Consultants hired by the
Calaveras County Community Developing Agency laid out the first steps Tuesday
in developing a new general plan that should be completed in early 2009.
In the first of a series of public meetings, Larry Mintier
of Mintier and Associates of Sacramento,
presented how the massive process is going to be undertaken. Mintier and Associates was hired by the county to complete
the first two phases in the general plan update process: program initiation and
a baseline report.
Mintier presented a timeline to the joint panel of
the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission which gave the estimates for
when each phase of the nine-phase program would be completed.
The nine phases are:
1 - Developing a baseline report. A baseline report will help paint a picture
of the county as it is today so that the necessary changes can be made in the
new general plan.
2 - Issues and opportunities that identify a range of concerns and choices,
particularly from the community.
3 - A vision statement,
which paints a picture of how the county will look 25 years in the future.
4 - An alternatives report, which will present the different paths and ways to
achieve that vision.
5 - A policy document, the plan to achieve the vision.
6 - Environmental impact
report.
7 - Fiscal impact assessment.
8 - Public review.
9 - Final documents and
adoption.
The timeline estimated that the plan would be in the alternatives phase at the
end of this year.
Mintier explained that general plans usually are
designed to stay in place for about 20 years before the next update. This new
general plan should be the county's master document until 2030.
A general plan must address
seven topics, or elements, under state law. They are:
Land use element - Designates the proposed general distribution, general
location and extent of the uses of land.
Circulation element - Deals with roadways, transit issues, airports and major
utility issues.
Housing element - This is
different from other elements in that it is on a separate cycle and must be
updated every five years.
Conservation element - This focuses on the conservation of specific natural
resources, generally those that have economic benefits such as water, forests,
soil, rivers and mineral deposits.
Open space element - This overlaps with the conservation element in many
instances. However, open space is much broader, it addresses all the issues
under conservation as well as wildlife, habitat, agriculture, trails, scenic
vistas, parks and recreation.
Noise element - This
identifies current noise conditions in the community and projects out into the
future and looks at the implications made in the general plan that will have
future noise consequences.
Safety element - This is designed to protect the community from environmental
hazards such as wildlife, flooding and geologic hazards.
Many of the elements overlap one another, and there is nothing in the law which
states that more elements cannot be added.
The baseline report will
address the following county characteristics:
- Scenic and community character.
- Housing.
- Transportation and
circulation. This aspect will be developed in conjunction with the Calaveras
Council of Governments.
- Public facilities, services and utilities.
- Recreation and cultural resources.
- Natural resources.
- Safety.
- Noise.
"This is going to be a
very comprehensive document. It's going to be fairly voluminous," Mintier said. The baseline report will not be a policy or
report on what should be done in the future. This document will be crucial in
the next phases of the update process, and will be referred to in future steps.
Tuesday's meeting was the first in a series of public meetings that will take
place over the next few weeks. The next meeting will take place on Tuesday in
San Andreas.
Another meeting was scheduled for Thursday in Murphys, but has since been
postponed.
For more information on future community meetings in Murphys contact Michelle
Houston with the Murphys Community Club at 728-2788.
Contact Colin Rigley at crigley@calaverasenterprise.com.