El Dorado County HOA Guide

Auburn Lake Trails HOA Guide: Septic, Roads and Fire Safety

Auburn Lake Trails is a gated community of 1,104 lots near Cool, in unincorporated El Dorado County, between Highway 193 and the Middle Fork of the American River. The association says 1,039 of those lots have homes.

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It was laid out in 1969 and its property owners association was incorporated in March 1970. Life here has features most associations never deal with: 32 miles of private road, horses, a campground, a nine-hole golf course and septic systems that a public utility district inspects every year. Wildfire work is constant, and the community has held Firewise USA recognition since 2005. This independent guide explains who does what.

Facts on this page were checked against the association’s public web pages, Georgetown Divide Public Utility District, El Dorado County, El Dorado County Fire Protection District and Auburn Lake Trails Fire Safe Council sources on October 10, 2026. The association’s rules, design standards and budgets are behind an owner login, so this page does not describe them. Confirm details with the association. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.

At a glance

Auburn Lake Trails at a glance

Auburn Lake Trails Property Owners AssociationA nonprofit association incorporated in March 1970, according to its own information sheet. Its office is at 1400 American River Trail in Cool.

1,104 lotsThe association’s sheet, revised in January 2024, counts 1,104 deeded lots, 1,039 homes and 65 unimproved lots. The community was first mapped for 1,800 lots and reduced after a legal settlement in the 1980s.

Five directors, on-site staffA five-member board with two-year terms. The association employs its own general manager and staff. It does not use a management company.

Three gatesA main gate staffed 24 hours a day, and two electronic gates farther east off Highway 193.

Septic under public oversightThe Georgetown Divide Public Utility District (GDPUD) manages every septic system in the community under a state order that applies only here.

Firewise since 2005The county fire safe council’s 2025 list calls it the longest active streak in California.

Sources disagree on the community’s size. The association’s sheet says 3,400 acres. A wildfire plan section written in 2021 says 2,628, and an older association history says 2,800. We could not settle it from public records.

On dues: the association’s information sheet, revised January 18, 2024, listed an assessment of $213 a month for every parcel, developed or not. That figure is nearly three years old, so ask the association or your escrow officer for the current one.

What the association owns and runs

Auburn Lake Trails runs a long list of amenities for one association. This list comes from the association’s public amenities page and information sheet.

Roads32 miles of paved private road, maintained by the association.

TrailsEquestrian and hiking trails. The information sheet says 30 miles and the amenities page says more than 20. They connect to the Western States Trail. No vehicles are allowed on them, motorized or not.

HorsesEight stables with paddocks and tack rooms, 14 pastures and two arenas. Boarding is self-service.

GolfA nine-hole, par 29 course that opened in 1971. Members play free and guests pay.

Water and campingA five-acre fishing lake with a beach and non-motorized boating, a heated pool and wading pool open May through September, and a campground with hookups.

BuildingsTwo clubhouses, a volunteer-run library and the association office.

Courts and storageTennis and pickleball courts, basketball, bocce, playgrounds and a fenced RV storage lot with a monthly fee.

GreenbeltsThe 2021 wildfire plan section counts 172.5 acres of association-owned greenbelt treated for fuel reduction.

What is not the association’s: the drinking water system and the community septic disposal system belong to GDPUD, and the land around the community is mostly federal land in the Auburn State Recreation Area, managed by California State Parks.

For a board, 32 miles of private road is the number that drives the reserve study. There is no county crew coming to repave. For a buyer, the roads, gates and amenities are what the monthly assessment pays for, so the reserve study and the road plan are worth reading before you close.

What to do about it: Pavement and Asphalt Management for Homeowners Associations, Understanding HOA Reserve Studies and What Are HOA Assets?

Septic: the district inspects every system

There is no sewer here. Every home uses a septic tank, and that is where Auburn Lake Trails differs from most communities. GDPUD says the state required a public agency to manage the septic systems before homes could be built. GDPUD took that job. Its rules for the Auburn Lake Trails On-Site Wastewater Disposal Zone date from 1985, and it works under a state order that applies only to this community.

Two kinds of lotsAbout 1,019 properties have their own tank and their own leach field. Another 137 have their own tank but drain to a community collection system and a shared leach field that GDPUD owns.

Yearly inspectionGDPUD inspects about 1,020 individual systems every year.

PumpingA tank must be pumped when sludge and scum reach 25% of its capacity.

Who fixes whatOn a lot with its own leach field, the owner keeps up the whole system. On a community system lot, the owner keeps the tank and the pipe to the property line and GDPUD keeps what lies beyond. The owner pays for repairs to the owner’s part.

The chargeA wastewater fee on the GDPUD bill every two months. It differs for community system lots and others, and for developed and undeveloped lots.

Help with repairsIn January 2024 GDPUD extended its septic repair loan program to the whole zone: interest-free for one year, then 7%, with the balance due when the home sells.

