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Special Edition: Protect Rural Communities |
At the 3/30/21 TOT Workshop, the Board will continue its 3/9/21 discussion regarding how to allocate TOT (Transient Occupancy/Hotel Tax). The Board’s discussion and public comment on 3/9/21 regarding the Urgency Ordinance to restrict chain stores brought to light the need to fulfill the General Plan’s promise to protect the unique character of our rural communities.
Supervisors Parlin and Turnboo are recommending the Board direct staff to include a $350,000 allocation of the TOT 2020-2021 fund balance in the recommended budget for the purpose of hiring temporary staff or a consultant to exclusively engage with rural communities to create design standards and/or community-oriented policies over the next two years to protect their unique and rural character.
- The Vision statement in the El Dorado County Strategic Plan stipulates “Safe, healthy and vibrant communities, respecting our natural resources and historical heritage.”
- The Economic Development Goal of the Strategic Plan includes a priority to implement design standards in community regions and rural centers to provide clarity to businesses and developers.
- The purpose of the voter-approved General Plan is to provide for growth in an environmentally balanced manner, while conserving agricultural lands, forest and woodlands, and other natural resources, in order to fulfill El Dorado County General Plan Goal 2.4.1.2 which states, “The County shall develop community design guidelines in concert with members of each community as Planning staff and funds are available.”
- During the 3/9/21 board discussion Supervisor Hidahl stated, “I fully understand all Lori was talking about is relative to how long it’s taken to get Community Plans in place, how long it’s taken to get Design Standards. It was 2004 when the Board of Supervisors established these as goals.” Supervisor Parlin has been advocating for Community Design Standards since 2013, long before becoming District IV Supervisor. “It’s time to stop kicking the can down the road.”
Click here to download the full presentation for the Workshop: https://eldorado.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=9263795&GUID=A74E9DA4-B966-4293-BA4B-3B2AEFACA7C8
Slide 16 of the Workshop presentation shows that an estimated $1.6M fund balance of TOT will remain from the 2020-2021 anticipated TOT budget. In the past, TOT fund balance has been used toward economic development projects and a Community Design Standards project aligns with that pattern of prior use.
Take Action!
Show your support for the recommendation to allocate TOT funding for Community Design Standards to protect rural communities, send an email to the Clerk of the Board at edc.cob@edcgov.us. The Clerk will forward your email to all 5 Supervisors and add it to the public record. Do not email information that you do not want in the public record.
Join the Zoom meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/94798423537
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