C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
– E S T. 18 51
– Weekend Edition – FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2024
VOLUME 173 • ISSUE 84 | $1.00
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TIF updates hit a few bumps Eric Jaramishian Senior staff writer
Photos courtesy of the Oakland Zoo
Briar, a 4- or 5-month-old mountain lion cub, was discovered walking along a road in Camino alone in early August. After conducting a search for his mother for three days, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife brought the cub to the Oakland Zoo for care as they find a permanent home for Briar.
second chance Local mountain lion cub rescued
Odin Rasco Senior staff writer
A
n orphaned or abandoned mountain lion cub found in Camino Aug. 1 has been relocated to the Oakland Zoo for care as it awaits placement into a forever home. An El Dorado County resident spotted the male cub walking along a road by itself and contacted Animal Services. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted ground and wildlife
El Dorado County leaders are close to updating the county’s Traffic Impact Fee and Capital Improvement programs, and considering readjusting TIF allocations in the program’s five-year update. TIF adjustments are expected to be fully updated by the end of the year. The county is preparing for a possible 25% reduction in available grant funds, estimated at $57 million, staff revealed during the Aug. 13 Board of Supervisors meeting, where more considerations on updating the programs were heard by staff and consultants in a lengthy discussion. That amount would be an 18% reduction from the previous major program update. Going off the TIF program’s 2020 update, through the life of which $91 million was granted to the county through state and federal sources, Department of Transportation staff have come up with projections on what possible grant-funding reductions could look like. “The grant-funding world has changed significantly over the past few years and that is due to state and federal policies centered around greenhouse gases and vehicle miles traveled,” said Senior Civil Engineer Zach Oats to the board. “The reality is that projects that increase greenhouse gases and VMT like those contained in the TIF program are essentially increasing capacity ■ See TIF, page A8
City officials drop ‘underfunded’ study Odin Rasco Senior staff writer
A study that would have looked into potential multimodal access improvements along Cedar Ravine Road was terminated by the Placerville City Council during its Aug. 13 meeting due to insurmountable project issues. The city’s engineering department applied for — and won — a State Sustainable Communities Competitive Grant in 2022 to undertake the Cedar Ravine Road Multimodal Study Project. The planning-level study was set to “analyze and make recommendations for improved multimodal access and connectivity in the Cedar Ravine Road corridor from Main Street to Lions Park,” according to a city manager’s report. After the grant had been secured, the city entered into a restricted grant agreement with Caltrans setting terms for project funding in October 2022. In December 2023, the city approved a consulting services contract with nonprofit group CivicWell, which would assist city staff in managing the project and coordinate the request for proposals
■ See CUB, page A9
MAIL LABEL
Oakland Zoo veterinarian Dr. Alex Herman examines Briar as he is taken in by the zoo.
■ See STUDY, page A9
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