Amador County – A Sutter Creek grassroots group formed to educate people on problems with growth planned to start a petition drive over the weekend, to seek a referendum against the project. Organizers need 159 signatures of Sutter Creek voters to place a referendum on the ballot, 10 percent of the 1,584 registered voters as of January 5th. The city-wide election must pass by a simple majority, 50 percent plus 1 of the votes cast. 2010 elections include a June 8th primary and a November 2nd general election, but Sutter Creek City Council would determine when an election would be held. Bart Weatherly of “Preserve Historic Sutter Creek” said the group cannot force a referendum on city council approval of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort project, but it can force voter decisions on related council legislative action. Sutter Creek Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe said the council approved city General Plan amendments and Gold Rush specific plan and tentative maps January 4th, giving people 30 days to gather signatures for a referendum. The council expects to conduct 2nd readings of zoning ordinance and “Development Agreement” amendments related to Gold Rush January 19th. If approved, it opens another 30-day filing window. Rabe said City Attorney Dennis Crabb advised city staff not to “give advice on how to do a referendum,” because it would basically be giving advice on how to sue the city. He said county election code has guidelines on how to proceed with referenda, and submit petitions for consideration. If county elections certify a petition, they advise the city of the referendum. Rabe said the city council decides when a referendum would be placed on a ballot. Weatherly said “Preserve Historic Sutter Creek” is a grass-roots organization formed in 2008 to inform and educate the public about the problems associated with uncontrolled residential growth.” He said the referendum “will enable the citizens of Sutter Creek to voice their approval or disapproval of Gold Rush Ranch.” He said they “don’t support the doubling of the city’s population in 10 years,” the project is too large, with too many impacts, and he believes developers “will make Gold Rush economically feasible by whittling away at the conditions” of approval. The group is developing a flyer to take door-to-door until February 2nd, and will set up a booth near the Post Office. Weatherly said the group doesn’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars, 2 law firms and a “high priced PR firm from the Bay Area working for us.” They have a “bunch of volunteers and local concerned citizens.” He said they must gather 160 signatures by February 3rd. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.