Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday discussed a revenue sharing agreement for the Gold Rush Ranch and Noble Ranch annexation between the county and the Sutter Creek City Council. County Administrative Officer Terri Daly said Supervisors and the Sutter Creek City Council adopted the revenue sharing agreement on September 29, 2003, in order to address “revenue streams and the need to create new revenue streams.” Key points of the agreement include the establishment of a public safety fee, a fire protection parcel fee, a sales tax in which the County and City agree to share sales tax created in the area on a 90 percent and 10 percent basis, respectively, and a property tax split in which the County will keep the base property tax and the City and County will share new property tax created through the development on a 1/3 and 2/3 basis, respectively. Both entities would allocate 2 percent of these taxes to the Sutter Creek Fire Protection District. Also included is a County Facilities Fee in which the “City and County agreed that the annexed area would be subject to a County Facilities Fee that was projected to be $900 per unit at the time of the agreement, adjusted annually in accordance with a construction cost index.” Daly said that number is now higher. The Supervisors asked for more clarification as to whether the fee charged to Gold Rush will be based on the original $900 or a current higher fee. Daly said she will discuss that with Sutter Creek City Manager Rob Duke. Supervisor John Plasse raised concerns over the intended usage of the 1/3rd of the project on county land. “Given the fact that there is a significant (facilities) fee differential…I’m worried about (the developers) leaving land currently in the county without home sites on it,” he said. He wondered if there was anything in the agreement that required a certain number of units be built in both city and county land areas. Much of the discussion centered on a commitment by Gold Rush to dedicate a 3.01 acre site for a new main library site. Gold Rush had also previously made a separate agreement with the Amador County Unified School District to dedicate 17 acres for a new school site. County Counsel Martha Shaver said the 3 acre library site will be available for seven years before it reverts back into the hands of the school district. Supervisor Louis Boitano, whose district includes Sutter Creek, said he hopes the site “won’t revert back into a rock pile…if the School District doesn’t have the money.” Daly said she will bring a copy of the site map and a development agreement before the board for future review. Daly said she will develop a clarifying resolution between the county and Sutter Creek to address these issues. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.