Gold Rush Ranch
Local citizen to sue Sutter Creek over Gold Rush Ranch
Jackson resident Ken Berry has notified the City of Sutter Creek that he plans to sue the city over its approval of the Gold Rush Ranch project. Amador Community News, February 4, http://acn.homestead.com/Newsletter-Feb4.html
Water
Proposed law would require developments to capture, reuse rainwater, LA Times, Feb 1,
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rain-barrels1-2010feb01,0,115441...
AWA PONDERS HOW TO PAY FOR STATE-REQUIRED WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
For immediate release: 2/2/2010
Contact: Gene Mancebo, Interim General Manager
Amador Water Agency, 209-223-3018
(Sutter Creek) The Amador Water Agency will consider charging customers $1 per month to implement a state-mandated water conservation plan.
Eligibility for state grants and loans is now conditioned on the Agency’s compliance with new state-mandated water conservation measures. The state goal? To reduce per capita water use by 20 percent by the year 2020.
Consultant Leslie Dumas of RMC Water and Environment presented cost estimates on Best Management Practices for water conservation that the Agency must adopt to be eligible for state grants and loans, important funding sources for AWA infrastructure projects.
The initial conservation program Dumas presented was deemed to be too expensive, and directors asked Dumas to come back to a future meeting with a scaled-down proposal to meet a budget target of no more than $1 per month for residential customers.
The Agency’s budget does not currently include the estimated $85,000 - $100,000 per year needed for a scaled-down program.
Directors expressed hope that state grants would become available to pay for some or all of the state water conservation mandates, but no government funding is being offered at this time. Should grants become available in the future, the Board could consider an enhanced conservation plan.
The required program includes rebates for high efficiency plumbing fixtures and washing machines, mandatory water metering, tiered water rates, water audits and leak repairs for customers and for the Agency system, a conservation coordinator for the Agency, public information and school education programs, incentives for large users to conserve, and ordinances prohibiting water wasting.
The Agency must demonstrate progress toward implementing program elements when applying for any state water project grant or loan. The Water Agency also has identified conservation as being one way to meet future water needs for Amador County. Other alternatives include use of recycled water and water supply projects.
Directors will schedule a public workshop to receive input after reviewing the revised water conservation plan at a future board meeting.
In other news:
§ On December 2, 2009, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy finalized a $270,000 grant to the Agency to develop a wastewater recycling plan for Amador County. The money will be used to create a regional master plan for re-using treated wastewater for agricultural and industrial uses, a plan that will be made available to other similar communities in the region. At their meeting Thursday, AWA Directors reviewed the schedule and scope of work to develop the “Regional Approach for Water Reuse” master plan, which will take place over a 30 month period. The plan includes participation by Amador County cities, county government, stakeholders in industry and agriculture, and members of the public to identify users and forecast demand for recycled water. It will also look at best ways to finance and build the infrastructure needed to deliver recycled wastewater. Interim Manager of Engineering and Planning Erik Christeson said that initial outreach to stakeholders will begin in about 30 days.
§ AWA Directors received a clean bill of health after the annual Agency financial audit conducted by the independent accounting firm of Leaf and Cole. Auditor Michael Zizzi summarized the 2008-2009 audit report at Thursday’s meeting, noting that the Agency is in better financial shape than many similarly-sized public agencies, but also that the Agency was beginning to fall behind in reserves to pay for steadily depreciating infrastructure. The auditor recommended several improvements intended to strengthen internal financial controls, and Agency staff was asked to bring back draft changes in policy that would implement the suggested improvements.
Growth and Development
Amador County to hold meeting on general plan housing element
The housing element is one of the mandatory elements of the general plan. The Amador County Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission will meet jointly on February 24 at 1 pm to review the draft element for the general plan update. Amador Community News, February 4, http://acn.homestead.com/Newsletter-Feb4.html The Draft Housing element is available for review on the Planning Department General Plan Update page of the County website http://www.co.amador.ca.us/index.aspx?page=143
Calaveras hires general plan chief
Planning consultant Brenda Gillarde to help complete general plan update. The Record, February 4, http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100204/A_NEWS/1002... (requires registration to view)
Quote of the week, from Calaveras County Supervisor Tom Tryon: "If you want to exercise your rights to rural sprawl, you're on your own."
Calaveras plan sets stage for clash of wills
Communities express concern about update
The Record
By Dana M. Nichols
February 03, 2010
SAN ANDREAS - A new Valley Springs community plan now being drafted may come too late to be included in an updated Calaveras County General Plan, even though the overall update itself is years behind schedule.
"At this point, there's a question whether it will be done in time to plug it into the update," said Larry Mintier of Mintier Harnish, the consulting firm hired to update the county's General Plan.
That was just one headache discussed during a Calaveras County Board of Supervisors study session Tuesday.
Representatives of a number of other communities from Mokelumne Hill to Mountain Ranch to Copperopolis also expressed concern that their community-crafted plans may be altered or oversimplified as they are melded into the General Plan.
