Creekside Village FAQs

Transportation/traffic

What is the difference in traffic for conventional housing compared to age-restricted housing?
Age-restricted homes (age 55 and older) generate about one third of the traffic compared to non-age restricted homes. For the approved Creekside Village project that includes age restricted homes, traffic will be reduced by about 60% compared to a project with all non-age restricted homes. 
 
Does this project trigger improvements to Latrobe Road?
The County Department of Transportation (DOT) has determined that the project is required to install a traffic signal at Latrobe and Royal Oaks Drive, and the project has agreed to construct an all-way stop controlled intersection at White Rock Road and Carson Crossing Drive. Due to the significantly reduced traffic with primarily active adult housing, DOT has determined that Latrobe Road does not need to be widened to comply with the Country General Plan Transportation Policies. The project will still contribute approximately $13 million in traffic impact fees to El Dorado County for area road improvements, including eventual widening of Latrobe when DOT determines widening is required.
 
Will there be a soundwall along Latrobe Road and what will it look like?
Yes, there will be a soundwall along Latrobe Road that will be similar in design to the area’s existing soundwalls. The soundwall will be set back enough from Latrobe Road to allow for its future widening.
 
Will there be a connection to the envisioned road to the west that may connect with Latrobe Road? 
County planning for the new potential road is in the very early stage and Creekside Village does not include a direct connection to that facility.
 
Have evacuation routes been studied as part of the project? 
Evacuation routes have been evaluated in the Wildland Fire Safe Plan and in follow up memos provided by our Fire Safe Planner. Evacuation routes will not be negatively impacted and in some cases improved by construction of the project.
 
Will this project be served by El Dorado Transit?
The project site is not currently served by El Dorado County Transit, but EDCT has indicated that it plans to add a transit stop at the south end of the Business Park when demand is established.  Certain “on-demand” ride services are available and will be available to future residents.

Will there be a traffic signal at Latrobe Road and Royal Oaks Drive?
Yes, a traffic signal is required by DOT as a condition of project approval. The approved Lennar project to the west of Creekside Village, Carson Creek Village 11, also is conditioned to signalize that intersection.
 
What will the turning movements look like at the at Royal Oaks and Latrobe when the traffic signal is installed?
The signal proposes that northbound and southbound Latrobe Road have dedicated left-turn lanes with shared through-right-turn lanes. The eastbound and westbound approaches will have shared left-through-right turn lanes. The ultimate configuration of the signal will be determined by DOT.
 
Will the Royal Oaks extension into the project be open to the public?
Yes, Royal Oaks will remain open to the public. There will be a gate at the western end of Royal Oaks at the entrance/exit to Carson Creek Village 11.
 
How much will the project slope away from Latrobe Road?
There will be about a 100-foot drop in elevation from Latrobe Road to the west side of the property that connects to the Carson Creek community.
 
Will the connection into the Business Park to the north be accessible by cars?
No. That proposed connection will be a dedicated pedestrian and bicycle access only. During emergencies it can be opened as an Emergency Vehicle Access point that could be used for evacuation purposes.
 
What will the turning movements at Avanti Drive look like?
Existing Avanti Drive (east side) is proposed to be restricted to right-in and right-out turning movements. The Creekside Village side (west side) of the intersection is anticipated to allow full turning movements leaving the communityy. The ultimate configuration of that intersection will be determined by DOT in conjunction with the El Dorado Hills Fire Department.

Public parks, trails & open space

Will the parks be open to the public?
The two parks adjacent to Latrobe Road are planned to be publicly accessible parks along with the trails along the creek and the hill in the south.
 
Will the trail connect to the trail in Carson Creek?
Yes, the trail will ultimately connect to the Carson Creek trail at the southwest corner of the site.

Will the parks be part of the El Dorado Hills CSD?
It is not yet determined if Creekside Village will be annexed into the CSD. 
 
What types of programming would be part of the parks?
Initial conceptual designs include a sports field, basketball courts, pickle ball courts, bocce ball, a dog run/park, and play equipment. The actual programming of the parks will be done with input from the community.
 
Who will be responsible for maintaining the open space areas of the project? 
The new HOA will be required to maintain the open space preserve and buffer areas of the plan, consistent with the Fire Safe Plan.
 
Will the Army Corps of Engineers and California Department of Fish & Wildlife regulate the project’s wetlands?
Yes, the project will comply with all permitting requirements of the Army Corps, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and State Water Resources Control Board.
 
How much of the wetlands will be retained?
The project will retain most of the creek system and natural drainage as a natural amenity along the proposed trail. The project will impact less than one acre of wetlands, and that impact will be subject to mitigation and permitting requirements. The project includes more than 44 acres of open space that preserve and protect environmental resources.
 
Will the parks have lighting for nighttime use?
The parks are not proposed to include lighting and lighted sports fields will not be allowed.

Water & sewer

​How does the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) know it has enough water to serve the project?
EID does studies and updates them frequently to ensure water capacity for current and future users. EID has confirmed that it has more than adequate water supplies to serve the project, even under drought conditions.
 
Do the sewer lines tie into the Carson Creek sewer system?
No, the project sewer system will operate separately from the Carson Creek system with its own sewer force main and connection to the EID wastewater treatment plant on Latrobe Road.
 
