Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors and the Ione City Council in a joint meeting Tuesday discussed an agreement on land use designations in the proposed new “Sphere of Influence” for the city before tabling the issue, which nearly stalled on one requirement the city is seeking. City Planner Christopher Jordan presented a Memorandum of Understanding as part of the city’s application for a sphere of influence amendment. Supervisor Ted Novelli said “as chairman of the Local Agency Formation Commission” he would like to see future meetings noticed to LAFCO director Roseanne Chamberlain, who he said should have been at the meeting. Jordan said LAFCO was notified and he would follow up with Chamberlain. The amendment would add about 160 acres to the sphere and remove about 16 acres, for a 4,581-acre total. Jordan said the city’s general plan for the areas included “Special Planning Area” designations that developments would have to work through, including one with 190 “equivalent dwelling units,” and another, at Q Ranch, with 850 EDUs in single-family homes. Jordan said positives of the agreement would be to allow the city to implement its General Plan, and to direct growth to the city, where services are available. City Manager Kim Kerr urged a vote, saying if the county would not support obligatory land use designation by the county, it was not worth pursuing the MOU. Supervisors nearly voted against the MOU, but instead voted to table it until the county’s own General Plan is done, or near done. Supervisor John Plasse said the problem is as cities develop outward, housing near agricultural land needs a buffer. Supervisor Richard Forster said ranching and farming industry neighbors of Rancho Arroyo Seco are “eventually going to be surrounded by houses.” Supervisor Chairman Brian Oneto said Q Ranch high-density would be located next to Williamson Act lands. Plasse said the county could try to “look at some sort of MOU that addresses all cities,” but he didn’t agree with having a special agreement for Ione. Plasse said the “county does not want to relinquish power over land in the Sphere of Influence simply for the sake of the city’s General Plan vision.” Councilwoman Andrea Bonham was worried about protecting the area’s “viewshed” from 5-acre parcels that spread out development as has happened in Elk Grove. Jordan said: “What if someone wants to split up ranch land? Do our comments have the same weight and force as their requests?” Plasse said it was not about the vision of the future but about “land use authority and how far it infringes on property rights.” Councilman Lee Ard suggested that supervisors first get “further down the road” with their own General Plan, “then come back and have this conversation.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thursday, 02 September 2010 05:41
Ione, Supervisors discuss Sphere of Influence, future of Ione
Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors and the Ione City Council in a joint meeting Tuesday discussed an agreement on land use designations in the proposed new “Sphere of Influence” for the city before tabling the issue, which nearly stalled on one requirement the city is seeking. City Planner Christopher Jordan presented a Memorandum of Understanding as part of the city’s application for a sphere of influence amendment. Supervisor Ted Novelli said “as chairman of the Local Agency Formation Commission” he would like to see future meetings noticed to LAFCO director Roseanne Chamberlain, who he said should have been at the meeting. Jordan said LAFCO was notified and he would follow up with Chamberlain. The amendment would add about 160 acres to the sphere and remove about 16 acres, for a 4,581-acre total. Jordan said the city’s general plan for the areas included “Special Planning Area” designations that developments would have to work through, including one with 190 “equivalent dwelling units,” and another, at Q Ranch, with 850 EDUs in single-family homes. Jordan said positives of the agreement would be to allow the city to implement its General Plan, and to direct growth to the city, where services are available. City Manager Kim Kerr urged a vote, saying if the county would not support obligatory land use designation by the county, it was not worth pursuing the MOU. Supervisors nearly voted against the MOU, but instead voted to table it until the county’s own General Plan is done, or near done. Supervisor John Plasse said the problem is as cities develop outward, housing near agricultural land needs a buffer. Supervisor Richard Forster said ranching and farming industry neighbors of Rancho Arroyo Seco are “eventually going to be surrounded by houses.” Supervisor Chairman Brian Oneto said Q Ranch high-density would be located next to Williamson Act lands. Plasse said the county could try to “look at some sort of MOU that addresses all cities,” but he didn’t agree with having a special agreement for Ione. Plasse said the “county does not want to relinquish power over land in the Sphere of Influence simply for the sake of the city’s General Plan vision.” Councilwoman Andrea Bonham was worried about protecting the area’s “viewshed” from 5-acre parcels that spread out development as has happened in Elk Grove. Jordan said: “What if someone wants to split up ranch land? Do our comments have the same weight and force as their requests?” Plasse said it was not about the vision of the future but about “land use authority and how far it infringes on property rights.” Councilman Lee Ard suggested that supervisors first get “further down the road” with their own General Plan, “then come back and have this conversation.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Latest from
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