Wednesday, 10 March 2010 03:39

Sutter Creek Attorney Impartially Analyzes Gold Rush Referendum

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slide4-sutter_creek_attorney_impartially_analyzes_gold_rush_referendum.pngAmador County – Sutter Creek City Attorney Dennis Crabb presented an objective analysis of the city’s June referendum on the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort, which the council accepted in a special meeting Monday afternoon. The ballot measure, designated by the county elections office as “Measure N,” asks whether the city council’s resolution to approve the Gold Rush project should be adopted. The council placed the referendum on the June 8th primary ballot and on Monday approved a city council statement of support that will be printed on the ballots. Crabb in the analysis said approval, or a “yes” vote on the referendum “upholds the decision of the city council approving the project with conditions, mitigation measures and a development agreement.” A “yes” vote would preserve “existing legislation,” or the resolutions approved by the city council January 4th. And a defeat, or “no” vote, on the measure “sets aside existing law. The site reverts to the former General Plan designation of Master Plan Area and zoning designation of Urban Plan Area/Light Industrial. The portion of the site in the county would be under county land use control.” Operation of the measure would turn on the vote, Crabb wrote. A “yes” vote on Measure N “would result in the Gold Rush Ranch Project, with conditions, environmental mitigation measures, and a development agreement remaining in effect.” Crabb said there “will be increased public service costs to the city, which are required to be offset by special taxes and fees paid by he new development and/or property owners within Gold Rush.” A defeat “would prevent Gold Rush” from “being developed on the site with no increased public service costs. If defeated projects may be developed on the site without further discretionary approvals by the city in compliance with previous regulations or projects may be proposed on the site requiring new discretionary approvals by the city council with new environmental and public service cost documentation.” Crabb said the 945-acre Gold Rush Ranch has 612 acres in the city, 333 acres in Amador County, (the latter to be annexed). It includes a public 18-hole golf course and related facilities, 60-room hotel, 300 timeshare units, 57,000 square feet of commercial development, 1,334 primary residential units, 64 secondary residential units, and 300 acres of open space and biking and hiking trails. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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