Also on Tuesday night, the Jackson Planning Commission approved the change of overflow parking for the Web of Life Child Care center on Jackson Gate Road. The parking will be lacated further back off the road than originally planned, where the ground is higher and more stable. The change, though more expensive to owner Donna La Vecchia, would be safer for the children and their caretakers. Resident Jack Georgette suggested that signs should be posted requesting drivers to SLOW DOWN. He is concerned that speeding traffic may collide with drivers leaving the parking area. Since the property is partially within city limits and partially in the county, Walt Hoeser suggested residents could request signage from either the Board of Supervisors or the City of Jackson.

Heinz Hamann, Amador Water Agency director for District 1, announced he will resign from the board effective Feb. 1. Hamann said he will go with great reluctance, but his wife’s health needs require that they move to Sacramento. Hamann has served on the Water Agency Board since 1998 – he took office right in the middle of the controversy over construction of the pipeline. He said he is honored to have served the people of Amador County. The Agency achievements he is most proud of from his tenure are the Amador Pipeline, the Buckhorn Water Treatment Plant, the Agency’s Recycled Water Plan, and the Regional Wastewater Master Plan. Hamann’s term runs until 2010. The water agency board is expected to invite letters of interest from candidates in District 1 interested in being appointed to serve out the remainder of Hamann’s term.

There was much debate at Tuesday’s Jackson Planning Commission Meeting over the permit for a parking structure at Buscaglia’s on Jackson Gate Road. The owners plan to turn the original restaurant that sits on the road into a parking structure and single hotel room with the same Tuscan design as the new restaurant on that property. The planning commission Site Review Committee determined that the project may need environmental review for possible historical significance. Owner Ron Sette (SETTY) says he looked but was unable to find any historical significance to the building. Commissioners overturned the ruling of the committee primarily because the history of the building was not addressed when the project was originally permitted back in 2002.

The original restaurant was remodeled years ago and there is almost nothing left except some yellow Ione bricks. Commissioner Terri Works felt the commission should support planning staff’s recommendation so as not to set a precedent. Also, she is not fond of the Tuscan look, which she feels does not fit in with the mining aesthetic of the area. References were made to the recent Jackson Economic Development Workshop where citizens generally agreed that Jackson should keep the mining theme. However, other residents were quick to point out that Jackson’s General Plan is still being updated, so enforcing a particular look, especially when the Tuscan style was already allowed for the new Buscaglia’s restaurant, did not make sense.

Jackson resident John Plasse, who also attended the Economic Development Workshop, said that citizens were requesting better restaurants to revitalize downtown Jackson. He felt if everyone in Jackson had to jump through these same hoops to remodel and upgrade buildings on Main Street, “We might as well throw in the towel.”  He felt that the owners of Buscaglia’s have done a beautiful job and the restaurant is an asset to Jackson. In the end, commissioners overturned the committee’s recommendation and allowed Sette to continue with his plans for converting the old restaurant to parking. Commissioner Dave Butow, past president of the Historical Society, considers Jackson Gate, North Main Street and Broadway as culturally sensitive areas. He suggested there should be a historical corridor in the General Plan, then owners would know up front if there were additional permitting requirements.

Local Supervisors Brian Oneto and Ted Novelli spearheaded a movement for more time and information regarding the Forest Service’s new Off Highway Vehicle Plan- and now their efforts are being rewarded. The Forest Service says the public comment period for the Eldorado National Forest Public Wheeled Motorized Travel Management Draft Environmental Impact Statement has been extended for an additional 45 days. Forest Supervisor Ramiro Villalvazo says the public comment period will end on October 22. The extension is an outcome of public comments the Forest Service received during six public meetings held in July and August that were attended by more than 1,100 people. The DEIS was released for public review on July 20, 2007.

The Amador Water Agency and the Board of Directors have continued to focus on small changes that make big impacts in the Amador Water System.  One of those changes has been identifying inexpensive projects that provide additional capacity.  Earlier this year the Agency embarked on increasing the capacity in the Tanner Treatment Plant, located on Ridge Road, by implementing two conjunctive projects.   While the Amador Water Agency has been developing plans to construct a new water treatment plant at Tanner, interim improvements were needed to continue to serve existing customers and impending growth.  

The Ione Police Department says they now know who caused community outrage in a vandalism spree. The Ione Police Department says they have completed the investigation into the two incidents of vandalism which occurred in the Edgebrook area during the month of July.  The Police Department says the investigation was successful and yielded the names of two juveniles, and one adult suspect, which will be forwarded to the Amador County District Attorney’s Office and the Amador County Probation Department. The Police department is recommending the filing of charges in connection with these incidents. For further information, contact Ione Police Chief Robert Olson at 274-2456.

Last week the Plymouth city council decided that joining the proposed Amador Regional Planning Committee, a joint powers authority, was not in the best interest of the city. The joint powers authority is proposed to act as a forum for discussion over regional issues. The J-P-A membership consists of one elected official from each participating city, a member of the Board of Supervisors and at least one citizen at large.

A Calaveras County jury of eight women and four men deliberated less than two hours yesterday morning before finding Daniel Rocha guilty of first-degree murder in the Mokelumne Hill shooting death of 19-year-old David Jessop. The murder occurred in March 2005 and stunned the quiet town. Rocha was also found guilty of committing the crime as a member of a criminal street gang.