Proposed El Dorado Hills Costco prompts debate over traffic, road funding
A proposed Costco is expected to bring El Dorado Hills more than a $1.50 hot dog and soda deal.
El Dorado County supervisors on Tuesday discussed how increased traffic could affect road conditions and possible solutions to fund nearby road work.
If approved, the 165,000-square-foot facility would likely generate between 10,000 and 14,000 daily trips, according to a county board report, including heavy fuel truck deliveries. The report said this could cause accelerated roadway deterioration.
El Dorado Hills’ Silva Valley Parkway and Highway 50 interchange would also be affected by increased regional traffic. Standard mitigation measures would not fully offset this increase, the report said, raising infrastructure concerns.
With this in mind, Supervisors Greg Ferrero and George Turnboo asked their colleagues Tuesday to direct staff to explore creating a separate account to house a portion of tax revenues collected from the development. This would be in addition to funds already available for infrastructure projects.
“El Dorado County has never had a project like Costco before,” Ferrero said. “(If this) project is approved, it will likely help the county’s budget for years to come and provide an added retail convenience for our residents. However, there are significant impacts.”
The supervisors’ proposal was met with mixed reactions.
Supervisor Brian Veerkamp expressed concern about setting a precedent. Both Veerkamp and Supervisor Lori Parlin said they would support working from a county priority list of roadway projects.
“We rely on our department heads to put the numbers out that are based on some priorities, and I think that works pretty darn well,” Veerkamp said. “I wouldn’t be opposed to (making) a priority-order list.”
Supervisor Brooke Laine suggested residents consider a ballot measure to increase local sales tax in the area to raise funds for roadway improvements, sparking debate about whether such a measure could apply to a single development or ZIP code rather than the entire county.
Laine’s tax measure also failed to garner Ferrero’s support this time around. He said it wouldn’t gain traction among local voters and that roadways are the county’s responsibility.
Several El Dorado Hills residents wrote to supervisors ahead of Tuesday’s meeting in support of Turnboo and Ferrero’s proposal.
“El Dorado Hills deserves revenue that will offset the impact of roadway maintenance,” resident Cindy Hunter wrote in a letter to the board.
After discussion, supervisors changed the language of Turnboo and Ferrero’s proposal, directing staff to explore funding options for road work without limiting them to a separate account. The revised proposal received unanimous support.
If approved, this would be the first Costco in El Dorado County. The nearest Costco is in Folsom, at 1800 Cavitt Drive, also along Highway 50.
