C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
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– Midweek Edition – VOLUME 173 • ISSUE 81 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2024
Crozier Fire containment grows ■ Residents able to return home
A Cal Fire firefighter eliminates a spot fire near the Crozier Fire off Sand Mountain Boulevard near Georgetown Aug. 9. The blaze started near Slate Mountain in northern El Dorado County on Aug. 7, quickly growing to nearly 2,000 acres by Aug. 9.
Eric Jaramishian Senior staff writer
As firefighters and first responders continue to battle and contain the Crozier Fire, which sparked near Slate Mountain in northern El Dorado County, residents have started to repopulate their communities after being evacuated for several days. As of Tuesday morning, Cal Fire reported the fire has held at 1,938 acres and was 52% contained. Cooler-thannormal temperatures and higher humidity Monday allowed fire crews to gain additional containment, according to a Cal Fire report. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. “Dozer operations are improving secondary and tertiary contingency lines, which will serve as fuel breaks in future
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
■ See CROZIER, page A4
Marble Valley, Lime Rock plans vetted at Planning Commission Eric Jaramishian Senior staff writer
The proposed Village of Marble Valley and Lime Rock Valley specific plans proposed development had its debut county hearing at the El Dorado County Planning Commission meeting Aug. 8 where staff and residents had a new opportunity to share their views on the large development projects. County staff presented the two projects, which would be located south of Highway 50 between El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park, covering more than 4,000 acres with mixed-density housing as well as multiple commercial projects and amenities; the property used to be ripe with limestone mining operations (an old quarry and kiln are still present on the land). No action was taken, but some of the county’s planning commissioners shared their preliminary thoughts on the specific plans. District 2 Planning Commissioner Bob Williams, who represents the district where the projects are located, wondered what the cost of the projects would ultimately be for local taxpayers. “I’d really like to understand, in reviewing this project, what kind of additional community finance district requirements are being proposed and, in terms of infrastructure situations, what the developers are going to be requesting in terms of public finance, maybe offloads, in financing,”
MAIL LABEL
Williams said. “We do need to have a better understanding of what the impact is going to be financially to the taxpayers — not just current taxpayers but future ones as well.” Some residents who shared their opinions last week questioned whether the projects would address the need for affordable housing and how the development would benefit the community, a prospect District 3 Planning Commissioner Lexi Boeger entertained. “These are the things we really need to see — projects that have a benefit to the community that outweigh the negative impacts,” Boeger said. “And, for me, housing of multiple levels that shows a robust community within a project is important. “The other thing is walkability, (if the project is) self-sustaining; is there going to be grocery there,” Boeger continued. “These are sort of the modern ways we want to see these projects go, that have a lot of benefits that the communities need. So, just in general, we get some of these things that were entitled a long time ago when we built differently and we had different community needs, and I’d really like to see a little more modern inclusion of some of this stuff.” Marble Valley proposals are ambitious. In addition to around 3,236 housing units proposed, with emphasis on replicating Sonoma/Napa Valley and Tuscany wine regions, several amenities
SEN. MARIE ALVARADO-GIL
Sen. Alvarado-Gil switches things up Mountain Democrat staff California Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil, representing District 4, announced Aug. 8 her switch from Democrat to Republican. “Since my first day in office I have put the interests of my constituents first. I was elected to serve the public, not a political ideology,” AlvaradoGil states in a news release. “The status quo under a supermajority Democratic rule in the Legislature is simply not working for this state. It is after deep reflection I announce that I will be joining ■ See SWITCH, page A4
■ See PROJECTS, page A5
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