June 22, 2026
Mayor and Members of the Placerville City Council:
My name is Kevin W. McCarty, and I am writing in support of the proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendment (ZOA 26-03).
Simply put, we have a housing crisis in Placerville and throughout El Dorado County. Home prices and rents have risen far faster than incomes. Young families struggle to find housing they can afford. Teachers, firefighters, retail workers, healthcare employees, and many others who serve our communities are increasingly being priced out of the market. Many adults who grew up here can no longer afford to stay here.
The proposed ordinance makes practical, common-sense changes to ensure that land already designated for multi-family housing is actually available for multi-family housing. If a property is zoned for apartments or higher-density residential development, it should not be routinely converted into lower-density uses that undermine the City's long-term housing goals.
I support the establishment of minimum densities in the R-2, R-3, and R-4 zones because those standards help preserve opportunities for future housing production. I also support the modest reductions in minimum parcel size requirements, which remove unnecessary barriers that can prevent otherwise viable housing projects from moving forward.
Importantly, this ordinance does not increase building heights, increase maximum densities, or dramatically change the physical character of existing neighborhoods. Instead, it aligns the City's zoning regulations with the housing needs that already exist and the commitments the City has made through its Housing Element.
Reasonable people can disagree about individual development projects, but the broader problem is undeniable: there are not enough homes being built to meet demand. When housing is scarce, prices rise. When prices rise, families are forced to leave, employers struggle to hire workers, and homelessness becomes more difficult to address.
The housing crisis is not someone else's problem. It affects our children, our workforce, our seniors, our local businesses, and the long-term vitality of our community.
For these reasons, I respectfully urge the City Council to approve ZOA 26-03.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Kevin W. McCarty
Placerville, California