El Dorado
County
General Contact Number: (530) 621-5567

Planning Services

​Historic Design Zoning Overlay

To protect historic structures and sites, the Zoning Ordinance establishes additional design regulations for land use and development within designated historic districts, identified by the Design Review – Historic (-DH) Combining Zone.  Properties within the (-DH) Combining Zone include the historic townsites of Clarksville, El Dorado and Diamond Springs.  Property owners within other historic townsites may request to be included within the (-DH) Combining Zone consistent with the requirements of Section 130.63.020 (Ordinance Amendments and Zone Change Applications) of the County's Zoning Ordinance.     

Maps of the (-DH) Combining Zone boundaries for the historic townsites of Clarksburg, El Dorado and Diamond Springs are posted here: 
Diamond Springs, El Dorado and Clarksville.  

For regulations and procedures for development within a (-DH) Combining Zone, please refer to Title 130, Section 130.27.060 (Design Review-Historic [-DH] Combining Zone) in Article 2 (Zones, Allowed Uses and Zoning Standards) and Section 130.52.030 (Design Review Permit) in Article 5 (Planning Permit Processing) of the County's Zoning Ordinance.

Background Information​

On December 7, 2010, the Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted Resolution of Intention No. 179-2010 to initiate an amendment to the Zoning Map to add a Historic Design Review Combining Zone District to selected parcels within the El Dorado/Diamond Springs Community Region, as requested by the El Dorado/Diamond Springs Community Advisory Committee (Legistar File No. 10-1250, Attachment F).

On December 15, 2015, the Board adopted a Targeted General Plan Amendment (Resolution No. 196-2015) which included revisions to Policy 2.4.1.3 requiring all properties located within the historic townsites of Clarksville, El Dorado and Diamond Springs be designated on the zoning maps as a Design Historic (-DH)  Combining Zone District (Legistar File No. 11-0356, Attachment No. 28, pg. 11).  The Board also adopted Ordinance No. 5030, a comprehensive update to Title 130 (Zoning Ordinance),  which included amendments to Section 130.27.060 (Design Review - Historic (-DH) Combining Zone) to update and clarify procedures and regulations for future development within the (-DH) Combining Zone District (Legistar File No. 11-0356, Attachment No. 35).

On April 24, 2018, the Board adopted Resolution No. 072-2018, approving a reformat of the original  Historic Design Guide, adopted April 13, 1982, for properties within a (-DH) Combining Zone District (Legistar File No. 18-0542, Attachment D).  This document was reformatted for better print quality and because the original document was not available in electronic format.

On August 14, 2018, the Board adopted Ordinance No. 5090 for minor amendments to the Zoning Ordinance (Legistar Fille No. 18-0942, Attachment 9) including additional clarifications to Section 130.27.060 (Design Review – Historic [-DH] Combining Zone).

​Board of Supervisors/Planning Commission Agenda Items 

The Agenda Items listed below are available on the County's online agenda calendar at https://eldorado.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

​Date:  8/14/2018
Item:  37
File ID:  18-0942
Version:  2 		​Description:  HEARING - To consider the recommendation of the Planning Commission on the proposed Title 130 Zoning Ordinance Minor Amendments and Minor Revisions to the Zoning Map submitted by El Dorado County.
​Date:  4/24/2018
Item:  26
File ID:  18-0542
Version:  1		​Description:  Planning and Building Department recommending the Board: 1) Approve the following reformatted Design Guides: a) Adopt and authoirze the Chair to sign Resolution 071-2018 for Community Design Guide; b) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 072-2018 for Historic Design Guide; c) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 073-2018 for Sierra Design Guide; and d) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 074-2018 for Missouri Flat Design Guidelines; and 2) Approve minor revisions to the Mixed Use Design Manual as authorized in Resolution 197-2015. 
​Date:  12/15/2015
Item:  42
File ID:  11-0356
Version:  21		​Description:  Community Development Agency, Long Range Planning Division, recommending the Board take the following final actions, pursuant to tentative actions taken on November 10 through 13, 2015 as follows: 1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 195-2015 certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report for the Targeted General Plan Amendment and Zoning Ordinance Update (Resolution No. 195-2015); Making Environmental Findings of Fact (Exhibit A); Adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations (Exhibit B); and Approving the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (Exhibit C), See Attachment 21A for Resolution and 21I for Final Environmental Impact Report; 2) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 196-2015 adopting a Targeted General Plan amendment to the El Dorado County General Plan (Resolution No. 196-2015); Modification to Camino/Pollock Pines Community Region to Rural Centers of Camino, Cedar Grove and Pollock Pines (Exhibit A); Agricultural District Boundary Amendment (Exhibit B); List of Limited Land Use Designation Revisions (Exhibit C), See Attachment 21B; 3) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolutions 197-2015, 198-2015, 199-2015, 200-2015, 201-2015 and 202-2015 to approve community design standards for:  a) Mixed Use Design (Resolution 197-2015); b) Landscaping and Irrigation (Resolution 198-2015); c) Outdoor Lighting (Resolution 199-2015); d) Mobile Home Park Design (Resolution 200-2015); e) Research and Development Zone Design (Resolution 201-2015); and f) Parking and Loading (Resolution 202-2015), See Attachments 21C, 21D, 21E, 21F, 21G and 21H; 4) Adopt the Zoning Ordinance Update (See Attachment 21J) including the Zoning Ordinance Map (See Attachment 21K); and 5) Direct staff to return to the Planning Commission and Board within approximately one year of adoption or earlier, if necessary, to review implementation of the Project.
​Date:  12/7/2010
Item:  32
File ID:  10-1250
Version:  1		 ​Description:  Development Services Department Staff recommending the Board adopt a Resolution of Intention initiating an amendment to the Zoning Map to add a Historic Design Review Combining District on selected parcels within the El Dorado/Diamond Springs Community Region, as requested by the El Dorado/Diamond Springs Community Advisory Committee.

​Related Links

Historic Design Guide,  Reformatted 4-24-2018

Historic Design (-DH) Zoning Overlay Maps (County Surveyor's Office Map Library):   GIS map numbers GI0073614A (Diamond Springs), GI0073614B (El Dorado), GI0073614C (Clarksville)