|
|
The People are the Key to Placer's Greatness!
 August 1st 2024
|
|
Hello District 4 Residents,
I hope this message finds you well. I am excited to share some significant updates and invite you to join us in several upcoming community events.
First, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Daniel Woodward, our District 4 Planning Commissioner, who recently resigned after serving Placer County with distinction for the past three and a half years. Dan, a retired Air Force Brigadier General, was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve on the American Battle Monuments Commission, a role in which he will continue to serve. Dan, you have made us proud, and we thank you for your service – past, present, and future!
I am pleased to announce that Amber Beckler has been appointed to fill Dan's seat. Amber lives in Granite Bay with her husband and cat and works as a management consultant and part-time faculty member at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. She holds master’s degrees in both business and geography and a bachelor’s in environmental management.
“As a resident of Granite Bay for 14 years, watching the area grow made planning and conservation significant focal points of my energy and time commitments,” Beckler said. “My community service and professional experiences equip me to bring a broad and objective perspective to help us grow responsibly; with one eye on the past and the other on the future. It is an honor to serve District 4 and the county as a planning commissioner.”
Amber has a long record of service, including roles on the Granite Bay Municipal Advisory Council, the Placer Conservation Authority Advisory Committee, and as a Placer County District 4 Fish & Game Commissioner. I have every confidence in her abilities, and I am certain she will be a good steward and work hard to protect the quality of life in Placer County.
In other news, we are hosting a Traffic Study Open House to discuss potential traffic solutions and gather community feedback on traffic and pedestrian safety. This event is an excellent opportunity for you to voice your thoughts and learn more about our efforts to improve traffic safety in Granite Bay.
Traffic Study Open House Details:
- Date: Tuesday, August 6, 2024
- Time: 6:00 – 7:30 pm
- Location: 6365 Douglas Boulevard, Granite Bay (Lutheran Church, Fellowship Hall)
- Format: Open House – come anytime and spend as much time as you’d like.
Don't forget, Tuesday, August 6th is National Night Out. This annual community-building campaign promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer and more caring places to live. Since much of our district is rural in nature, we are also hosting our Roundabout Feasibility discussion on National Night out to act as a meeting place for neighbors who do not have organized events. We hope this will be a place for rural residents to gather and share their opinions about the future safety of Barton, Douglas, and Auburn Folsom Roads.
Lastly, remember that tonight, August 1st, is our monthly Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) meeting. Join us in person at the Granite Bay Library at 6 PM or participate online.
The final agenda packet has been posted to the Placer County website, and can be found here: View in the Agenda Center.
MAC Meeting Details:
- Location: Granite Bay Library
- Time: 6:00 PM
- Zoom Link: Join the Meeting
- Phone Access: 1-877-853-5247 (Toll Free) or 1-888-788-0099 (Toll Free)
- Conference ID: 952 2664 4570
- Raise Hand for Public Comment: Dial *9
We look forward to your participation and continued engagement in making District 4 an even better place to live.
Warm regards,
Suzanne Jones
Supervisor, District 4
|
|
|
|
Though Placer County doesn’t have jurisdiction over the insurance market, we’re working hard to learn more about how fire insurance instability is affecting our residents and what more can be done to help.
Recently, we conducted a scientific survey via FlashVote where 56.2 percent of respondents indicated that their fire insurance has either not been renewed or subject to significant price increases. Full results for that survey can be accessed here. If you would like to be active in future FlashVote surveys, click here.
More help could be on the way. Earlier this month Placer County was recognized for our commitment to wildfire planning best practices, receiving the 2024 Fire Risk Reduction Community designation by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. That could result in priority consideration for specific wildfire prevention grants and potential homeowners insurance discounts. Learn more
Residents may also be eligible for insurance discounts through the following programs:
🔥 Firewise Communities
🏠 Wildfire Prepared Home designation
🌲 Safer from Wildfires
To receive future insurance and wildfire safety updates by email, sign up here.
