUP would make the use conforming under the proposed zoning; she noted multifamily uses in the R‑3 zone are permitted and would be subject to site‑plan review.

The staff report recorded that the Blair Thompson House dates to the 19th century (the applicants supplied documentation the house was built in 1862), is on the city historic inventory, sits on about 1.01 acres (APN 003-241-067) and lacks curb, gutter and sidewalks. The property is adjacent to Pacific Street Dental and surrounded by residential zoning and high‑density residential land‑use designations, according to the staff report.

The commission’s action is a recommendation only; final legislative approval rests with the City Council. Kendrick told the commission staff plans to take the item to the council’s first meeting in August, currently scheduled for Aug. 12, and that staff will publish the required 20‑day notice in the Mountain Democrat.

The motion forwarded the staff report as part of the public record and recommended approval of the general plan amendment, zone change and conditional use permit subject to the conditions in the staff report with the amendment to condition 6 described above. Commissioner Amy Stratton made the motion; Commissioner Smith seconded. The vote was: Chair Keeney — aye; Vice Chair Lepper — aye; Commissioner Sylvester — aye; Commissioner Smith — aye; Commissioner Stratton — aye.

If the City Council denies the general plan change, Kendrick said, the approvals would not take effect and the property would remain under its current land‑use and zoning designations. The commission’s recommendation and the record of the SB 18 consultation will be forwarded to council as part of the legislative packet.

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What the commission decided: recommend approval of General Plan Amendment 25-0001, Zone Change 25-0001 and CUP25‑004 for 3062 Cedar Ravine Road (the Blair/Thompson House), with condition 6 edited to require compliance with Placerville City Code including zoning ordinance section 10‑4‑10 (historical buildings). The recommendation passed unanimously and will be considered by City Council (staff indicated Aug. 12).