Amador County – With 500 homes total, and annexation on the horizon, two housing projects were discussed by a non-quorum of the Plymouth Planning Commission last month.

Commissioners Sandy Fuller and Melvin Cossairt discussed the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Shenandoah Ridge and Zinfandel residential development projects, for which a comment period ended Dec. 31.

Project developer Reeder Sutherland Incorporate partner Stefan Horstschraer (HORS-SHRAR) said all comments would be answered in the Final EIR.

Cossair (COS-AIR) said he thought they were “realistically dreaming on building out that fast,” and “it could be 15 years.”

Horstschraer said both projects were designed around a 10-year time frame, but they realized the market may change that. He said Zinfandel would start a couple of years before Shenadoah Ridge. He also said they also would “build primarily single-story homes because that’s what research shows we will sell.”

City Planner Jeffrey S. Beiswenger (BESS-WENGER) said the Dec. 15 meeting was not for commission action, but meant to let people learn about the projects.

Zinfandel is 365 acres with about 217 acres to be developed. It would have 365 single-family homes in one residential neighborhood, with three parks, 6.5 miles of “natural trails” and large permanent open spaces,” open to the public. It is planned to have 17.5 acres of parkland and 130 acres of open space.

Shenandoah Ridge plans for 147 total acres, with 137 homes developed on 115 acres. It would have 1 acre of parkland and 31 acres of open space, both accessible to the public. Both projects will incorporate a “natural trail network” and link to undeveloped lands for “future regional trail development.”

Fuller asked about an easement to access Old Sacramento Road, and Horstschraer said they were trying to “hammer out a solution.”

Fuller said she was trying to figure out how much impact the projects will have on schools, and asked if developers has spoken with the district. Horstschraer said Superintendent Dick Glock “appeared here (in City Hall) and said Plymouth Elementary is able to accept students for all foreseeable growth into the city.”

City Planner Beiswenger said a rough schedule would have the Final EIR back in 2 weeks to a month, by February, and then there is a 180-day window before the city can certify the EIR. He said “that may not happen prior to the annexation.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.