Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council certified the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort Environmental Impact Report Wednesday, then directed staff to make specific changes to its related “Development Agreement” and “Conditions of Approval.” About 150 people attended the meeting, including many local and county business and political leaders. Consultant Bob Delp ran through EIR workings and Mayor Pro Tem Tim Murphy asked City Attorney Dennis Crabb and city project planner Anders Hauge (How-Ghee) if they saw any problems with the Gold Rush EIR. Murphy asked if the EIR was inadequate under the California Environmental Quality Act, as it has been called by several people. Crabb said developers have 2 legal firms looking at the EIR, “and they seem to think it is adequate.” Crabb said the developer is responsible for defending the EIR in the event of litigation. Councilman Pat Crosby said the “developer finds the EIR defensible.” Hauge said “it would be appropriate to certify the EIR.” Members of the Gold Rush development team sat in the audience, including Bill Bunce, John Telischak and Sutter Creek resident Troy Claveran. The council certified the EIR on a 5-0 vote, then went through and later approved changes to the “Development Agreement” and “Conditions of Approval,” as recommended by the Development Agreement Committee. The committee included Murphy, Councilwoman Sandy Anderson and Planning Commissioner Frank Cunha. Recommendations aimed to lengthen or clarify some time frames in the Development Agreement, for points at which different required improvements and construction must be done by Gold Rush. Murphy said one such clarification was the tertiary wastewater treatment plant completion, required by the end of 36 months. He said City Manager Rob Duke told the committee that construction of a plant itself would take 36 months, meaning construction would have to be started right away after approval of the Gold Rush Specific Plan. That stipulation was changed so “the new plant must be completely constructed, permitted and fully operational, within 48 months of the approval of the specific plan.” The recommendations also call for the execution and full funding of a “design and construction contract” for the plant within 24 months of approval of the Specific Plan. The city council also must approve the contract. Breaking either agreement would cause developers to lose vesting in the agreement. Other recommendations included phasing changes, and also requiring normal sewer hookup fees. It would also require providing “alternate sites and/or methods of disposal, or infrastructure improvements necessary to accommodate the full 1,300 acre-feet of effluent,” as entitled in an existing agreement between Gold Rush and the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority. The council broke for the holidays and will next meet regarding Gold Rush January 4th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.