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Hearing to consider a request submitted by El Dorado Hills Community Services District (CSD) appealing the denial of Special Use Permit S09-0003 on property identified by APN 125-110-09, consisting of 39.5 acres, in the El Dorado Hills area; and Planning Services recommending the Board take the following actions:
1) Certify that the project is statutorily exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15270(a) of the CEQA Guidelines; and
2) Deny the appeal thereby upholding the denial of Special Use Permit S09-0003 by the Planning Commission based on the Findings listed in Attachment 1. (Supervisorial District I)
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Background: Special Use Permit S09-0003 is a request submitted by EL DORADO HILLS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT (CSD)/SANDI KUKKOLA to revise an approved Special Use Permit to allow an LED reader board sign for the El Dorado Hills CSD Community Park. The property, identified by Assessor's Parcel Number 125-110-09, consisting of 39.5 acres, is located at the intersection of El Dorado Hills Blvd and Harvard Way in the El Dorado Hills area, Supervisorial District I. (Statutory Exemption pursuant to Section 15270(a) of the CEQA Guidelines)
This application was considered by the Planning Commission on July 9, 2009, and was unanimously (5-0) denied. The minutes from this meeting are attached.
As discussed in the Staff Report, Development Services' ordinance interpretation has been to prohibit LED readerboard signs and similar electronically changeable signage. The El Dorado County Code does not specifically prohibit with LED lighting signage; however, prohibitions of movable signage, blinking signs, and requirements limiting glare have been interpreted to restrict the use of LED readerboards in the County which can be characterized as changeable and blinking sign messages or "copy."
The El Dorado Hills CSD has appealed the Planning Commission's denial of Special Use Permit S09-0003 based on that the El Dorado Hills area is an urban area and differs from the other regions of El Dorado County. The CSD believes that policies prohibiting LED signage should not be applied to El Dorado Hills but are pertinent in the rural areas of the County. Included with the Appeal Form is supplemental information provided by the CSD including self-imposed restrictions which the CSD feels would allow for comprehensive regulation of the LED readerboard sign.
The Planning Commission's denial of the Special Use Permit request was based on the concern of proliferation of similar electronic signs throughout the County. The County Code signage requirements are applied uniformly County-wide and do not include modifications based on location within the El Dorado Hills Area. Further, the lack of codified standards, requirements, and legal issues would be problematic in the regulation of such signage. The Planning Commission's motion of denial also included direction to Planning Services staff to coordinate a workshop to discuss current technologies and potential regulations for electronic signage.
Contact: Roger P. Trout (5369)/Pierre Rivas (5841)