News Archive (6192)
Amador County – The Ione City Council planned a public meeting Tuesday to ready a “sphere of influence” amendment that the council and staff have been considering. City staff recommended the changes, which would reduce the sphere of influence by 19 acres. City Manager Christopher Jordan in a report to the city council Tuesday said the city’s current “sphere of influence” is 4,437 acres, including the land inside of the city limits. The amendment would add 172 acres to the “sphere of influence” and remove 191 acres. The Ione City Council planned a public hearing on the amendment Tuesday, after which the amendment request, if approved by the council, would be sent to the Amador County Local Agency Formation Commission for consideration. Jordan recommended the council “adopt a resolution making application to (LAFCO) to initiate proceedings for a Sphere of Influence amendment.” He also recommended the council give staff direction “to continue discussions with Amador County with regard to adopting a memorandum of understanding regarding planning and development of lands within the city’s Sphere of Influence prior to annexation.” The council also planned a public hearing later in the meeting Tuesday to discuss annexation of the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The council was to consider adopting a resolution making an application to LAFCO for “reorganization of boundaries to detach (the wastewater treatment plant) from the Amador Fire Protection District, Amador Resource Conservation District” and the county service areas numbered 5, 6 and 7; in order to annex the plant to the city of Ione. Jordan in the report said the “sphere of influence” is a line, established by (LAFCO) “which defines the probable future boundaries of the city.” He said the “intent of the (sphere of influence) is to assist LAFCO and other local agencies and service providers in planning for future development.” The Ione “sphere of influence” was last modified in the 1990s. In a recent city General Plan update, the council looked at and identified a number of “future growth areas” around Ione, “including the Q Ranch, Silva, Old Stockton Road, Industrial Park,” and the Highway 124 corridor. Jordan said all of the areas were within the existing city sphere of influence, but the line of the sphere of influence “does not follow parcel lines.” He said the proposed amendment would “adjust the Sphere of Influence to follow parcel lines on the south and northwest.” It would also “remove properties along State Road 124 that are designated as open space in the General Plan.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Wednesday, 18 August 2010 06:56
Planning Dept. Releases Draft EIR for Buena Vista Biomass Plant
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador County Planning Department announced Tuesday that a draft “Subsequent Environmental Impact Report” has been released for the Buena Vista Biomass Power plant on Coal Mine Road in the Jackson Valley. The planning department announced the availability of the document to the public, and also gave notice that a public hearing for the Draft Subsequent EIR was set for September 28th. The county began the process at the end of May for a use permit amendment sought by developers of the Buena Vista Biomass Power plant, the former Cogen coal mining plant. The notice said the document “is now available to the public and interested agencies” at the planning department, for sale. The Draft Subsequent EIR is also posted on the county website, co.amador.ca.us. The announcement said the Buena Vista plant project seeks a use permit that “includes repowering and conversion of an existing 18.5-megawatt electric generation facility to a renewable wood waste biomass energy facility.” The project is located about 5 miles south of Ione, in the southwestern area of the county, in Supervisor District 2. The plant has contracted with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, which will purchase 100 percent of the facility’s power. The planning department said the facility’s proposed fuel supply is “solely renewable woody biomass, derived form a variety of sources including clean urban wood waste, agricultural byproducts from orchard operations, and forest residuals from forest thinning for wildfire fuel reduction.” The Buena Vista plant “has been certified as a renewable energy facility by the California Energy Commission,” based on its proposed fuel sources. The plant would burn about 110,000 “bone dry tons” of biomass material a year, and would help SMUD in meeting its “Renewable Portfolio Standard goal of 33 percent renewable energy usage by 2020.” The Draft Supplemental EIR discloses the project’s significant environmental effects on areas such as traffic, air quality, noise, biological resources, hydrology, aesthetics, public health and hazards, and cumulative impacts. It also describes “feasible mitigation measures.” State agencies will review and comment on the document, and the public may comment by sending written comments to lead planner on the project, Nathan Lishman, at the Amador County Planning Department. The public comment period opened Tuesday, August 17th, with the release of the document, and ends 5 p.m. Thursday, September 30th. The Amador County Planning Commission will hold a public meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 28th in the Supervisors’ chambers at 810 Court Street in Jackson. 