Amador County – A joint meeting of the Ione City Council and Planning Commission opened the city’s Draft General Plan Update to the public on Tuesday, with little public comment. Joyce Stone, a Castle Oaks resident and president of the Amador Childcare Council, said she wanted to work with the council to get childcare added to the General Plan. She said she saw childcare as an economic challenge and factor. Commission Chairman Joe Wylie and others commended Pacific Municipal Consultants for their work. Wylie said “they told us last year that they were going to have this done in a year,” and they seem to be on track to do that. He said that came last year, even as other cities in Amador County were in the second or third years of their General Plan updates. Commissioner Mike McDermed said besides some items Wylie pointed out, he was very impressed with PMC’s work. Wylie brought up some wording he did not like, such as changing the “single woman head-of-household” to the “single person head-of-household.” He also thought parts conflicted in the Open Space and Conservation element. He said preservation of agricultural land was a big priority, but it also “limited leapfrogging.” PMC’s Daniel Hamilton said leapfrogging was skipping a parcel and extending services beyond it to develop another parcel, non-contiguous to infrastructure and developed land. He said it encourages the development of the leaped-over land and causes it to increase in value. Commissioner Mark Hopkins asked how old the FEMA maps were in the General Plan. City Planner Christopher Jordan said that was an “excellent point” and they were working to update those. City Manager Kim Kerr said they anticipated changes with FEMA’s update, which after it takes effect would not have to be implemented until 6 months later. The council and commission will still need to host a public hearing on the remaining 2 elements of the Draft General Plan, on traffic circulation and on land use. The next meeting was set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 19th, and will be part of the regular city council meeting. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thursday, 07 May 2009 00:27
Ione General Plan
Amador County – A joint meeting of the Ione City Council and Planning Commission opened the city’s Draft General Plan Update to the public on Tuesday, with little public comment. Joyce Stone, a Castle Oaks resident and president of the Amador Childcare Council, said she wanted to work with the council to get childcare added to the General Plan. She said she saw childcare as an economic challenge and factor. Commission Chairman Joe Wylie and others commended Pacific Municipal Consultants for their work. Wylie said “they told us last year that they were going to have this done in a year,” and they seem to be on track to do that. He said that came last year, even as other cities in Amador County were in the second or third years of their General Plan updates. Commissioner Mike McDermed said besides some items Wylie pointed out, he was very impressed with PMC’s work. Wylie brought up some wording he did not like, such as changing the “single woman head-of-household” to the “single person head-of-household.” He also thought parts conflicted in the Open Space and Conservation element. He said preservation of agricultural land was a big priority, but it also “limited leapfrogging.” PMC’s Daniel Hamilton said leapfrogging was skipping a parcel and extending services beyond it to develop another parcel, non-contiguous to infrastructure and developed land. He said it encourages the development of the leaped-over land and causes it to increase in value. Commissioner Mark Hopkins asked how old the FEMA maps were in the General Plan. City Planner Christopher Jordan said that was an “excellent point” and they were working to update those. City Manager Kim Kerr said they anticipated changes with FEMA’s update, which after it takes effect would not have to be implemented until 6 months later. The council and commission will still need to host a public hearing on the remaining 2 elements of the Draft General Plan, on traffic circulation and on land use. The next meeting was set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 19th, and will be part of the regular city council meeting. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
