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Board approves EIR contract extension but directs pause on Texas Hill rezoning
Summary
The Board of Supervisors approved a two-year extension to the county's EIR consultant contract for the Texas Hill parcel rezone and general plan amendment, but directed staff to pause work and return with options and a presentation amid questions about scope and cost-sharing.
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors on July 28 approved a time extension for the county's environmental-impact-report consultant working on the Texas Hill reservoir tank line parcel rezone and general plan amendment, while directing staff to pause further work and return with a briefing on options and history.
Supervisor William Parlin moved to approve the amendment but asked staff to "pause work on the Texas Hill Reservoir take line parcel rezone and general plan amendment project pending a presentation to the board on the project." County Counsel advised that approving the extension preserves continuity with the consultant while giving the board an opportunity to revisit scope and financing. The motion passed 4-0 with Supervisor Verkamp absent.
Planning staff said the extension is needed because of "significant EIR processing delays" caused by required tribal consultations under the California Environmental Quality Act; Tom Purcell of Long Range Planning told the board the item is "for an EIR consultant contract time extension only." Supervisors raised concerns that the project had expanded beyond an earlier set of roughly 10 parcels to include many more properties, and asked why the county would share costs with the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) for parcels that EID owns.
Supervisor Parlin urged a fuller review of the project's history and finance, saying the board should be given options rather than make decisions on the dais. County Counsel and planning staff noted the 2020 board direction that broadened the scope, with staff pointing to a 2020 staff report identifying 51 privately owned parcels and 67 EID parcels as part of the earlier direction.
The board's action authorizes the chair to sign Amendment 1 to the agreement with ICF Environmental Inc. to extend the consultant contract and directs staff to pause substantive work and return with a presentation explaining options and the project's history. No change to the project's environmental analysis was made today; staff said any change in scope would be considered as part of the return briefing.
