Amador County – The Ione City Council approved 2 applications for state planning assistance grants Monday, including an “Old Town Revitalization Study” and a “Police Station Siting Study.” The council opened a public hearing to discuss 2 Community Development Block Grants for “Planning and Technical Assistance,” and the submittal of applications for 2 grants for $35,000 each, and $70,000 total. City Clerk Janice Traverso said no one from the public asked to comment. The council voted 5-0 to approve a resolution to apply for grants. City Manager Kim Kerr in a staff report said the City Council held Public Hearings on August 4th and November 3rd this year to determine city priorities for the PTA funding. The two projects that were determined to be a high priority and eligible under CDBG regulations are an Old Town Revitalization Plan and a Police Station Site Study. Kerr said the “Old Town Revitalization Plan will focus on continuing the Main Street beautification efforts from the retail centers to the residential areas.” It will “evaluate the conditions of the residential area, consider what improvements may be needed, and, with extensive public input, create a strategy to improve these areas with public and private investments.” Kerr said the Police Station site study “will explore potential locations” for a new police station. “The final report will establish where the facility should be placed, what the facility needs are” and available funding for design and construction. Kerr said “special emphasis will be placed on making the police station accessible to Ione’s lower-income areas.” The PTA application requires a cash match of $1,400 from the city, to be paid from the General Fund. If one or both of the studies are ineligible for CDBG planning funds, Kerr said the “city may apply for funding for a study to establish a redevelopment area within the city. The council had also considered pursuing grant funds for creating a Reclamation Master Plan and an Implementation Plan for improvements at Howard Park, Kerr said, but “both of these projects are ineligible for funding under the PTA grant based upon the grant guidelines.” She said staff will explore other funding sources for the projects as additional grants are released. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.