KOA & Terramor Pre-Application

Background

A Pre-Application Review Application No. 2021-212 for KOA and Terramor potential project was received by Kampgrounds of America (KOA) Eric Kelch applicant December 7, 2021.

What is a Pre-Application? 

The pre-application conducts a preliminary review of  proposed projects and communicates agency and department reviewer comments and it also provides the permitting applications and fee requirements for processing the applications.  

The pre-application is not a land use permit application. The pre-application does not authorize or approve a project. It does not allow for the physical development of the proposed project. 

Complete land use permitting applications and all required studies pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) are required for the scope of projects like the proposed Terramor or KOA projects as a part of the required land use permitting application submittal requirements.  This would include plans, project descriptions and studies for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). This is required prior to any consideration by regulatory agencies and departments with purview over aspects of the proposed project/s. The process involves extensive evaluation and preparation of documents and reports, and public review and commenting, prior to the Planning Commission or Board of Supervisors consideration of the projects.

Public Engagement Process for future Land Use Permitting Applications
When the County receives land use permitting applications it starts a formal regulated process that includes and extensive review and evaluation by agencies and county departments that have regulatory purview over aspects of the project. It also includes a public scoping meeting for gathering public commenting at that initial stage of the review. The process would then enter the draft staff report and EIR preparation. When those documents are completed, those are published and another set of public commenting opportunities occurs, before it is considered for action for approval or denial.   

What public engagement and commenting opportunities are expected as a part of the future land use permitting process for Terramor and KOA projects?

Public engagement and commenting opportunities (scoping meeting and public hearings) and public notices are required as a part of the land use permitting and CEQA process:

  • Public scoping meeting, as a part of the initial process, and required by the CEQA EIR processing regulations.
  • Midpines Planning Advisory Committee (MPAC) public meeting - consideration and recommendation to the Planning Commission 
  • Planning Commission public hearings- consideration and recommendation to the Board of Supervisors
  • Board of Supervisors public hearings- consideration of the Planning Commission recommendation, the project EIR and approval or denial of the project/s and EIR certification.

What  public notices for the public commenting opportunities are expected?

County Code and CEQA requires public noticing for public commenting opportunities.

  • Mailed Property Owner notifications nearby the project parcels
  • Published in the newspaper 
  • Posted at required posting locations- , Midpines Post Office, Mariposa County Clerk, Mariposa Government Center, Mariposa Courthouse, Planning Department and County Web Page

What are the Proposed KOA and Terramor Projects in the Pre-Application?

The proposal involves two distinct developments: a KOA RV Resort and a Terramor Outdoor Resort. The project sites are separated by Hwy 140, the KOA on the southerly side of Hwy 140 at the intersection of Triangle Road and Terramor on the Northerly side of the Hwy 140 near the intersection of Yosemite Oaks Road (both in the Midpines area).  The two developments would function separately as two distinct types of resort commercial offerings and workforce/employee housing. The project site would be located on Assessor Parcel Numbers 014-010-710, 0830, 0840 and 014-070-0160, 0170, 0180 and 0190. The parcel assemblage is almost 1000 acres (993+/-), although the project proposes to use an estimated 150-200 acres total land area for the proposed project developments.                                                                               

KOA RV Resort

The KOA Resort is proposed to be located on approximately 90 acres south of Highway 140 and west of Triangle Road on portions of the current APNs 014-010-083, 014-010-084 and 014-070-017. Primary access is proposed from Triangle Road and a secondary access to HWY 140.

