Monday, 05 March 2007 23:30
Jackson Planning Commission Once Again Defers Decision On Jackson Hills Project
In front of a packed crowd
last night the Jackson Planning Commission reviewed the findings of fact and
statements of overriding considerations for the Jackson Hills project located
off of French Bar Road. Jackson
Hills, LLC is proposing a residential community consisting of 540 homes, an
eighteen hole golf course, including a clubhouse, restaurant and maintenance
facilities, a recreation and community center spa, a three acre park and
all necessary roadway and infrastructure improvements associated and supporting
the site development. The
project is proposed in two phases. Phase one includes 150 homes and the golf
course amenities, while Phase 2 includes the remaining 390 residential lots and
proposed park.
While the Developers state
the project will do nothing but enhance and improve Jackson and its existing
infrastructure many community members did not agree. Some of the concerns
mentioned throughout the night included, traffic, sewer constraints, drainage,
water capacity, destruction of oak woodlands, the projects proximity to
agricultural lands, its impact on local schools, and some of the public’s
concern that the project is not paying its fair share of the impacts on the
local community. Last night, after
5 hours, the Jackson Planning Commission decided to once again continue the
issue. This means that the planning commission will once again take up
the issue of just what recommendation to give to the city council on the
project at their March 19th meeting. The commission did decide, however, that they will set a
date for a workshop with the Amador County Transportation Commission and its
Executive Director Charles Field. You may remember that the
Transportation Commission recommended against this project in the Environmental
Impact Review Process citing concerns over the level of service on local
roadways which are already considered overly impacted with few solutions in
sight. The Planning Commission wants to recommend Field’s comments and
recommendations. Also, once the workshop is conducted the Planning commission
will once again set a special meeting to once again consider a recommendation
to the city council. Karly will bring you more on this issue.