Wednesday, 28 January 2009 17:00

ACRA Comments On Gold Rush Park Impacts

slide4.jpgAmador County – The Sutter Creek Planning Commission pushed its study of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort to next month, though it marked some headway. Mark Northcross of Goodwin & Associates reported Monday on a fiscal analysis, and commissioners agreed that determining the methodology behind the numbers was best now, while numbers were uncertain. City Attorney Dennis Crabb said they will not set the development agreement “until the developer knows how much his homes will sell for.” Northcross said a way to look at the development agreement numbers would be to reassess them through the phases of the development. Amador County Recreation Agency Executive Director Tracey Towner-Yep said Northcross’s loose analysis of park maintenance costs are too low. The $10,000 per acre was 50 percent short of any state park care costs she had ever seen, which were $20,000 per acre. She also said Northcross’s maintenance cost on trails was measured by acreage, but it was typically measured by the mile. She said maintenance costs on dirt trails was $1,000 to $3,000 per mile per year, while paved trails cost $6,500 to $7,500 per year per mile to maintain. Towner-Yep said she commented in a letter on Gold Rush and would send another if needed. Commissioner Frank Cunha said Monday that the next meeting, set for February 23rd, would look at the design guidelines, performance standards and grading standards in the Gold Rush Specific Plan. “It’s been quite a process,” he said, noting that commissioners have put in a lot of work but they are getting to the end. He said “hopefully, if we get a project, it will be a good project.” The meeting will continue the commission’s look at community design standards and the “vesting large lot tentative subdivision map.” Crabb may also have a report on the developer agreement, which he said was not ready for commissioners on Monday. The Commission has a regular agenda at its next meeting, February 9th. The Commission resumes work on Gold Rush work February 23rd. Story by Jim Reece (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).