Placer County residents are encouraged to verify whether their current level of broadband service has been accurately identified by the State of California.
As part of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, the California Public Utilities Commission has released a map indicating the “served” status of locations across California. The category designated by the CPUC will determine whether certain areas are eligible to receive BEAD funding for broadband expansion projects.
“Our community’s participation in the BEAD program can help shape the future of high-speed internet in Placer County - ensuring our community receives the resources it deserves,” said Placer County Assistant Chief Information Officer Dieter Wittenberg.
California residents have until Aug. 6 to contest the designation of their internet speed service if they determine it is incorrect.
The three designation categories include:
-
Unserved: Speeds slower than 25Mbps for downloads or 3Mbps for uploads
-
Underserved: Speeds of at least 25Mbps for downloads or 3Mbps for uploads and slower than 100Mbps for downloads or 20Mbps for uploads
-
Served: Speeds of at least 100Mbps for downloads or 20Mbps for uploads
Internet speed verification steps:
- Visit the California BEAD Consumer Challenge Page, here.
- Enter street address in the search bar.
-
Pink dot: The location has been identified as unserved and eligible for a BEAD-funded project, and a challenge will not need to be submitted.
-
Blue dot: The location is considered underserved, potentially eligible for upgrades.
-
Gray dot: The location is considered served and not eligible for the program.
Residents who determine that their location service status is incorrect and needs to be challenged should follow the steps on the BEAD Consumer Challenge page by Aug. 6.
To see broadband expansion projects currently underway in Placer County please visit http://placer.ca.gov/Broadband.
Contact the Placer County Information Technology Department, broadband team for additional assistance at broadbandsurvey@placer.ca.gov.
|
|
|
|
This is nine week program that will offer accelerated courses each week. During the academy, Placer County citizens will learn about the District Attorney’s Office, its role within the criminal justice system and the services that are provided to the community.
Space is limited and accepted participants will receive notification of their acceptance into the academy prior to the start. Notification will also be made to those who were not accommodated due to capacity issues.
The 2024 Fall Citizens Academy will take place every Tuesday evening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Rocklin Police Academy starting in September 2024. Applications will open in July 2024.
|
|
What is a General Plan?
The General Plan establishes the community’s vision for the future and is an expression of how the community wants to look, feel, and change over the next 25 years.
The General Plan covers many important topics, including where housing and businesses get built, how we travel around the county, protecting the natural environment, and providing parks and community services. Learn More
|
Placer County seeks applicants for Charter Review Committee
 Would you like direct input into the operation of local government? Apply for our Charter Review Committee. Our charter outlines the organizational structure, duties and responsibilities of our elected and appointed officials. Read more
|
|
August 6th Open House in Granite Bay to Discuss Roundabouts & Traffic on Douglas Blvd.
 The Department of Public Works is exploring the feasibility of roundabouts at several intersections in Granite Bay, as part of our work with the Traffic Sub-Committee of the Granite Bay Municipal Advisory Council. Through this effort, we hope to answer three questions:
• Are they feasible?
• Does the community want them?
• If so, how do we fund them?
Public Works contracted with a local transportation engineering firm, Kimley Horn and Associates, to determine if roundabouts are feasible at three intersections in Granite Bay. While there are no active roundabout projects in Granite Bay, the study was used to determine if roundabouts could effectively serve traffic at three types of intersections: high-volume, medium-volume, and low-volume. The intersections for the study were selected by the Traffic Sub-Committee members. The results of the study were presented at the April 2024 MAC meeting and are available at Placer County Granite Bay_ICE Report_FINAL_082223.
To answer the second question, Public Works is hosting Roundabouts Open House:
Open House for Roundabouts in Granite Bay
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
6:00 – 7:30 pm – drop in anytime!