Supervisor Steve Wilensky, for example, expressed displeasure that the community plans for Mountain Ranch, West Point and other communities in his district are being treated in the update as "visions" rather than actual community plans.
"They were more than visions," Wilensky said. "We gave you maps and guidelines we hope you will use."
Supervisor Russ Thomas of Copperopolis, who spent much of the past decade helping on a community plan for Copperopolis, also seemed dismayed at the fact consultants intend to "standardize" the format of community plans.
"My fervent hope is I will recognize that plan when you get done with your work," Thomas said.
Mintier said that the draft General Plan will retain the character of each town's plan, even as it seeks to standardize the format in which that information is presented.
Powerful forces will collide in the next stage of the General Plan update, however, making it unlikely that various interests will all be pleased.
Rick Keller, a senior associate with Mintier Harnish, said planners will soon release three alternative land-use plans. Those three alternatives will include one with moderate growth and development based on current trends and two others with more intensive development.
Ed Pattison, the water resources manager for Calaveras County Water District, reminded the supervisors that the cost to build water infrastructure and the struggle for Calaveras County to preserve water rights has powerful influences on the General Plan. That's why the water element calls for "looking to steer growth toward city centers.
Pattison acknowledged that planning to concentrate people in towns will displease private-property rights advocates who hope to carve ranch land into ranchettes.
Pattison seemed to have some support for his views. Supervisor Tom Tryon said growth in community centers should be required to have municipal water, sewer connections and streets built up to standards. And he urged his colleagues in local government to send the message that property owners should not expect agencies to provide services such as water lines to rural housing tracts whose wells go dry.
"If you want to exercise your rights to rural sprawl, you're on your own," Tryon said.
Calaveras officials originally hoped to complete the General Plan update by the end of 2008. Now they hope to have it done by early 2011.
In the next two weeks, planners will release a draft of three land-use alternatives over the next 25 years.
In March, they expect to hold a series of six community workshops on the alternatives before bringing them to the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission for study sessions in April.
Contact reporter Dana M. Nichols at (209) 607-1361 or dnichols@recordnet.com.
Economic Development
Workshop
Public-Private Partnerships to rehabilitate historic buildings will be discussed at an upcoming workshop being held on March 10 at Evalynn Bishop Hall in Ione Ca. This all day workshop will explore the most current topics in real estate and community development, focusing on the public-private partnership as the driving force in rehabilitation of historic properties. The session will bring together an audience and panel of city planners, managers and redevelopment officers, and others interested in adaptive reuse of historic properties. Real estate development and financing will be explored. Pre-registration is required. Registration form, cost and information is available at http://www.californiapreservation.org./
Wildlife
Steelhead numbers increasing in Mokelumne
Various factors are contributing to steelhead increases in the lower Moklumne River below Lake Camanche. Dan Bacher on Indymedia, February 3, http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/02/03/18636888.php
Frog petition raises issues
Petition to list the mountain yellow legged frog as a state endangered species raises questions, forms opportunity for ecology lesson. Union Democrat, February 4, http://www.uniondemocrat.com/2010020399066/News/Local-News/Protected-fro...
Odds and Ends
Mokelumne triathlon set for June 12
The Mokelumne River Adventure Challenge will be held on Lodi June 12. We should field a running/cycling/swim team (or two or three)! Lodi News Sentinel, February 4, http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2010/02/04/news/1_triathlon_100204.txt
There's still time to enroll in Land Use and Natural Resources winter courses at UC Davis Extension. Don't miss your opportunity to gain the practical knowledge and skills you need to remain competitive in your field.
Land Use and Natural Resources Courses
Annual Water Law Update
Feb. 10: Wed., 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The legal framework surrounding water resources changes rapidly as new laws are passed, regulations are imposed and cases are decided. Stay up-to-date with these changes and receive "plain English" summaries of the most recent legislative, regulatory and judicial changes to the law.
Historic Resources Preservation
Feb. 19: Fri., 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Gain an understanding of key historic preservation laws and policies that affect land development. Examine how historic preservation is being utilized as an asset for community revitalization by many public agencies, as well as for successful commercial and residential projects by private developers.
Annual Land Use Law Review and Update
March 4: Thurs., 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Stay current on recent developments in California law affecting land use, planning and environmental compliance. Experts from the field provide succinct and practical analysis on recent case law and significant legislative and administrative changes that took effect this year.
Mello-Roos Financing: Fundamentals and Current Practices
March 5: Fri., 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Learn how to identify and understand the basic policy and legal issues surrounding financing of infrastructure and services via Mello-Roos community facilities districts. Build a solid foundation in the fundamentals of forming and administering Mello-Roos districts and issuing debt.
Clean Water Act Section 404: Nationwide and Other Specialized Permits
March 11: Thurs., 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Understand and comply with requirements of the most widely used set of permits for projects in wet¬lands and other water resources, Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
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