Amador County Recreation Agency Looks At Possibility Of Purchase Of 30 Acres

Monday, 15 January 2007 00:07

Amador County Recreation Agency Looks At Possibility Of Purchase Of 30 Acres

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The Amador County Recreation Agency held their first meeting of the year earlier this week. A new board chairwoman and vice chairwoman were elected at the meeting; the new madam chairwoman being Debbie Dunn and new vice chairwomen, the former chair of 4 years, Rosalee Prior Escamilla. The board was presented with an informational item regarding a 30 acre piece of land along the Jackson Creek Watershed and highway 88.

The strip of land, which had once been considered for development as a RV park, is located between Previtali Rd. and East Clinton Rd. A Sierra interest Conservancy has applied for a state grant that would allow the property to be bought and transferred to the county and then transferred from the county to the Recreation Agency. ACRA executive Director Tracy Towner Yep liked the idea, however she recalled that a "2nd phase" environmental impact report, must be prepared before any property can be given to the agency, as required by the county.

A "second phase" EIR requires for the land to be analyzed according to California Environmental Quality Act standards which, according to Towner Yep, can be very costly. Representatives from the conservancy told the board that they will seek the funding to provide for all requirements to get this land into ACRA's hands, but it is still not a done deal.

Rosalee Prior Escamilla stated, "We should look in depth to what the Amador County Transportation Commission has planned for their bike and walking paths. Even if we can't get all 30 acres of this property, we might be able to gain some easements to help with their trails." The conservancy has applied for the grant and is currently awaiting approval. ACRA also receive their mid year budget review showing, in numbers, that the agency is clearly growing.

Towner Yep told the board she had expected ACRA to raise 192,000 dollars in the fiscal year. That amount was exceeded with the agency showing 206,000 dollars in revenue this year, not including an estimated 18,000 dollars from the Hwy 49 bypass walk/run event. Towner Yep said, "The success this year was due to the new programs we have implicated and the newly hired staff that has helped put them together." The board voted to increase next year's budget from 192,000 dollars to 219,000 dollars