The KOA RV Resort components includes:

a. 400 RV campsite stalls including full connections for water, sewer and power

b. Bathhouse Buildings servicing various areas of the RV campground, which will include bathrooms, sinks and showers for guest use.

c. 25 - 50 Tent Sites with water connections in ten locations.

d. 10,000 SF Registration building, which includes check-in, restaurant, store, restrooms, laundry, meeting space, employee office space, mechanical room and storage room.

e. Swimming pool and bathhouse.

f. Pavilion for outdoor gatherings and picnicking.

g. Playgrounds (2).

h. Maintenance/Storage Building.

i.  Housekeeping Laundry Facility (may be located in Maintenance Building)

j. Water facilities, including wells, booster pumps and a large storage tank for domestic and fire suppression use. Preliminary calculations indicate that maximum day water usage at the KOA facility will be approximately 33,600 gallons per day. Two wells are anticipated to be drilled to supply the KOA Resort’s water needs. KOA has drilled two monitoring wells in the vicinity to depths of 300’ each with initial yields of 50 gpm and 60 gpm, respectively. A flow test on the existing well near the Pond House yielded approximately 19 gpm.

k. Wastewater facilities, including treatment unit and disposal based on the projected waste stream demand.

l.  Paved access roads and pathways.

m. Hiking trails (unpaved).

n. Select employee housing on-property.

Terramor Outdoor Resort

The Terramor Outdoor Resort is proposed to be located on approximately 80 acres north of Highway 140 on portions of the current APNs 014-010-071, 014-010-083, 014-010-084, 014-070-016 and 014-070-017. Primary access is from Yosemite Oaks Road. 

The Terramor Resort components included:

a. 8,000 SF Lodge Building, which includes registration, restaurant, meeting space, pool, restrooms, employee office space, mechanical room and storage room.

b. 80 - 90 Conditioned Glamping Units.  The tents will incorporate standard amenities of a luxury hotel room including a full bathroom, electrical power supply and climate control. The individual tent structures will be spaced a minimum of 50’ apart for privacy and isolation.

c. 2,000 SF open air Pavilion structure for outdoor gather and special events.

d. 1,500 SF Wellness/Spa Center, including restrooms.

e. 2,000 Maintenance Building.

f. Housekeeping Laundry Facility (may be located in Lodge or Maintenance Building)

g. Water facilities, including wells, booster pumps and a large water storage tank for domestic and fire suppression use. Preliminary calculations indicate that maximum day water usage at the Terramor facility will be approximately 17,400 gallons per day. One to two wells are anticipated to be drilled to supply the Terramor Resort and Workforce Housing water needs. KOA has drilled two monitoring wells in the vicinity to depths of 300’ each with initial yields of 50 gpm and 60 gpm respectively.

h. Wastewater facilities, including treatment unit and disposal.

i. Paved access roads and pathways.

j. Hiking trails (unpaved).

k. Select employee housing on-property.

 *Full project description and submittal items for the pre-application are included here: 

https://ca-mariposacounty.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/Index/3097

Pre-Application Process and Future Permitting RequiRements

The  pre-application objective is to identify issues that could impact or inform the design of potential projects for future land use entitlement applications (permitting) and environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).  

The pre-application is not a land use permit application or entitlement for a potential project. It does not authorize or approve a project. 

The pre-application process includes preliminary commenting on concept plans from agencies to determine needed changes or issues that could impact the potential project, including what would be required of agencies or departments for future studies or technical analyses and any required land use entitlement applications (permitting) and CEQA review necessary. The result of the review is communicated in a final pre-application letter.

Final Pre-Application Letter

The final pre-application letter which includes information regarding future land use entitlement (permitting) and CEQA requirements is located here:

KOA TERRAMOR PRE-APP FINAL LETTER

Future Applications  

The County has not received the land use development/entitlement (permitting) applications for the project development, only the pre-application and a parcel merger application.  (The parcel merger application is not a land use development permit application, and does not authorize development, it is to merge parcels only. it is not subject to same requirements as a land use permit as described above, because it does not propose or allow development).

When future applications for the TERRAMOR OR KOA projects are submitted, this web page will be updated. 

Please check back periodically if interested or reach out to the Planning Department at the contact information below.


Planning Department Contact: 

Steve Engfer,  Director 

sengfer@mariposacounty.org

(209) 966-5151