Two roads near Northstar California to become private
TRUCKEE, Calif. — Two roads near the Northstar California, on which use has been a point of contention for years, will become private.
On Wednesday, the Placer County Board of Supervisors approved the abandonment of Mill Site Road and Cross Cut Court within the Retreat at Northstar, an 18-home development near the ski resort.
The Retreat was advocating for the privatization of Mill Site Road and Cross Cut Court, while nearby Martis Camp, a 668-lot development with roughly 225 homes built to date, was in opposition.
Retreat residents claimed Mill Site Road was intended to be private, while allowing public transit and emergency access use only. Yet the road, which abuts Schaffer Mill Road — the main private thoroughfare through Martis Camp — was reportedly being used as a cut-through path by Martis Camp residents.
While the two roads are separated by a transponder-controlled gate, an estimated 1,000 transponders have been issued to Martis Camp residents, providing them access to Mill Site Road.
The number of transponders issued is expected to increase as more houses are built in Martis Camp, thereby increasing the potential use of the road.
Representatives for Martis Camp residents argued that closure of Mill Site Road will increase travel time and air pollution in the area. In addition, longer trips to Northstar by way of Highway 267 during times of congestion poses a safety risk, they claimed.
The abandonment request from Retreat residents was first heard by the Board of Supervisors in December 2014.
With Mill Site Road and Cross Cut Court’s abandonment, they will become the responsibility of the Retreat and preclude through traffic except for emergency vehicles and public transit.
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