6365 Douglas Boulevard, Granite Bay (Lutheran Church)
The Open House will include staff from both Public Works and Kimley Horn to answer questions regarding roundabouts. While there won’t be a formal presentation, we will have a variety of stations dedicated to specific topics, such as roundabout safety and how to navigate a roundabout. The results of the Feasibility Study will also be available for review and discussion.
Following the Open House, Public Works will launch a community survey to evaluate the level of community support to add roundabouts at one or more locations in Granite Bay. Please participate in the Open House and Community Survey to let us know your opinion!
The survey will be available here, starting August 6th.
|
|
Sutter Roseville Plans $10 Million Advanced Operating Room
Sutter Health is seeking state approval to construct a $10.3 million hybrid operating room at Sutter Roseville Medical Center.
“This hybrid OR combines advanced imaging with a procedural space,” said Dr. Vanessa Walker, chief medical executive at Sutter Roseville, adding that it will primarily serve vascular procedures.
The new facility will enable doctors to respond more effectively to complications during minimally invasive endovascular surgeries. Currently, these procedures are performed in the hospital’s cardiac catheterization labs, but complications sometimes require moving patients mid-procedure to an operating room.
“It’s always in the patient’s best interest to stay with the same team throughout the procedure,” Walker said. In the hybrid OR, doctors can switch from minimally invasive to open surgery without relocating the patient.
Walker noted the increasing demand for endovascular procedures due to the hiring of additional vascular surgeons and the aging population in western Placer County. She also mentioned that the hybrid OR could potentially support complex procedures like advanced heart surgeries in the future, offering more flexibility to advance their services.
The new hybrid operating room will be built in existing shell space at the hospital campus with construction completed in 12 to 18 months.
|
|
|
 As a board member of Pioneer Community Energy, I'm pleased to share some exciting news from Pioneer. Pioneer Community Energy recently announced the approval of a mid-year rate reduction during the hot summer months. The vote by the Pioneer Board lowers rates for the summer by an average of 5 percent, retroactive to July 1. This means many Pioneer customers will receive a credit on their August bill to reflect the money-saving action.
“As part of our commitment to provide customer savings, the Pioneer Community Energy Governing Board approved at its July 18 meeting a mid-year rate adjustment to lower summer electricity rates, ensuring Pioneer customers save money during the summer, when rates and usage are at their highest,” said Alice Dowdin Calvillo, board chair of Pioneer and Auburn City Councilmember.
Pioneer powers homes and businesses by purchasing energy from cost-effective sources while using existing PG&E transmission lines. As a Community Choice Aggregator, Pioneer provides electricity to 170,000 meters in Auburn, Colfax, Grass Valley, Lincoln, Loomis, Nevada City, Placerville, Rocklin, unincorporated Placer County, and unincorporated El Dorado County.
Pioneer CEO Donald Eckert Jr. explained that this rate reduction is a response to the extreme weather this summer. "This is turning out to be a long and hot summer and Pioneer has responded with an average 5 percent reduction in our rates that remain below PG&E's generation rate. We can do this through strong fiscal management and expertise in our power procurement. We are not-for-profit and our shareholders are the communities we serve."
Since 2018, Pioneer has saved its customers more than $85 million by offering competitive rates and a choice in energy options. Lowering summer rates is another way Pioneer helps our customers when they need it most. For more information, visit pioneercommunityenergy.org.
Placer County refunds fees for never-built senior living facility in Granite Bay
Eight years after announcing a new senior living facility on Douglas Boulevard in Granite Bay, Placer County supervisors have effectively ended the project with a unanimous vote to refund over $77,000 in permit fees to the original proponent of StonePointe at Granite Bay.
FCM Capital Partners, based in Roseville, initially announced the 60-room, $15 million project in 2016. However, the company's website is no longer active, and their phone number was disconnected this week.
