PROTECT EDH
El Dorado Hills is California's finest community. That will change if Costco's Silva Valley Road mega-project is approved.
Gridlock throughout EDH
Costco will cause massive new traffic swells throughout El Dorado Hills. Silva Valley will obviously be heavily impacted, but White Rock Road and Serrano Parkway - a private road paid for by Serrano residents - will also see heavy new impacts. Wait times coming off of and getting on to Highway 50 will skyrocket. Awkward new traffic signals will cause severe stacking on Silva Valley, especially during Oak Meadow drop-off and pickup.
Around-the-Clock Noise
Costco is planning 3AM big rig deliveries to their enormous open-air loading docks. Parking for 831 cars in a two story parking garage facing Serrano Village D2. Tire Installation lifts and tools 9AM-8:30PM. If you live on Mertola, Ponta Delgado or Village Green, forget sleeping in on the weekends -- the delivery noise doesn't even include the THOUSANDS of cars that will shop and fill gas at Costco every day.
Blight and Pollution Gripping EDH
At over 10,000 square feet larger than their Folsom warehouse store, existing EDH shopping centers could be devastated, and could also force existing gas stations to close, leaving behind hard-to-fill retail and gas sites that quickly become eyesores. Add to that intense light pollution from the new parking lot, minimal pedestrian protection across Silva Valley and the strong possibility of naturally-curing asbestos being exposed during construction, Costco's plans will cause far more damage than EDH can sustain.
A Major Everyday Health Threat to Our Kids
Costco gas stations are notorious pollution generators -- but their project application calls for 32 new gas station pumps just a few yards from the 700+ kids and staff at Oak Meadow Elementary School -- not to mention just down the street from Silva Valley Elementary, Rollings Hills Middle School, Oak Ridge High School and the homes in Serrano Village A. Costco gas stations cause severe car idling from their customers -- and Costco gas stations emit carcinogenic Benzine, poisonous carbon monoxide and other toxic air contaminants to their nearby neighbors. A study conducted by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that vent pipe emissions are over 10 times greater than estimates used to determine setback distances for gas stations in CA. There is no justification to allow Costco to build a gas station on Silva Valley Road and endanger our schools and neighborhoods.
Costco's Proposal
Costco is proposing a nearly 165,000 square foot warehouse project at Silva Valley Road and Highway 50, with a 32 pump gas station across Silva Valley Road just yards from Oak Meadow Elementary School. This project has NOT YET been approved by El Dorado County. To gain approval, Costco needs a certified Environmental Impact Report (EIR), a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and a Variance -- all of which need to be approved by the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors after extensive public involvement. The county is currently working on the EIR, which is expected to be released before the end of 2025. You can view the formal project descriptor, Notice of Preparation and official site plans the County's project website here.
The Public Review Process
Under California Law, before a major project is approved by a local government the impacts of the project must be investigated and disclosed in accordance with the guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Here are the major steps in the process.
I. Compilation of the Draft EIR
The El Dorado County Planning Department is currently compiling the various elements of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for public release and circulation this Summer or Fall. DEIRs are dense technical documents that are meant to disclose the impacts of various planning issues related to major projects. Issues such as air quality, traffic, noise, urban decay, hydrology, and wildlife impacts (among others) are supposed to be studied under CEQA guidelines.
II. DEIR Release and Comment Period
When the County releases the DEIR it is required to circulate it to the public for a minimum of 45 days. Though written or oral comments are accepted at any time before a final vote is taken, it is only during the DEIR circulation period that the county is REQUIRED to provide a written response, which they must do in the Final EIR. Additionally, the county has the discretion to extend the comment period to 60 days – which it justifiably ought to do considering that the document is likely to be hundreds of pages long. What type of comments matter most? Share your personal perspective of the project’s impacts: Will the benzine from the gas pumps impact your kids at one of our local schools? Will the 3am truck deliveries keep you up at night? What traffic circulation problems do you see that will make Silva Valley Road less safe? Have you seen wildlife in the area that will be endangered? Don’t worry about being technical in your comments or sounding like a planning expert – instead just tell your story about why the project is a threat to your quality of life.
III. Release of Final EIR/Response to Comments
After the county has formed responses to the comments submitted during the DEIR comment period, it will release a Final EIR/Response to Comments documents (FEIR) that includes written responses to the comments received. It often taken a number of months before the FEIR is ready for release after the close of the comment period. Once released, the county must circulate the FEIR for 10 days before any public hearings are called.
IV. Planning Commission Public Hearing and Vote
The unelected El Dorado County Planning Commission will review the project with a public hearing, but they are not the final say. Their hearing will include a briefing on the scope and impacts of the project, and will be an opportunity for residents to voice their concerns. Whatever their vote, their decision will be appealed to the Board of Supervisors for a final public hearing
V. Board of Supervisors Public Hearing and Vote
The five-member Board of Supervisors, only one of whom is a resident of El Dorado Hills, will make the final legislative decision on the project. Your voice opposing the project for its threats to local health, safety and quality of life is critical – they need to hear directly from you. We’ll keep you posted on the timing of hearing dates – please plan on coming in person to make your voice heard.
Who will decide?
The five-member El Dorado County Board of Supervisors will eventually cast the vote to decide the fate of El Dorado Hills and Costco. The Board of Supervisors are YOUR elected representative and should put your interests above the ambitions of developers. They need to hear from you -- here's how to reach them:
Board of Supervisors
330 Fair Lane
Placerville, CA 95667
Supervisor Greg Ferrero* - District 1
(530) 621-5650
*Supervisor Ferrero is the only BOS member who resides in EDH.
Supervisor George Turnboo - District 2
(530) 621-5651
Supervisor Brian Veerkamp - District 3
(530) 621-5652
Supervisor Lori Parlin -- District 4
(530) 621-6513
Supervisor Brook Laine -- District 5
(530) 663-3090
We need your help
We're building a coalition of neighbors and local businesses to stop Costco's disastrous plan for El Dorado Hills. Applying political pressure to the Board of Supervisors is critical to defeating this project that threatens our health, disturbs our peace and encroaches on our neighborhood. Please join our effort. Send us an email at ProtectEDH@yahoo.com with your name and contact info and we'll add you to our list. Also, please connect with us on Facebook at Protect El Dorado Hills.