Mosaic
Single-story • Up to 3 beds & 3 baths Priced from high $600s
at Heritage El Dorado Hills
Clubhouse, pool, tennis & more 4975 Del Mar Drive, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 916-304-9711 | Lennar.com/Sacramento Pursuant to the Fair Housing Act, this housing is intended for occupancy by at least one person 55 years of age or older per home. Plans to build out this neighborhood as proposed are subject to change without notice. Features, amenities, floor plans, elevations, and designs vary and are subject to changes or substitution without notice. Items shown may contain options that are not standard on all models or not included in the purchase price. Availability may vary. Prices do not include closing costs and other fees to be paid by buyer (including a builder fee as described in the purchase agreement) and are subject to change without notice. This is not an offer in states where prior registration is required. Void where prohibited by law. Copyright © 2022 Lennar Corporation. Lennar and the Lennar logo are U.S. registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. Lennar Sales Corp., CA DRE Broker #01252753 (Responsible Broker: Joanna Duke). BMR Construction, Inc., CA CSLB #830955. CalAtlantic Group, Inc., CA CSLB #1037780. Lennar Homes of California, Inc., CA CSLB #728102. Date 09/22
New Homes for Active Adults 55+
173 FRIDAY, APRIL 26 , 2024
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C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
mtdemocrat.com
VOLUME 173 • ISSUE 48 | $1.00
TRIBUTE TO TAYLEN
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Plans to build homeless shelter in Placerville revealed ■ City leaders claim there is a ‘lack of communication’ Eric Jaramishian Staff writer Mountain Democrat photos by Eric Jaramishian
Wyatt Brooks watches white doves fly skyward, one of which he released, following a memorial service for his brother Taylen Brooks Wednesday at Green Valley Church in Placerville. Born and raised in south El Dorado County, Taylen tragically died March 23 protecting Wyatt during a mountain lion attack in the Georgetown area. Jarrod Kline, a family-friend speaking on behalf of Taylen’s family, said they are grateful for the outpouring of support they have received from the community. “It has been a hard day for everyone,” Kline shared. “The feeling of gratitude we have for everyone who has supported us, and for Green Valley Church for hosting this service, has been immense and greatly appreciated.”
Wyatt embraces his mother Amanda Welsh as hundreds of their friends and family members gather in the church courtyard. Those in attendance for the funeral wore their favorite band T-shirts for Taylen, who had a love for and natural ability to play music.
A good deed turned fowl Odin Rasco Staff writer
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“When I answered her Facebook post, I thought I was just
helping out someone who needed a hand. I never thought it would end up this crazy,” Serena Rodocker said as she sat on her front porch in Cameron Park, holding out a folder full of printed text conversations, legal filings, a cease and desist notice and more than a few photographs of chickens. By attempting to help a fellow county resident asking for help, Rodocker found herself with dozens of chickens left on her property, facing legal threats and alleged harassment — and, she discovered, she wasn’t the first. In early November 2023 Serena and her husband Harry Rodocker came across a post on an El Dorado County homesteading Facebook group asking for help; the poster, Lisa Perdichizzi, needed a place to keep her “therapy birds” — 30 or so Serama chickens — for a short time. The Rodockers got in contact with Perdichizzi
Courtesy photo
Some of Lisa Perdichizzi’s 30-or-so flock of Serama chickens mill about a part of Serena Rodocker’s property. The chickens were finally rehoused in April after months of Serena trying to have them removed. and agreed to let her keep chickens on their property while she sought longer-term housing and buyers for the birds. The couple reasoned they already had chickens, horses,
dogs and other animals; a few more chickens wouldn’t be a problem. “Me and my husband want to help people,” Serena explained to ■ See GOOD DEED, page A7
El Dorado County is moving forward with plans to explore the development of a permanent homeless navigation center and shelter near the Placerville jail that would include transitional housing. These plans were “You’re revealed at the Board of Supervisors systematically meeting Tuesday, moving your where county leaders discussed how the county problems facilities would operinto the city ate on a 1-acre lot at 300 Forni Road. without a The county wants to solution for us.” move forward with the site and build — Jackie Neau, transitional housing mayor of Placerville there to better serve the unsheltered population, including families. Originally the county explored the idea of putting the navigation center at 300 Fair Lane at the site of the former sheriff ’s headquarters near the Placerville Government Center. “It’s a big pivot, but I think that talking to all parties that are going to be providing services and the facilities, it makes sense,” said District 4 Supervisor Lori Parlin. County staff is in the process of looking into transitional housing designs. A bulk of the funding would come from American Rescue Plan Act monies for construction; ARPA funds have to be used by the end of the year. However, the Placerville jail is being expanded, work that is expected to be completed by 2026, meaning development of navigation center facilities cannot start yet. In that regard supervisors discussed, but have not officially planned, setting up temporary transitional housing at 300 Fair Lane, across the street from the current pilot navigation center at 299 Fair Lane. “Our thought was if we go ahead and purchase (the transitional housing), maybe we could set up some transitional housing sooner rather than later temporarily next door because we can’t start building our new campus by the jail until the jail expansion project is done,” Parlin said. The board was in collective agreement to construct a homeless navigation center, pending conversations with city of Placerville officials. “This has been years in the making as to where we are right now,” said Board Chair Wendy Thomas. “I want to express a lot of gratitude for the journey that we’ve all been in for the past, we could say for the past decade even, but it’s been a long time getting here.” The county set up a temporary navigation center last year to help address homelessness and mitigate fire danger in homeless encampments popping up throughout the county, including a large one on upper Broadway in Placerville that has since been cleared out. “I think (near the jail) is the best place, especially when it comes to the safety and welfare of our community and the people that work here,” said District 2 Supervisor George Turnboo. The plans were not without opposition. Placerville Mayor Jackie Neau and Vice Mayor John Clerici suggested the proposed project needed better planning. Neau told the board during the meeting the county was putting ■ See SHELTER, page A8