According to the Board of Supervisors' agenda item, the applicant had paid an unspecified amount in fees to obtain a building permit for the project, although the exact timing was not disclosed. "The building permit was issued; however, work did not commence," the agenda states. "The Building Services Division received a request from FCM Capital Partners Incorporated on April 18, 2024, to withdraw the building permit application."
After deducting services provided, the county determined that $77,292.47 should be refunded. The refund will come from various accounts into which the fees were initially deposited, and this amount is within the county's budget.
In 2016, FCM Capital President Chris Miller highlighted a growing senior population as the rationale for the project. He mentioned his company's involvement in larger senior living projects in Bakersfield, Carpinteria, Kern Canyon, Pacifica, and Palm Desert. However, it is unclear if any of those projects were ever completed, as online searches yield no results for "StonePointe" or "FCM Capital Partners" in those locations.
Before the Granite Bay project, FCM Capital Partners also planned senior living communities in Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Lincoln, and West Sacramento. In 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged PDC Capital, a partner in these projects, with defrauding investors through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. The Carmichael, Citrus Heights, and West Sacramento properties were set for auction in 2018.
The Carmichael site at 7411 Fair Oaks Blvd. is now slated to become a Chick-fil-A. Entitlements for the West Sacramento senior living project expired earlier this year, and the Citrus Heights property is now owned by Brent Le of Solana Beach, according to real estate information service Reonomy. All these sites, including another one planned by FCM Capital at Eureka and Barton roads in Granite Bay, remain undeveloped.
Placer County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) Loomis Office 6140 Horseshoe Bar Road, Suite D Loomis, CA 95650 916-652-2400 (Non-Emergency)
South Placer Fire District 6900 Eureka Rd, Granite Bay, CA 95746 (916) 791-7059 southplacerfire.org
CAL Fire Nevada-Yuba Placer 13760 Lincoln Way, Auburn 95603 530-889-0111
California Highway Patrol - Auburn Area Office (220) 9440 Indian Hill Road Newcastle, CA 95658 (916) 633-3344 (Non-Emergency)
Placer County District Attorney’s Office 10810 Justice Center Drive Roseville, CA 95678
 Whether it’s representing your community or sharing your expertise on topics like agriculture or parks, there are always opportunities for you to help advise county leaders on the issues that matter to you most. Recruitment is open now to fill seats on the following committees or commissions, among others. Learn more and apply
|
PLACER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Learn more about the Board of Supervisors, including information on upcoming Board of Supervisors meetings.
Municipal Advisory Council (MAC)
Placer County Resources
Find your Chamber of Commerce
|
|
 |
|
Board of Supervisors Mission Statement:
To act as the legislative arm of county government and provide responsive leadership, governance, effective oversight of county services, and involve citizens and communities in processes that determine and enhance Placer County's future.
|
"The People are the Key to Placer's Greatness!"
The Board of Supervisors is the governing body of the County and certain special districts. The Board enacts ordinances and resolutions, adopts the annual budget, approves contracts, appropriates funds, determines land use zoning for the unincorporated area, and appoints certain County officers, including the CEO and members of various boards and commissions.
Regular Meetings
The Board of Supervisors generally meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Placer County Administrative Center located at 175 Fulweiler Avenue in Auburn, CA. Please view the meeting calendar to verify meeting dates.
Agendas & Minutes
Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval. View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes
Strategic Plan
Placer County has identified eight Critical Success Factors to help set the county’s priorities. Part of that effort includes an annual work plan that acts as a roadmap toward achieving our goals and is closely monitored by the board. In an effort to provide total transparency, the Placer County Strategic Work Plan is now available for public review, and we encourage residents to follow our progress through quarterly updates. Learn more about the critical success factors.
What Questions, Comments, Suggestions do you have...
Contact: District 4 Chief of Staff MichaelSpelis@placer.ca.gov ♦ (916) 719 -2955
District 4 Representative FUdvarhely@Placer.ca.gov ♦ (530) 906 - 3120
|
|
Learn more about Supervisor Jones: |
|
|
|
|