Selling or building triggers extra steps:

At saleThe owner or listing agent files a property transfer form. GDPUD inspects and issues a letter that either clears escrow or lists repairs, then inspects again. GDPUD says pumping is not required at transfer. Tanks on the community system may get a water-tightness test.

New homes and remodelsSeptic plans prepared by a registered environmental health specialist go to County Environmental Health, which sends them to GDPUD for review. GDPUD inspects the work and confirms completion for the county permit.

Day to dayGDPUD’s homeowner guide says to keep horses, vehicles and structures off the leach field and the area set aside to replace it.

GDPUD studied wastewater rates for the zone in 2024, and a resolution it adopted in 2025 is titled as setting water and wastewater rates effective January 1, 2026. We could not read the adopted rate table, so we do not quote the current fee. Call GDPUD at (530) 333-4356.

The lesson for the association’s design committee and for owners: a room addition, a barn or a pool is not only an architectural question here. It has to fit around the leach field and its replacement area, and GDPUD has to agree.

What to do about it: Who Pays for Repairs in an HOA? and How to Sell a House in an HOA.

Water from the Georgetown Divide

GDPUD also supplies the drinking water. Its source is Stumpy Meadows Reservoir on Pilot Creek.

Treatment plantA new Auburn Lake Trails Water Treatment Plant began producing water on August 1, 2019, replacing a plant from 1972. GDPUD put the cost at about $12 million.

BillingEvery two months. GDPUD lists a supplemental charge for the treatment plant on top of the base charge.

HydrantsThe 2021 wildfire plan section counts more than 170 hydrants in the community, all part of the GDPUD system.

Drought stageWe found no drought stage or watering restriction posted on GDPUD’s site. GDPUD adopted a new water shortage contingency plan in 2026.

State law bars the use of drinking water on nonfunctional turf in HOA common areas from January 1, 2029. That means decorative grass that nobody uses. It does not cover a golf course, sports field or other turf used for recreation. Walk the common area now and sort the grass into what people use and what they only look at.

What to do about it: Planning Your HOA Budget and Five Ways to Improve Your HOA Curb Appeal.

Wildfire: evaluations, fuel breaks and chipping

Auburn Lake Trails sits in oak and pine country beside a river canyon, and its fire program is unusually well documented. Much of it runs through the Auburn Lake Trails Fire Safe Council, a nonprofit formed in 2005 that is separate from the association and helps it apply for grants.

Fire agencyThe El Dorado County Fire Protection District. Its Station 72 in Cool is staffed around the clock and serves Cool, Auburn Lake Trails and Pilot Hill.

Lot evaluationsThe association evaluates every lot each year, occupied or not, against CAL FIRE’s defensible space standards. The council’s 2025 report counts 1,156 evaluations in June 2024 and 229 follow-ups in July.

Vacant lotsOwners of vacant lots must provide defensible space within 100 feet of a neighbor’s structure. Lots the association owns follow the same rule.

If a lot is not clearedThe 2021 wildfire plan section describes a Fire Compliance Officer who sets deadlines. If the work is still not done, contractors clear the lot and a lien is placed for the cost. We could not confirm the current dates or amounts.

Perimeter fuel breakEight miles long, begun in 2005, 150 to 300 feet wide.

Northern Shaded Fuel BreakA CAL FIRE grant of about $1.35 million for roughly 350 acres along the boundary with the state recreation area. The environmental notice was filed in August 2025 and the council expected field work to begin in early 2026.

ChippingFree roadside chipping by the association’s maintenance crew up to four times a year, 30 minutes a visit. The council counted 592 chipping jobs in 2025.

Home hardeningThe council’s report says the Design Committee’s rules already include home hardening and that fire safety updates were planned for 2026.

The county adds its own layer. El Dorado County listed Auburn Lake Trails as a CAL FIRE defensible space inspection area in 2024, and the county’s defensible space ordinance requires 100 feet around each structure. In a High or Very High fire hazard severity zone, a seller needs a defensible space inspection report before escrow closes. We do not state a zone for any lot. Look up your own parcel on the State Fire Marshal’s map.

Insurance is the reason this work matters to a treasurer as much as to a fire committee. The council reported mailing residents a brochure on the California FAIR Plan’s home-hardening credit in early 2025. Keep the association’s fuel reduction records, grant reports and Firewise renewals where the board can hand them to an insurance broker.

What to do about it: The Ins and Outs of HOA Insurance, How to Minimize Homeowners Association Liability and our HOA maintenance and vendors section.

Horses, trails and building

The association’s design standards and most of its rules are not public, so this section is short on purpose. Here is what the public pages do say.

HorsesA lot must be at least one acre to keep a horse, under county ordinance and the association’s covenants. The association estimates more than 200 horses are pastured in the community.

