Plymouth – The Plymouth City Council last week took comments from several large-property landowners whose ranches touch on the outskirts of the city, then took planners’ advice to approve its General Plan and Final EIR. They approved both, ending a 3-year job of updating the General Plan, which will guide the city for the next 16 years. Amador County Agriculture Commissioner Mike Boitano spoke in the public hearing on ag buffers around developments. He said what caught his eye was developers saying a “single, 6-foot, non-climb fence was adequate buffer for agriculture.” His biggest concern was that the city did not tie itself “to any one method” for buffers, because they need the flexibility to create buffers on a case-by-case basis. Boitano said as ag commissioner, it was his job to regulate pesticide laws. He said: “Placement of schools and parks up against range land or production ag land will affect the ranch or farm,” and his “hands are tied.” He said he would like to see a lot of space, such as a 300-foot buffer, but “at least you have them talking to each other.” Rancher William Greer told the council he owns a 1,100-acre ranch in Plymouth’s “planning area,” and he said he doesn’t believe the language in the General Plan and EIR is specific enough. He was concerned about residential impact on ag land, including dogs chasing his 340 steers, trash, and fire. He also dispelled rumors. He said he is a board member of JTS Communities, but is not planning to put a golf course on his ranch. He said: “I am never going to develop my ranch, and I have applied for a rangeland trust agreement.” He said he spoke with Reeder, whose development is next to Greer’s ranch. He said “Bob’s a great guy, but what if he goes away?” Reeder is planning to annex his developments into Plymouth. Greer said he is looking for a buffer and a fence.” Greer and others requested a buffer ordinance. Planner Paula Daneluk said “what we’re hearing tonight is project-specific issues.” She said the “planning area” designation in the General Plan gave the city no power over the land in it. Greer and others asked for better notification of city business that might affect their property. Daneluk said Greer could ask City Clerk Gloria Stoddard notify him whenever his land is subject to potential impact. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Plymouth – The Plymouth City Council voted 4-1 Thursday to approve the long-awaited update to it General Plan, and voted 3-2 to approve an accompanying Final Environmental Impact Report. Councilwoman Pat Fordyce and others lauded the work of planners Paula Daneluk and D’Arcy Goulart over the past 3 years. Mayor Jon Colburn said the General Plan sets the city’s path until 2025, or 16 years, but he voted against both items, saying that corrections he wanted should have been made. City Manager Dixon Flynn said the General Plan has cost the city $312,000, with all of the work combined costing nearly $500,000. Flynn said it would never be perfect, but there is an amendment process, which can change the General Plan up to 4 times a year. He said that could be as extensive as replacing the entire General Plan. Flynn said he recognized there are “people in this room and the community that have concerns about it.” He said they should “always pay close attention to the naysayers. A lot of times they have something important to say.” Councilwoman Pat Shackleton also voted against the FEIR, saying she did not think everyone got a chance to comment on it. Colburn said he thought they should have surveyed the city, and the General Plan update has “nothing in there to benefit the current residents of the city.” He said they would be better served by the then existing General Plan. Fordyce said she “put a lot of faith in the Planning Commission,” and the city has the best commission it has had in years. Councilman Mike O’Meara said they “did a good job of trying to protect the land around us.” O’Meara disagreed with Colburn, saying: “I think this is a wonderful document. I want to be a consultant in my next life.” Vice Mayor Greg Baldwin said the “planning area” in the General Plan “tells the county that we want to know if something goes on.” City Attorney Steven Rudolph told the council that the documents were legally defensible, and the minor changes did not justify the need for a continuance of a public hearing because none of the mitigation remedies were changed. Thursday’s meeting was a continuance of a public hearing on the 2 documents, and about a dozen people commented before close of the hearing at about 8 p.m. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors added to its string of 5-0 votes Thursday by unanimously selecting Engineering & Planning Manager Gene Mancebo to be the agency’s interim general manager. The board of directors discussed the appointment in closed and open session, then motioned to select Mancebo and took the vote. Mancebo said he was excited about the appointment, which makes him interim general manager at 5 p.m. Friday, September 5th, “which is kind of the official end of Jim’s term.” He said there was no time frame was specified to the appointment, but it would be something the directors look at as they decide on a full-time general manager. Mancebo said he likely will be a candidate for the full-time position, and stated “at least that’s what I plan to do.” Mancebo said he is approaching his 22nd year at the Amador Water Agency, where he started in 1988 as an assistant engineer. In 1989, he took the job of supervising engineer, and in 1992, he took over as department manager of engineering and planning, the position he has held ever since. He called the $20 million Amador Transmission Pipeline his lifelong work. He has presided over the Plymouth Pipeline project, which on Thursday was placing in its last segment of pipe. Mancebo said: “I’m really looking forward to the agency moving forward on a number of fronts.” He said: “There’s a tremendous amount of things that they want to work on, and I’m excited to be in that mix.” AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie, who is taking over as G.M. for the El Dorado Irrigation District, recommended Mancebo’s appointment, saying: “Gene is extremely competent and capable.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – The Plymouth Pipeline reportedly was nearing a connection to the Tanner Water Treatment Plant last week, among a handful of local projects that defy the dog days of the recession. Interim General Manager of the Amador Water Agency, Gene Mancebo, who takes over the post September 4th, said that contractors and AWA workers on Thursday were preparing to bury the final length of pipe on the Plymouth Pipeline. AWA Engineering Manager Gene Mancebo said they were “all but 100 percent done with the pipeline itself.” It would connect to the Tanner plant. More work remains, but this week, the crews could be pouring concrete footings for the Sutter Creek bridge, over which the Plymouth Pipeline crosses the creek. Paul Johnston of the Pine Grove Community Service District reported that the CSD was looking at an $80,000 to $85,000 project to increase fire fighting flows in the district. He told the AWA board last Thursday that they were looking at getting 4,000 fleet of 12-inch pipeline form their storage and out to Irishtown. They were doing “pre-bid” work. Johnston its purpose was also to “bring more water to developing areas.” He told the AWA board that they were looking at USDA grants and loans, and were “looking for AWA help with it.” He said they already have right-of-ways. Johnston said: “It’s ambitious for a small district like us, but we think we can handle it.” Mancebo said the Central Amador Water Project line goes to the district’s area. General Manager Jim Abercrombie said there “could be a small benefit to the Toma Lane customers.” He said staff would “get a little more meat on the bones,” bring it as a full item for the board, and see if they “want to participate financially.” The AWA Information Technology staff reported that it was changing its website domain name, to AmadorWater.org, which “more aligns with our infrastructure and business.” The agency still owns the old name, AmadorWA.com, but will be notifying all e-mail contacts of the new site name. Staff suggested the AWA board e-mail all its contacts with the new address. The change was made to provide a lot more security to the agency. Anyone who had been e-mailed by the AWA board would be notified automatically of the new websites and e-mail addresses. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.