How is drainage from impervious surfaces handled?
Drainage is addressed in the Stormwater Drainage Plan prepared for the project. A series of stormwater drainage conveyances, post construction storm water quality swales, and landscaping will direct drainage to stormwater quality detention basins and hydromodification ponds that will direct water to flow into the existing natural drainage system. This will ensure that post-project drainage flows will not exceed pre-project drainage into the existing on-site natural drainage.
 
Is there recycled water as part of the plan area?
Recycled water services from EID are not available at the project site.
 
How is the water treated and how will it impact the Carson Creek Preserve downstream?
Prior to stormwater runoff entering the existing natural on site drainage, it will be conveyed to post construction stormwater quality swales, hydromodification ponds and detention basins, which will ensure that the Carson Creek Preserve is not impacted by project site drainage.  These are considered best management practices designed by engineers and environmental consultants.

Land use plan & proposed homes

How much will the houses cost?
It is too early to know what Creekside Village homes will cost, but prices are expected to be consistent with the surrounding communities.
 
What are the sizes of the lots in Creekside Village?
Home lots range in size from 3,250 square feet to over 7,000 square feet. The lots are similar in size to the surrounding communities and provide a range of housing choices for future residents.
 
Will Creekside Village be gated?
The age-restricted portion of the community will be gated, and it is possible the entire community could be gated as well. That will be determined later with additional planning.
 
Will there be lights or will it be a dark sky community?
Lighting will be limited to what is required for safety purposes and at key intersections as required by the County.
 
Will Creekside Village have an HOA?
Yes.
 
Is the project site still in the business park and zoned as Research & Development?
The property is no longer in the Business Park. It was de-annexed from the Business Park in 2018 but retained its Research & Development (R&D) zoning, which includes a variety of business, industrial and warehouse facilities. The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors approval of Creekside Village included a rezone of the property to allow residential development. 
 
Will there be a clubhouse?
The central park within the plan area is anticipated to have a clubhouse and recreational amenities much like those in the Carson Creek and Blackstone communities.
 
What will the vacant property to the north of the project site be used for?
That property between Creekside Village and John Adams Academy remains in the Business Park and a use for that property will be determined in the future since it is not part of Creekside Village.
 
Who is going to build the homes?
A builder is not yet determined. Given the project size, there could be more than one builder.
 
What does age restricted or active adult mean?
This is a type of housing allowed under California Civil Code 51.3 where at least one resident is required to be age 55 or older, and any other resident must be at least age 45. School-aged children are not allowed in this type of community. 

Schools

How is Latrobe School District impacted and why can’t they expand to accommodate a larger number of students?
Latrobe School District has two small school campuses and limited ability to expand them due primarily to sewer and water capacity. 
 
Why don’t you send students to the Buckeye School District? 
We investigated the possibility of transferring the property into another school district, but the Latrobe School District concluded that was not a viable option.
 
Will the project stop the potential future high school site from being developed by the district?
No, the project would not impede the ability of the high school district to develop the future high school site to the south of the project.

County planning process

Why was a development agreement not part of the project?
A development agreement was part of the original project with no age restricted homes, but once the plan was revised to include age restricted homes and shown to have fewer impacts, specifically to traffic, it was decided a development agreement was not needed.
 
What are the benefits of a Specific Plan?
A Specific Plan is a planning tool in state law that allows for more robust planning, design, and development standards to be adopted at the time of project approval to ensure that future development is consistent with the details and limitations established in the Specific Plan.
 
Why did you propose a new Specific Plan rather than amending an existing specific plan like Carson Creek?
In working with County staff, it was determined that a new Specific Plan was the best method for implementing the project. Amending a 25-year-old plan like Carson Creek would require the involvement of multiple landowners and substantial revisions to the existing document to bring it up to modern standards. Also, the County could not require the developers of the approved Carson Creek Specific Plan to amend the approved plan to incorporate Creekside Village. The approved specific plan incorporates current planning and development practices that represent the type of development that tends to maintain property values.
 
When will construction start ?
Construction of the project will be based on market conditions. It will take at least a year for design of backbone infrastructure and another year for construction of backbone improvements like grading, sewer, water, and roads. Vertical construction could start after that. 
 
Who regulates the design of what can be built?
The Specific Plan includes a design review process. Design standards for the residential development will be enforced through CC&Rs. The project also is subject to site plan review by the County to ensure conformance with development standards, including setbacks, landscaping, and lighting standards. 
 
What type of impact will the project have on the General Fund?
The fiscal impact analysis prepared for the project shows that it will have net positive General Fund and Road Fund revenue of nearly $1 million annually at build out.

Environmental review

​What significant and unavoidable impacts to the environment will the project have?
Under the approved Reduced Impact Alternative, all impacts to the environment have been reduced to less than significant except aesthetic impacts. The environmental impact report recognizes that while development of the project site has been anticipated since the 1980s any development of the vacant land will impact the aesthetic views.  
 
What are the tribal cultural resources that have been preserved?
During the environmental review process, tribal cultural resources were identified and Winn Communities worked with representatives of local tribal governments to substantially revise the plan to avoid those resources. Under California state law, tribal cultural resources are protected and neither Winn nor the County can disclose the nature or location of those resources.