TrailsNo vehicles of any kind.

Minimum home size1,200 square feet today. It was 800 when the community began.

Design reviewThe reviewing body is the Design Committee. Its application steps, fees and standards are behind the owner login.

RVs and boatsThe association has a fenced storage lot. Its rules for parking them at a home are not public.

BurningThe fire district says residential burn permits are free online, each burn day must be approved by the county air district and piles are limited to 4 feet by 4 feet. Ask the association whether its own rules add anything.

GuestsThe front gate and community services office handle guest access at (530) 885-5881.

Building here means three reviews, not one: the association’s Design Committee, El Dorado County for the building permit and GDPUD for the septic system. Plan for all three before you hire a contractor.

What to do about it: see how architectural requests work and How to Hire a Contractor for Your Homeowners Association.

County rules that still apply

A gate does not keep county ordinances out. Three reach Auburn Lake Trails as they reach all of unincorporated El Dorado County.

Defensible spaceCounty Code Chapter 8.09: 100 feet around each structure, and a good neighbor rule that makes a parcel’s owner clear hazardous vegetation within 100 feet of a structure on the next parcel.

Short-term rentalsCounty Code Chapter 5.56 requires a county permit for a vacation home rental. A county permit does not override CC&Rs. The county was reviewing its West Slope rules in 2026.

Oak treesThe county’s Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance applies to private land at or below 4,000 feet. Removing a healthy native oak usually needs a permit. Approved defensible space work is exempt.

The El Dorado Hills HOA Guide explains each of these county rules in detail, with the phone numbers for the county offices that run them.

Quick answers

Questions Auburn Lake Trails owners and board members ask

Why does the water district inspect my septic tank?

Because the state required a public agency to manage septic systems here before homes could be built. GDPUD inspects about 1,020 individual systems a year under a state order that applies only to Auburn Lake Trails.

What happens to the septic system when I sell?

You or your agent file a transfer form with GDPUD. It inspects and issues a letter that clears escrow or lists repairs. Pumping is not required at transfer. More for sellers in How to Sell a House in an HOA.

Who maintains the roads?

The association. Its information sheet counts 32 miles of paved road. See Pavement and Asphalt Management for Homeowners Associations.

Do I pay dues on a vacant lot?

The association’s January 2024 sheet says the assessment applied to all 1,104 parcels, developed or not. See What Assessments Your HOA Community Needs and Why.

Can I keep a horse on my lot?

Only on a lot of at least one acre, according to the association’s information sheet. The association also has stables and pastures for boarding.

Is golf included?

Yes for members. The association’s amenities page says members play free and guests pay a fee.

Who do I call?

The association office is at (530) 885-6526 and the front gate at (530) 885-5881. GDPUD, for water and septic, is at (530) 333-4356. The El Dorado County Fire Protection District’s office is at (530) 644-9630.

How do I get involved?

Besides the board and its committees, the Auburn Lake Trails Fire Safe Council takes volunteers. See How to Set Up and Run HOA Committees and Things to Consider Before Joining Your HOA Board.

Keep going

Where to go next on How2HOA

County rulesExplained in the El Dorado Hills HOA Guide.

NearbyAuburn HOA Guide, Placerville HOA Guide and Cameron Park HOA Guide.

Buying or selling here?Read Buying a House in an HOA? Here’s What You Need to Know and How to Sell a House in an HOA.

Treasurer or finance committee?Go to Understanding HOA Reserve Studies and the Annual HOA Budget Checklist.

Homeowner?See The Rights of Homeowners Association Members and Living in an HOA.

Sources for this guide

These sources open in a new tab.

Auburn Lake Trails Property Owners Association: home page; amenities; history; contact; Current Auburn Lake Trails Information (revised January 18, 2024).

Georgetown Divide Public Utility District: Auburn Lake Trails wastewater zone FAQ; homeowner’s guide (2005); Resolution 85-9 (1985); Resolution 2024-04, loan program; September 2024 town hall on wastewater rates; 2025 resolutions; 2026 resolutions; rates; district functions and service area; 2019 treatment plant announcement; water supply.

Fire: El Dorado County Fire Protection District stations; burn permits; Auburn Lake Trails Fire Safe Council; council 2025 annual report; community wildfire protection plan section (2021); El Dorado County Fire Safe Council 2025 spotlight list; CEQAnet, Northern Shaded Fuel Break.

El Dorado County and others: CAL FIRE defensible space inspection areas; defensible space ordinance, Chapter 8.09; Vacation Home Rentals Division; Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance; Auburn State Recreation Area general plan (2019); State Water Board nonfunctional turf FAQ.

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This page is general educational information, not legal, financial or insurance advice. How2HOA is not affiliated with the association or the districts named here, and nothing on this page speaks for them. The association’s governing documents and current published rules control, so confirm details with the association and talk with a qualified professional about your situation.