Commercial Real Estate in Cool: Rural Center Zoning, Highway 49 Projects and Septic

By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

Cool is a small unincorporated community in western El Dorado County, near the junction of State Routes 49 and 193. Its commercial property is a short strip of shops, restaurants, service businesses and a few larger new parcels near that junction. The county treats Cool as a Rural Center, where commercial use and higher-density housing are supposed to concentrate. Water comes from a public utility district, but most businesses rely on on-site septic, which often sets the real limit. Confirm the zone, septic capacity and the county line for each parcel.

Who controls the parcel

Cool has no city government. El Dorado County’s Planning and Building Department applies Title 130, the county zoning ordinance. The Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors decide design review and larger permits. Other agencies matter:

Georgetown Divide Public Utility District (GDPUD). Formed on June 11, 1946, GDPUD serves about 72,000 acres between the Middle and South Forks of the American River, with about 3,800 connections. Stumpy Meadows Reservoir is its main storage. Its 2023 water quality report says Cool and Pilot Hill are served from the Sweetwater Treatment Plant.
Fire protection. The county’s fire district list includes a Northside Zone of the El Dorado County Fire Protection District, but does not name Cool. Check the parcel’s tax rate area to confirm the district.
Environmental Management. The county’s Environmental Management department reviews septic systems.

Placer County is across the North Fork American River. A state CEQA listing for one Cool project names both counties, so confirm which county a parcel near the line is in.

Cool zoning for commercial and mixed use

Chapter 130.22, last amended in 2024 and 2025, sets seven commercial zones. These are the ones most relevant to a rural center like Cool:

Zone	Intended uses	Key standards
CG Commercial, General	More intensive uses such as auto repair, light manufacturing and wholesale, often with outdoor activity	10,000 sq ft lot, 50 ft height, FAR 0.85. 30 ft setbacks next to residential zones
CRU Commercial, Rural	Limited commercial serving agriculture, tourism, recreation and nearby rural homes	10,000 sq ft lot, 40 ft height, FAR 0.50, 30 ft side and rear setbacks
CC Commercial, Community	Retail, office and services for the community and visitors	4,000 sq ft lot, 50 ft, FAR 0.85. Mixed use allowed
CL Commercial, Limited	Lower-intensity retail, office and services near homes	4,000 sq ft lot, 50 ft, FAR 0.85
CM Commercial, Main Street	Pedestrian retail and mixed use in town centers	No minimum lot, FAR 2.0
-DC Design Control combining zone	Adds design review	Recent Cool projects were listed as CG with Design Control

Industrial and R&D zones are in Chapter 130.23. We did not confirm the zone on every Cool parcel. Use the county’s parcel data before you write an offer.

Cool as a Rural Center

The county’s General Plan Land Use Element lists Cool among its Rural Centers in Policy 2.1.2.1. The plan’s introduction describes Cool as a small mixed-use community where residents once lived, worked and shopped. That status shapes what the county will approve:

Policy 2.1.2.3. Commercial and higher-density residential are the predominant uses in Rural Centers.
Policy 2.1.2.5. Vertical and horizontal mixed use are allowed and encouraged, up to 10 homes per acre, but only where water, sewer and roads exist or can be provided along with the project.
Policy 2.1.2.4. Rural Centers are evaluated for historic district status, which can add a Historic Design combining zone.
Policy 2.1.2.6. Rural Center boundaries can be changed only through a General Plan amendment.

Recent Highway 49 projects

Two state CEQA filings show what the county has approved in Cool’s commercial core:

Cool General Retail (DR19-0006). A 9,100 sq ft retail building on 1.69 acres at Northside Drive and State Route 49. The Board of Supervisors approved it on July 20, 2021. The 2020 environmental document listed the site as General Commercial with Design Control and noted an on-site septic system, with sewer capacity flagged as an issue.
Cool Station (DR22-0007). A convenience store, drive-through restaurant, fuel canopy and car wash on about 5.2 acres near Routes 49 and 193, roughly 15,000 sq ft over two phases. The Planning Commission approved it on February 26, 2026, with a mitigated negative declaration. The project listing shows General Commercial with Design Review and lists septic and sewer capacity among its issues. It also includes a trail and trailhead parking.

Both went through design review. Expect any new Cool commercial building to do the same.

Septic, lodging and other rules

Septic. Outside sewered areas, the county’s private sewage disposal standards require a site evaluation and system design. Restaurants and car washes need careful wastewater planning.
Vacation rentals. The county’s VHR FAQ, revised April 6, 2026, requires a permit, bars a new VHR within 500 feet of an active one, and says permits do not transfer to buyers.
Ranch marketing. Nearby agricultural parcels can host farm sales and events under Chapter 130.44.
Scenic corridor. General Plan Policy 2.6.1.8 directs the county to consider parts of Highway 49 for State Scenic Highway designation. We did not confirm whether that reaches Cool.

Transfer tax, business tax and property tax

The El Dorado County Recorder’s fee schedule (January 2026) lists the documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value. Cool is unincorporated, so no city tax applies. The county requires a business license for vacation rentals, which also pay transient occupancy tax. We did not verify other business license rules. A sale is generally a Proposition 13 change of ownership.

Due diligence that matters in Cool

Use our commercial due diligence checklist, then add:

Confirm the parcel is in El Dorado County and inside the Cool Rural Center boundary.
Pull the zone and any -DC overlay, and check prior design review approvals.
Get the septic permit history and a current evaluation for the planned use.
Confirm GDPUD water service, meter size and any connection charges.
Confirm the fire district through the tax rate area, and check fire access and defensible space.
Check Caltrans access and encroachment rules for Highway 49 or 193 frontage.

Questions people ask

Who regulates land use in Cool?

El Dorado County. Cool is unincorporated.

Is Cool a Rural Center?

Yes. General Plan Policy 2.1.2.1 lists it, so commercial and higher-density uses are directed there.

What zoning do Cool’s commercial sites have?

Recent projects were General Commercial with design control. Check each parcel.

Is there sewer in Cool?

The recent commercial projects relied on on-site septic. GDPUD supplies water.

What has the county approved recently?

A 9,100 sq ft retail building in 2021 and the Cool Station fuel and convenience project in February 2026.

Is there a city transfer tax?

No. The county tax is $0.55 per $500.

Does Diamond handle commercial property in Cool?

Contact Matthew Martinez to discuss buying, selling or leasing commercial property in Cool.

Sources & notes

El Dorado County Code Chapter 130.22, Commercial Zones (GoCodebook)
El Dorado County General Plan, Land Use Element
CEQAnet: Cool General Retail (SCH 2020049050) and Cool Station (SCH 2025090951)
Georgetown Divide PUD: District Functions and Service Area and 2023 Consumer Confidence Report
El Dorado County: Which Districts Do Fire Protection, VHR FAQ, Recorder fee schedule

Note: The zone on each Cool parcel, the Rural Center boundary, the fire district and Highway 49 scenic status were not confirmed.

This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.

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