Hold a public hearing to consider a request for authorization to further study a General Plan Amendment, Rezone, and Tentative Parcel Map request proposed by the El Macero Country Club to redesignate a portion of the El Macero golf course from Parks and Recreation to Residential Low and facilitate the creation of three new residential lots. (No general fund impact) (Cormier/Gonzalez) (Est. Staff Presentation: 10 min/ Applicant: 5 min)

Section 8-2.223(d) of the Yolo County Code requires that any General Plan Amendment (GPA) proposed by a private party must first be authorized for further study by the Board of Supervisors (Board). The authorization would not approve the GPA or other required permits but is a preliminary step that would allow a formal proposal to be environmentally evaluated and processed by the Department of Community Services. A pre-application review for a GPA, Rezone, and Tentative Parcel Map (TPM) request has been submitted by Chris Johnson on behalf of the El Macero Country Club (EMCC) (Attachment A). The proposed request would require a series of discretionary entitlements to allow the expansion of residential uses within the El Macero community.

Staff recommends that the Board of Supervisors authorize the submission of a full application and proceed to environmental study of the proposed GPA request to expand residential uses within El Macero. Approval of this item will not commit the Board to any action on the proposed amendment. The Board would retain full discretion on whether to approve or deny the proposal. Submittal of a formal application would merely allow the County to analyze the project to ensure compliance with CEQA and the County’s General Plan policies and zoning regulations. Following an environmental assessment of the proposal, the project would be subject to a public meeting at the South Davis Citizens Advisory Committee and public hearings at the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.

The proposed project is an initial authorization application and request to authorize the EMCC to submit a GPA application to facilitate the creation of three new residential parcels in El Macero, an established community in unincorporated Yolo County, from a portion of the existing golf course [APN 068-130-010]. The golf course parcel is approximately 170 acres and designated as Parks and Recreation (PR) within the 2030 Countywide General Plan and zoned as Parks and Recreation (P-R) (Attachment B). The required actions/entitlements would include:

• An environmental evaluation of the project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); 
• A General Plan Amendment to redesignate 38,400 SF of the EMCC golf course, an approximately 170-acre parcel, from PR to RL on the General Plan land use map; 
• A Rezone from P-R to Low Density Residential/Planned Development No. 66 (R-L/PD-66); and
• A Tentative Parcel Map to create three new parcels from an approximately 170-acre parcel (EMCC Golf Course).

The subject parcel currently consists of a golf course and parking lot near the center of the El Macero community, surrounded by residential uses. The City of Davis is located immediately north and west of the existing community, separated by Mace Boulevard, and the three newly created lots are proposed to connect to the El Macero County Service Area (CSA), which contracts with the City of Davis for water and sewer services. Storm water design and roadway connections would require issuance of permits by the County's Public Works Division. The approximate lot sizes are estimated to range from 11,700 square feet (SF) to 14,300 SF in size. Access to the proposed lots would be provided from Clubhouse Drive and Country Club Drive, respectively. Please see the attached aerial map that details the proposed lot locations in Attachment B.
 

As indicated above, the Yolo County Code requires that a GPA proposed by a private party must first be authorized for further study by the Board of Supervisors following a public hearing. Section 8-2.223(f) of the County Code further requires the initial GPA request must be filed and reviewed by the Planning Director. Upon receipt of a pre-application to authorize a GPA, the Director, or designee, shall notify and solicit comments from the appropriate Yolo County departments or adjacent jurisdictions that may be affected, as well as any citizens advisory committees. County staff processed the initial application request on February 20, 2025, and distributed a Request for Comments to County departments and adjacent jurisdictions and agencies on March 5, 2025. All comments and responses received are included as Attachment C for reference. No significant concerns were expressed during this preliminary agency review.
 

The project site is located within the boundary of the South Davis Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) comment area and was presented to the Committee on May 22, 2025. The meeting was attended by staff, the applicant, and one member of the community. The committee’s discussion centered around the proposed size of the lots and general questions about the pre-application process and Board authorization process. Nancy Ashbrook, representative for the El Macero Country Club (EMCC), provided an overview of the request during the meeting and answered questions from the Committee regarding outreach efforts conducted by EMCC and explained that the golf club membership voted in the affirmative to move forward with the proposal.

 

The GPA authorization request is statutorily exempt from further review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and CEQA Guidelines under Government Code Section 15262, which exempts “feasibility or planning studies for possible future actions which the agency, board, or commission as not approved, adopted, or funded.” Further, because a GPA authorization does not commit the Board to approve the project, it is not an action that has an effect on the environment. Rather, the Board’s approval of the GPA authorization would allow the filing of a formal application and a full CEQA review of the project. The Board retains the power to reject the project when it comes to the Board at a future date.

Staff consulted with the Building Division, Public Works Division, Environmental Health Division, El Macero County Service Area (CSA), District 4 staff, the South Davis Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), City of Davis and Davis Fire Department, various agencies and interested parties, and have received input from the Office of County Counsel.