AUBURN Calif. – The Placer County Board of Supervisors met in Auburn, Calif. on Tuesday, July 8, tackling an agenda that included two Tahoe-related items.

Schaffer’s Mill appeal denied

The board denied the Truckee Fire Protection District’s (TFPD) appeal of a Planning Commission decision made on May 8 regarding the 475-acre residential development, known as Schaffer’s Mill in Martis Valley. The contested decision had approved a modification to the development’s vesting tentative map and master plan use permit.

According to Placer County staff, the May 8 modification approval aligned the permit with county code changes, which the board approved in March 2024. The code changes allow approvals and certificates of compliance from either the local fire district, Placer County Fire or CAL FIRE prior to building permit issuance.

TFPD Fire Chief, Kevin McKechnie, filed an appeal on behalf of TFPD, raising a number of issues, including a warning that the health and safety of the development could be compromised with the modification, that the modification warrants additional environmental impact reporting, and other concerns.

At Tuesday’s board meeting, county staff reviewed each concern the appeal raised and staff’s responses. Staff determined the modification falls under the scope of the development’s previously approved environmental impact report and ultimately recommended the board deny the appeal and uphold the Planning Commission’s May 8 modification approval.

District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson, had recused herself at the start of the item. District 2 Supervisor Shanti Landon inquired whether anyone from TFPD was present for questions. No one stepped forward, to which Landon expressed disappointment.

“I feel like you should be here if this issue is this important that you’ve now had to delay a project from construction for another construction season,” she said, “and so with that I’m supportive of staff’s recommendation.” Supervisor Suzanne Jones agreed. A motion and approval followed.

Delinquent solid waste fees added to tax roll

The board approved the addition of 184 delinquent solid waste collection bills totaling just under $60,000 to the fiscal year’s (2025-2026) county tax roll. It’s an annual action to recover the unpaid fees, which the county is obligated to pay Tahoe Truckee Disposal Co., Inc. (TTD).

Solid waste collection service is mandatory in the area of Placer County from Donner Lake to the Nevada state line per the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Regional Plan requirements.

A contract between the county and TTD requires the county to pay customer billings that are more than 60 days delinquent as of April 1 of each year.

Mid-May letters to the delinquent property owners notified them of their account status, intent to place their bills on the county tax roll, appeals hearing times and offered options to contest. The letter gave until July 1 to clear the accounts.

No property owners appeared at the appeals hearings or this board meeting to contest.

For the full agenda and meeting, visit placer.ca.gov/8764/Board-of-Supervisors.