Amador County – The Amador County Planning Department is inviting “stakeholders” to its 2009 Housing Element Program Implementation Workshop Thursday. The meeting will cover existing programs and achievements, and offer points for discussion. The results of the workshop will be sent to the Amador County Board of Supervisors, for its Housing Element update, due in 2010. Planner Susan Grijalva said in a release last week that to prepare for the meeting, people should see chapters 10 and 11 in the Amador County General Plan, at www.co.amador.ca.us. Grijalva and the department evaluated achievements since 2005, and with that will encourage topics issues for discussion. On providing adequate sites for housing, Grijalva said the “county plans to incorporate a higher-density General Plan designation,” but the “key barrier which limits appropriate sites for affordable housing in Amador County is the lack of water and sewer infrastructure, not lack of appropriately-designated land.” She said to “remove governmental constraints to housing,” the county waived fees in 2008, but it “did not result in the production of affordable units.” She said of creating “new affordable units,” that no income-restricted units have been created in Amador County since 2005. 23 second family dwelling permits were issued, along with 4 medical hardship trailers and a 5-year permit for farm labor quarters. Planners found that to “encourage special needs housing,” the “county enforces the Fair Housing Act and provides information.” Many of the programs “call for amendments to the zoning code to remove constraints to special needs housing.” She said the county plans a substantial update to the zoning code following adoption of the updated General Plan. Some of the special needs groups that the programs are intended to help include parents with children, single adults, seniors, farmworkers, and low-income residents. On providing housing assistance, Grijalva said “the county served a total of 13 families with two grants between 2005 and 2008,” and received a third grant, which is now available to homebuyers. Grijalva said the county remains in contact with the Central Sierra Planning Council regarding housing vouchers; however, new vouchers have not been made available in recent years. The County’s first-time homebuyer program has been successful and effective. For conservation of existing housing, Grijalva said, several programs call for enforcement of state regulations and code enforcement. She said the county meets these objectives. But other programs have not been implemented, or have qualitative objectives. The county is not currently active in encouraging conservation of existing housing. The Housing Element Implementation Worshop, open to the public, is scheduled for 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday in supervisors’ chambers. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.