Amador County – The Sutter Creek Planning Commission last week wanted an access road to be built in the Gold Rush Ranch & Gold Resort. Commissioner Frank Cunha said “an access road must be built before building permits are issued,” in Phases 3 or 4 of the project. He said “originally, it was not required until occupancy permits were issued.” Commission Chairman Robin Peters agreed, said that Gold Rush “could have 200 homes on the west side of town 90 percent completed,” in two months, and “you’d have an awful lot of emotional leverage to hold over the city.” He said he had “seen it before, before this commission.” Cunha said it was important to have the access road built before Phase 3 or 4, because past projects had asked to do phases out of sequence, to avoid paying for things like the access road, “and the city council approved it.” Other items of discussion included the number of single-family homes by lot sizes. Gold Rush’s Greg Bardini said the developers had “no crystal ball,” but the plan said that the “majority of the lots are not less than 7,000 square feet.” But he did not have a specific number. Cunha said Sutter Creek’s General Plan does not allow “mass grading, but if you put in all 5,000-square-foot lots, the only way to do it is with mass grading.” Consultant Anders Hauge suggested the commission use a unique designation for the Gold Rush specific plan, then work with the applicant on single-family lots and percentages thereof. Commissioner Cort Strandberg said: “The economy constantly pushes everyone to produce cheap crap.” He said in spite of that, he found himself nodding in agreement with the developer’s proposals, then later thinking: “Hmm, well what’s going to happen?” Commissioner Mike Kirkley said he agreed with Cunha that he was “most worried about getting mass grading,” especially if another developer came in later with “crap – cookie-cutter” housing. Hauge said they should work with the applicant, who is offering to meet the commission’s goals to give “affordable housing by design” and to preserve oak trees, among other things. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – The Sutter Creek Planning Commission last week wanted an access road to be built in the Gold Rush Ranch & Gold Resort. Commissioner Frank Cunha said “an access road must be built before building permits are issued,” in Phases 3 or 4 of the project. He said “originally, it was not required until occupancy permits were issued.” Commission Chairman Robin Peters agreed, said that Gold Rush “could have 200 homes on the west side of town 90 percent completed,” in two months, and “you’d have an awful lot of emotional leverage to hold over the city.” He said he had “seen it before, before this commission.” Cunha said it was important to have the access road built before Phase 3 or 4, because past projects had asked to do phases out of sequence, to avoid paying for things like the access road, “and the city council approved it.” Other items of discussion included the number of single-family homes by lot sizes. Gold Rush’s Greg Bardini said the developers had “no crystal ball,” but the plan said that the “majority of the lots are not less than 7,000 square feet.” But he did not have a specific number. Cunha said Sutter Creek’s General Plan does not allow “mass grading, but if you put in all 5,000-square-foot lots, the only way to do it is with mass grading.” Consultant Anders Hauge suggested the commission use a unique designation for the Gold Rush specific plan, then work with the applicant on single-family lots and percentages thereof. Commissioner Cort Strandberg said: “The economy constantly pushes everyone to produce cheap crap.” He said in spite of that, he found himself nodding in agreement with the developer’s proposals, then later thinking: “Hmm, well what’s going to happen?” Commissioner Mike Kirkley said he agreed with Cunha that he was “most worried about getting mass grading,” especially if another developer came in later with “crap – cookie-cutter” housing. Hauge said they should work with the applicant, who is offering to meet the commission’s goals to give “affordable housing by design” and to preserve oak trees, among other things. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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