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 – A Jamestown man died Sunday as a result of injuries he received during a solo vehicle accident on Highway 88 east of Previtali Road. According to the California Highway Patrol, Eddie Lye Campbell, 79, was traveling westbound on Highway 88 when his 1989 Geo Prism traveled off the north roadway edge. While attempting to return his car to the roadway, his vehicle traveled across the roadway, ran off the south edge, traveled down an embankment and collided with a tree. Campbell sustained severe head trauma during the crash. Medical personnel arrived on scene and made an unsuccessful attempt to revive him using CPR. He was transported to Sutter Amador Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors last week voted 5-0 to start a new policy for existing conditional will-serve fees. The policy will require 5 percent of the fee to be paid at the initial signing of the conditional will-serve. It also sets a time frame for payments to be made in full after 3 years of the initial issuance. Critics from the public said the agency should charge more than 5 percent, including David Evitt, who asked “how the 5 percent would affect the overall operations of the AWA,” and whether the amount of funding generated would be good or “fall short of what’s really needed.” General Manger Gene Mancebo said fees paid before water is needed would help the planning effort. Mancebo said it has not been studied to determine the impact, “but it may have the effect of causing developers to change the way they seek conditional will-serves.” Evitt asked about the history of the fees. AWA attorney Steve Kronick said when AWA acquired the Amador Water System (AWS) in about 1986, the agency required that 100 percent of participation fees were paid at the time of issuance of the final map. Then it changed to the process of paying the fees when either water service or a meter was requested. Kronick said that policy has been in effect for 20 years. There were no fees charged in connection with the issuance of a will-serve commitment. President Bill Condrashoff, who spearheaded the policy change, said “within 3 years of issuance of a conditional will-serve, you will have paid it in full.” Director Terence Moore said like any other policy, they should try it and see if they like the results they get. Director Don Cooper was worried about committing will-serves without having a guarantee, and said in the current policy, the “agency is not really protected.” He said the agency or county should not approve subdivisions that don’t have water service. He gave the example of other counties issuing a final map without water service, and realtors saying the property had water. He said when a buyer of a lot wanted water service, the buyer went to the purveyor, who had a waiting list for water service. Cooper said the buyer then sued over lack of water service. Mancebo said the agency has “standby fees,” which allow the owner to “have water when they want it.” Kronick said that is something the agency should look at. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Tuesday, 17 August 2010 06:15
2 Central Valley Women Charged In House-Flipping Scheme
Written by Tom
Amador County – Two central valley women are charged with swindling 34 victims out of $4.5 million through a house-flipping scheme promising huge financial rewards. This is the latest in a series of real estate schemes to hit the region. Leesa Marie Ward, 45, of Lodi and Alison Ann Jensen, 45, of Pleasanton appeared in a Stockton courtroom Monday for arraignment on a 46-count felony indictment charging them with grand theft, securities fraud and tax evasion. Ward was reportedly arrested Friday at her residence, while Jensen turned herself in at the County Jail around the same time. Their bail is set at $3 million each. The arrests were the culmination of a 3-year investigation by law enforcement into the Ward Real Estate Brokerage & Foreclosure Services Inc. in Tracy, where Ward, the firm’s namesake, served as chief executive. Authorities say that Ward and Jensen took investments on refurbished foreclosed homes and sold them for profit. They promised to pay back investors (many of who were elderly or infirmed) each month with interest. Payments ranged from $45 to $395,000. Many of their clients were elderly or infirmed. Investors alerted authorities to the alleged scheme after payments started drying up in 2006. In November of 2007, The California Department of Corrections issued a cease and desist order saying Ward was not authorized to conduct such a business and purposefully misled investors. San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney James Lewis convened a grand jury in July that heard from 46 witnesses on the matter. The jury issued indictments and arrest warrants were issued. The company’s bookkeeper, Sharon Lee Graham of Oakdale, is expected to turn herself in to authorities this week. She faces 10 related charges. Prosecutors believe she took more than $840,000 from investors. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – The Amador County Local Agency Formation Commission this week will consider making changes to the city of Jackson’s “sphere of influence,” and could also consider appointing Supervisor Ted Novelli to a newly revived Central California regional LAFCO board. The county LAFCO board will consider a resolution adopting an amendment to the “sphere of influence” of the city of Jackson. The city “proposes to expand its current sphere of influence into 4 areas.” Those include the Wicklow, Martell, New York Ranch Road, “and a small area along South Highway 49.” The city is the lead agency for the sphere of influence. LAFCO lists the agenda item as “categorically exempt” under the California Environmental Quality Act, because there is a “change in organization of local agencies without change to the geographical area in which previously existing powers are exercised.” The LAFCO board will also consider the nomination of Supervisor Ted Novelli to the CALAFCO (Cal LAFCO) board of directors in the newly reorganized “Central CALAFCO Region.” The board is also scheduled to have a discussion led by Novelli and possible action on legislation and matters related to the board meeting and CALAFCO business. At an annual conference in October, 2009, the CALAFCO board proposed to create geographic regions in the state to help in the sharing of resources, the enhancement of communication between different county Local Agency Formation Commissions, and to encourage regional-level input regarding legislative issues. The regional proposal sought to form 4 CALAFCOs regional offices in northern, southern, coastal and central areas of the state. Each region would be represented by one city, one county, one special district and one public member. The regional elections are scheduled to be held during the annual conference in October at Palm Springs. Amador County’s LAFCO board this week will also consider giving an extension to the Fiddletown Community Service District for completing its reorganization. The project began last September. Amador LAFCO will also hold a closed session for an annual performance evaluation, for Executive Director Roseanne Chamberlain. The current LAFCO board includes Supervisors Louis Boitano and Novelli, Plymouth Councilman Jon Colburn, Ione Mayor Skip Schaufel, and public member Jim Vinciquerra. Alternates are Supervisor Richard Forster, Jackson Councilman Pat Crew, and public alternate Byron Daminani. Boitano is LACFO chairman and Vinciguerra is vice chair. LAFCO meets 7 p.m. Thursday (August 19th) at the supervisors’ chambers, at 810 Court Street in Jackson. 