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After many public concerns and comments on the Erickson Ranch Annexation at Tuesday’s Sutter Creek City Council meeting, one Sutter Creek man summed it all up by stating, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” 187 acres that have been acquired by the city from CalTrans are now slotted to be annexed into the city of Sutter Creek and made into a public open park. Even though the council has already signed off on the Cooperative Agreement and the Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Report, citizens are still concerned about the impact this property will have on Sutter Creek. Public comments centered around two issues –the potential future taxpayer costs of maintaining this property, and protecting the area’s natural habitat and Native American plants and cultural areas.
The deed to the property imposes several conditions on its use and maintenance. One condition is that the property must be maintained “in perpetuity,” and citizens are concerned that funding will eventually come out of the taxpayers’ pockets. City Manager Rob Duke answered those concerns by indicating that much of the maintenance funding will instead come from other sources, including, but not limited to, federal and state grants, fee programs, and local volunteer efforts. Also, there was some concern about how and by whom the Native American plants and cultural sites would be preserved, and the cost associated with those actions. The park will include a picnic area, a maintenance building, a walking trail around the perimeter, and two access points with parking lots. The council will be voting on whether to annex the property at the next council meeting on March 3, 2008.
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