Sutter Creek – Sutter Creek City Council’s finance committee meets today to look at an updated fiscal impact analysis of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. Among topics will be obligations and duties of the Gold Rush Home Owners Association. City Attorney Dennis Crabb last week said there was concern about those obligations, including “maintenance of swales and drainage ways” and “wildfire management” on private lands in Gold Rush. The Finance Committee discussed those Home Owners Association duties in an early October meeting. Planning Commissioner Frank Cunha said agreements with Gold Rush say: “Public park lands will be deeded to the city” by the developer. The city will be paying all maintenance costs, even if there is nothing on those properties. Planning Commission Chairman Robin Peters said the language in the agreement says the developer must “offer” dedication to the city, and the city can accept that offer when it is ready. The committee discussed some of the tasks that the Gold Rush HOA would take on. Sutter Creek resident Ed Arata said developers Bill Bunce and John Telischak agreed to put in place a fire fuel management program,” and suggested the Home Owners Association would handle its operation. Arata said costs need to be assessed and the city needs to “know how big a burden the developers want to take on.” Telischak said there will be a Home Owners Association handling items under discussion. Arata said the city should get it in writing, including who pays for and handles work, including mowing and weeding in open space. He said “it could be potentially a large cost.” Susan Goodwin, a consultant updating the fiscal impact analysis, said they figured costs to the city but had not yet figured HOA costs. She said “there might be more to pay for than just fire.” City Manager Rob Duke said fireproofing private property is handled by its owners, and if not, it’s handled by the city. But he said it’s in the city’s “DNA not to be hard-nosed about weedy vacant infill lots.” Rianda asked if the city has “the teeth to do that,” and Duke said it did not. He said he has asked the city council to change that, without luck. Arata said the city “never did weed abatement until the 1960s,” when a fire that started in Fiddletown burned all the way into Sutter Creek. The finance committee meets 1 p.m. today in the Church Street civic building. The meeting is open to the public. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.