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 Plymouth City Council last week approved an amendment to an agreement with the Amador County Transportation Commission, which will go toward setting traffic mitigation fees around the county. The council voted 2-0 with one abstention to approve an amendment to a memorandum of understanding with ACTC on the Regional Traffic Mitigation Fee Program. Councilman Jon Colburn and Vice Mayor Greg Baldwin voted in the affirmative, and Mayor Pat Fordyce abstained in the vote. ACTC Executive Director Charles Field asked that “Plymouth support the 3-tiered fee for restaurants and approve the amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding pending completion of the new countywide traffic model and a new nexus program.” Field said the ACTC oversight committee is “committed to amending the whole (Regional Traffic Mitigation Fee) nexus plan and fee structure” in 6-18 months. The 3-tiered impact fee program would include a $48,000 fee per 1,000 square feet for a “fast food drive-through restaurant on a state highway.” The second tier is an $18,000 fee per 1,000 square feet for a “fast food drive-through restaurant within a shopping center or community” and “not immediately adjacent to a state highway.” The 3rd tier fee is $7,000 per 1,000 square feet for a “quality sit-down restaurant drinking establishment.” The council Thursday also voted 3-0 to reallocate $325,000 left over from the Mission Boulevard extension project in Jackson. Field said Dokken Engineering and the fee program oversight committee recommended the “mid-year fund allocation revision” to place the funds in the Prospect Drive relocation project in Sutter Creek. The council Thursday also received a letter from the Amador Water Agency notifying the city of a new water rate, based on the 4 percent increase in the Amador Water System. AWA Finance Manager Mike Lee in a letter dated July 29th told the council that the AWA in 2007 adopted a 3-year rate increase. Lee said the agency “only implemented 8 percent for the final year beginning July 1st, 2009, when the resolution approved (a rate increase of) 12 percent.” The “reduction was based on budget cuts and revenue forecasts,” Lee said, but “unfortunately, (Amador Water System) revenues were lower than anticipated, which has created an operating deficit and also concerns with maintaining” the AWA “Debt service coverage requirements.” A new rate of $7,127 service charge per month, and a commodity rate of $1.18 per unit will be charged beginning with this month’s billing. 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 - Cathy Koos Breazeal, Executive Director of the Amador Fire Safe Council, was honored last week with a Gold Award from the California Emergency Services Association (CESA) for her outstanding efforts in emergency management in Amador County. Lynne Olson, the County Emergency Services Coordinator and CESA member, nominated Cathy for this award. Cathy was selected for her award by the CESA State Board for her exemplary work in Amador County in the area of emergency preparedness including her work on the Amador Fire Safe Council (specifically the River Pines project completed June 2010), organizing and managing the Amador Animal Disaster and Evacuation Group, and her dedication to volunteerism with various groups impacting Amador County emergency management. The Gold Award is presented for exceptional efforts in the field of emergency management. It can be issued for preparedness efforts or for response to a specific event. Nominations come from the chapters and awards may be for both public and private sector nominees. Each year, CESA recognizes selected individuals and groups who have distinguished themselves while improving their community’s emergency preparedness. Cathy will attend the CESA banquet held in Monterey, California on September 16 to receive her award, which will be presented by Lynne Olson. A separate recognition will be held locally at the Amador Fire Safe Council meeting on August 18, 3 p.m., at the GSA building. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Friday, 13 August 2010 06:05
Bureau of Land Management Plans Wild Horse Burro Adoption
Written by Tom
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Amador County - Cathy Koos Breazeal, Executive Director of the Amador Fire Safe Council, was honored last week with a Gold Award from the California Emergency Services Association (CESA) for her outstanding efforts in emergency management in Amador County. Lynne Olson, the County Emergency Services Coordinator and CESA member, nominated Cathy for this award. Cathy was selected for her award by the CESA State Board for her exemplary work in Amador County in the area of emergency preparedness including her work on the Amador Fire Safe Council (specifically the River Pines project completed June 2010), organizing and managing the Amador Animal Disaster and Evacuation Group, and her dedication to volunteerism with various groups impacting Amador County emergency management. The Gold Award is presented for exceptional efforts in the field of emergency management. It can be issued for preparedness efforts or for response to a specific event. Nominations come from the chapters and awards may be for both public and private sector nominees. Each year, CESA recognizes selected individuals and groups who have distinguished themselves while improving their community’s emergency preparedness. Cathy will attend the CESA banquet held in Monterey, California on September 16 to receive her award, which will be presented by Lynne Olson. A separate recognition will be held locally at the Amador Fire Safe Council meeting on August 18, 3 p.m., at the GSA building. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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