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Development Services Department, Planning Services Division, recommending the Board consider a continued request submitted by Christopher and Elaine Debeau (Agent: Kathye Russell) appealing Condition No. 8 imposed on Parcel Map P11-0002/Debeau when approved by the Zoning Administrator on September 21, 2011. The property is identified by APN 110-460-55, consisting of 3.24 acres, in the north El Dorado Hills area; and Planning Services is recommending the Board take the following actions:
1) Adopt the Negative Declaration based on the Initial Study prepared by staff;
2) Approve the appeal, thereby removing Condition No. 8 from the approval of Parcel Map P11-0002 by the Zoning Administrator on September 21, 2011 based on the Findings and subject to the Conditions of Approval listed in Attachment 1 revised 10/27/11 (11-1160 2A); and
3) Approve the following Design Waivers as the required Findings have been made as listed in Attachment 1 revised 10/27/11 (11-1160 2A):
(a) Allow a reduction from a 28-foot to an 18-foot road surface width for the proposed access roads; and
(b) Allow a dead-end road to exceed 1,320 feet and to serve more than 24 existing or potential parcels. (Supervisorial District 1) (Est. Time: 45 Min.) (Cont. 10/25/11, Item 14)
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Background: This is a request submitted by CHRISTOPHER AND ELAINE DEBEAU (Agent: Kathye Russell) appealing Condition #8, which requires the installation of an automatic fire egress gate, imposed on Parcel Map P11-0002/Debeau when approved by the Zoning Administrator on September 21, 2011. The Parcel Map would create two single-family residential parcels comprising 1.00 and 2.24 acres in size and includes the following Design Waiver requests: (a) Allow a reduction of portions of the access road surface width from 28 feet to 18 feet; and (b) Allow a dead-end road to exceed 1,320 feet and to serve more than 24 existing or potential parcels. The property, identified by Assessors Parcel Number 110-460-55, consisting of 3.24 acres, is located approximately 2,000 feet west of the intersection of Francisco Drive and Guadalupe Drive, in the north El Dorado Hills area, Supervisorial District 1. [Project Planner: Tom Dougherty] (Negative declaration prepared)
As discussed in the Staff Report in more detail, (including the history of the existing gate), the subject parcel is located along the north side of Ravenna Way approximately 2,000 feet west of the intersection with Francisco Drive and Guadalupe Drive and the parcels are zoned One-Acre Residential (R1A). Guadalupe Drive is a dead-end road that currently serves 27 existing parcels and approximately 33 potential parcels. If the gate to The Summit subdivision to the south could not be utilized as a Fire Safe secondary access from Guadalupe Drive, the proposed 1.00 and 2.24-acre parcels would be located past the allowable distance allowed of 1,320 feet and a secondary access would be required.
The El Dorado Hills Fire Department had indicated to the applicants during that previous project submission referenced in the Background section of the Staff Report, that there were issues with the private access gate that had been established between Guadalupe Drive and Jefferson Place. The Fire Department has sought a remedy for the secondary ingress/egress for the Guadalupe Drive and Ravenna Way dead end situations for over 20 years. Jefferson Place is the road within The Summit subdivision to the south which dead ends into Guadalupe Drive but is gated with a 20-foot wide vehicular access, and a two-foot wide pedestrian access gate system that are padlocked closed. The Fire Department further stated that gated access between The Summit subdivision and Guadalupe Drive would be required to be improved to State Fire Code and Fire Department specifications prior to them being in a position to support the creation of any additional parcels.
The Fire Department and Cal Fires concern is that there is no secondary emergency access available to the residents of Guadalupe Drive and Ravenna Way as required by current Fire Safe Regulations and El Dorado County Design Improvement Standards Manual (DISM). If a fire or other emergency were to occur from the point where Guadalupe Drive and Francisco Drive meet and west on Guadalupe Drive to the point where it becomes part of a circle, there would be no way for the Guadalupe Drive residents to get out and no way for emergency personnel to get in. They determined that any additional parcels within a single access point area would create a significant impact on the safety of residents within the subdivision as well as the safety of the emergency services personnel. Until these issues are mitigated, the Fire Department is opposed to further creation of additional parcels of land within this subdivision.
Currently, the Fire Prevention Officers within various jurisdictions of the County do not support gated secondary emergency access points. The El Dorado Hills Fire Department is, in this one instance, and only because no other options would appear to exist for this one particular area, recommended requiring an automatic emergency access gate to the subdivision to the south. This means though, that the existing gate would need to be updated to meet current Department specifications. Upon completion of their recommended Conditions of Approval, this gate would meet the Fire Department's requirement for a second access. Once the gate has been modified to meet the installation requirements, the Fire Department would be in support of the proposed parcel split of APN 110-460-55.
In order to override the requirements of Article 2, Section 1273.09 of the SRA Fire Safe Regulations, and Volume 2, Section 3 (C)(12) of the El Dorado County Design Improvement Standards Manual (DISM), a Design Waiver would need to be requested and approved. The Department of Transportation, Cal Fire and the El Dorado Hills Fire Department have stated they would not support the approval of such a Design Waiver request.
Hard copies of the Staff Report exhibits are provided in black and white, however, some exhibits are available "in color" electronically on the Board's agenda website.
Contact: Roger Trout (5369)/Pierre Rivas (5841)
Follow-up to COB: Provide copies of correspondence to Dept.