The long awaited decision regarding the Martell Investments LLC issue of what uses are allowed in a Manufacturing zone appeared before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. Previously on February 6th the Board continued their decision and created an ad hoc committee consisting of Supervisors Rich Escamilla and Richard Forster to meet with staff to discuss options to present to the Board. Planning Director Susan Grijalva reported that the ad hoc committee and staff met and decided to move in a different direction than what was previously discussed. The Committee suggested to the Board that they allow an application be submitted to change the zoning of this specific property only from “M” Manufacturing District to “C1” Retail Commercial and Office District, which allows the uses proposed by Martell Investments representative Ron Regan.

Earlier this week, the Ione city council rejected a request for a meeting from the Buena Vista band of Me-Wuk Indians. The tribe had intended to meet with mayor Jerry Sherman and members of city staff to discuss the City’s comments regarding the Tribal Environmental Impact report. Specifically, the comments responded to the TEIR’s proposed mitigations for police and fire protection, traffic and circulation, noise and air quality, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and city administration, deeming the mitigations inadequate. Ione had received support from the county and supervisor for Dist. 2 Richard Forester.

On Tuesday the board of supervisors reviewed an appeal of the Planning Department’s interpretation of what uses are allowed in certain zones, specifically pertaining to a property zoned Manufacturing District. The property in question is located on the north side of Hwy. 88 at the west end of Martell Road in Martell. The developer Ron Regan of Martell Investments, Inc. is constructing a 31,500 sq. feet building the permit for which was issued for 15,750 sq. feet of office space and 15,750 sq. feet of warehouse occupancy.

Proposed amendments to a bill that could loosen restrictions on Indian uses of public land are being opposed by the Board of Supervisors. The proposed amendments could provide Native American tribes or tribal groups with the authority to seek immediate cancellation of the Williamson Act contract by qualifying a myriad of new uses on public land in public interest. In other words, it would loosen the regulations on activities that could be viewed as publicly beneficial on lands in which Tribes have an interest. “This indicates one more time that some powerful sovereign people realize that by using our legislation they can gain more power,” said activist Debbie Dunn during public comment at yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Supervisor Louis Boitano focused on the long term perspective when referring to what could be more lax regulations against tribal development. “Smaller, financially strapped counties wouldn’t have the resources to go into the cost of litigation- like us,” he said. In addition, members of the California State Association of Counties wrote a letter to State Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, who introduced the amendments.

The letter states: “These proposed amendments are in conflict with this policy and make a mockery of the County’s most successful voluntary farmland conservatory program.” The California Land Conservation Act of 1965--commonly referred to as the Williamson Act--enables local governments to enter into contracts with private landowners for the purpose of restricting specific parcels of land to agricultural or related open space use. In return, landowners receive property tax assessments which are much lower than normal because they are based upon farming and open space uses as opposed to full market value. The Board unanimously voted against the amendments.

After the Amador County Board of Supervisors deadlocked over approval of the Intergovernmental Services Agreement, or ISA, drafted by Tribal and County staff over months of negotiations, the Buena Vista Tribe yesterday announced it will file a demand for binding arbitration, as provided for under its Tribal-State Gaming Compact signed with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Under rules set up in the Compact and by both parties, the County and the Tribe had until March 18, 2008, at midnight to submit to each other their respective last, best written offers for purposes of arbitration.

Yesterday, the Tribe submitted its last, best written offer to the County. However, the County advised the Tribe yesterday that it will not be submitting an offer to the Tribe. Furthermore, the County stated it will not be participating in the arbitration proceedings. "As the County has acknowledged, the earlier-negotiated ISA offered the County terms and mitigation measures that went well beyond those required by the Compact," said John Tang, CEO of the Buena Vista Rancheria. "Our last, best written offer made to the County yesterday, and the only one that will be before the arbitrator, is nearly identical to the one previously negotiated. We could have made substantial and justifiable changes to the ISA that would have been much more favorable to the Tribe, but chose not to. Half the Supervisors who voted supported the negotiated ISA. We want to build on that.” An arbitrator will be selected in the coming weeks and it is expected that the arbitrator will issue an award by the end of April.

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.

The new homes for some Amador County offices are now taking shape as the walls are now up. Amador County Health and Human Services Administration, Behavioral Health (Mental Health/Alcohol & Drug Prevention), Public Health, Child Protective Services, Emergency Medical Services, Social Services , including Work Services, Tobacco Reduction, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), and the Amador County Public Authority will all move to the 49,228 square foot building when it is completed. The building located on Lower Ridge Rd. will have 201 parking spaces and is being built to suit by Catlin Development for the county. The county will then lease the building from Catlin

The Amador County Technical Advisory Committee recently reviewed proposed revisions to the Westover Field Airport Master Plan. The changes involve creating more space for commercial hangars, and the universal use of hangars at the airport. The Technical Advisory committee found that because the revisions do not change the functions of the airport, only how the planes are kept within the hangers, the revisions are categorically exempt from being subject to a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) checklist.

Amador Water Agency Board Members and Department heads held a Strategic Planning Workshop on Wednesday. The Agency looked at how it is meeting its current goals and the future needs of the county. One key agency goal for 2007 was “zero” water quality violations from the State Dept of Health Services – the agency received 2 violation notices in 2007 and was required to make one public notification of a water quality issue last year. In an annual customer survey on overall customer service and the agency’s rate sensitivity, customers gave the agency a 93% satisfaction mark.

The Agency applies for grants and low interest loans for water and wastewater projects when possible to keep the cost to ratepayers down. Workshop participants reviewed a lengthy list of grants and federally assisted loan application and the status of those applications was presented. Major projects on the Agency’s to do list: Installing a small-diameter pipe in the lower section of the Amador Canal in August of 2010, Construction of the Plymouth pipeline in August 2009, expanding the Tanner Water Treatment Plant Spring of 2011, bringing treated water to JVID and Buena Vista Raw Water customer, and adding water storage capacity to Lower Bear River Reservoir.

Because today is President’s Day tonight’s Jackson Planning Commission Meeting has been moved to tomorrow, Tuesday February 20th. The commission will be tackling a full agenda as well as a workshop to develop a recommendation to the City Council on the Housing Equivalent Units, or HEUs, Allocation for the upcoming year, as well as the development criteria. In December of 2004 the City Council adopted the Resource Constraints and Priority Allocation Policy per the Planning Commission’s recommendation. The policy is the City’s growth management program and is designed to control growth at a rate that can be supported by the infrastructure and service demand created by new housing units.