Ledger-Dispatch

By Jerry Budrick (jbudrick@ledger-dispatch.com= )=20

Ione city officials and a few members = of the=20 public discuss Mother Lode architectural style and a sign = ordinance=20 Wednesday night.

Photo by: Jerry=20 Budrick
In their most recent step toward=20 modernization, the Ione City Council and Planning Commission held a = joint=20 meeting Wednesday night to consider definition of the term, "Mother Lode = architecture," and possible new sign regulations.

"Back in June, = the=20 council instructed staff to embark on a revision of the city's zoning = codes,"=20 began Ione Planning Director Christopher Jordan. "Tonight, we're going = to try to=20 define Mother Lode architectural style."

Jordan was referring to=20 inclusion of the term in Chapter 17.76 of the Ione Municipal Code, which = reads,=20 "Mother Lode type of architecture is defined as having the type of = architecture=20 generally used in the Mother Lode areas in the state in the period of = 1849 to=20 1860, inclusive, and the type of architecture exemplified by the = buildings known=20 as the Ione Hotel, Ione Parlor No. 33 Building, and Daniel Stewart Co.=20 Store."

The staff report circulated by Jordan points out that the = chapter=20 "provides no further explanation of the Mother Lode style. Hence, the = Code=20 creates a great deal of uncertainty for determining if projects conform = to the=20 Mother Lode style."

Three identifiable architectural styles are = found in=20 the historic downtown area of Ione: classical revival style; commercial=20 vernacular style; and Italianate style. Three other towns - Sutter = Creek, Grass=20 Valley and Truckee - famous for similar architecture have enacted strong = protective ordinances.

Jordan hopes to put more teeth into Ione's = ordinance, which protects the historic district, shown on maps as = comprising the=20 three blocks of Main Street between North Ione Street and South = Sacramento=20 Street, plus portions of North Ione, Church, South Buena Vista and South = Sacramento streets. Suggestions were made to stretch the boundaries of = the=20 historic district, but any decisions will have to wait for future=20 meetings.

Staff suggestions were met with a generally positive = response=20 from the four city council members and four planning commissioners. Most = comments centered around other examples of well-preserved or resurrected = cities.

"Old Sac used to be a dump," said City Councilman Jim = Ulm. "Then=20 they put in the wooden sidewalks and really changed it."

Mayor = Andrea=20 Bonham spoke of Murphys and the fine job that's been done there. Ione = resident=20 Jack Brotherton backed her up with examples of his own.

The only = note of=20 dissent came from Bonham: "I'm more concerned for making buildings true = to their=20 own style. It comes down to the quality. I don't think we should make = the=20 definition of Mother Lode too limiting or narrow."

City Manager = Kim Kerr=20 spoke of state funds that are available for buildings with facade fronts = on=20 California state highways. Ione's Main Street would be eligible, being = on not=20 just one, but two, state highways: 120 and 124.

Planning = Commissioner=20 David Plank asked if it wouldn't make sense to catalog the buildings in = the=20 historic district. Fellow commissioner David Jenkins added, "There are = only=20 about 12 buildings we're talking about."

"I think, rather than a = style,=20 you should pick a period - say, 1850 to 1940," said Ione resident and = Castle=20 Oaks Golf Club Manager Dominic Atlan. "That would pretty much cover all = the=20 buildings that are there now." Atlan also suggested expansion of the = historic=20 district.

In addition to clarifying the definition of Mother Lode = architectural style, Jordan will be changing the permit application = process,=20 streamlining and simplifying it to save applicants and the city both = time and=20 money.

The second half of the meeting was devoted to the legally=20 complicated issue of sign ordinances. "Our current (sign) regulations," = said=20 Jordan, "are very, very, very sparse."

Spurred into action by = numerous=20 election season discussions of the need for some sort of regulation of = political=20 signs, the city council authorized Jordan to include development of = city-wide=20 signage regulations in his zoning code update.

Assistant City = Attorney=20 Melissa Foster was quick to explain some intricacies of the law = pertaining to=20 signs. Staple signs can be banned, she said, but content cannot be=20 regulated.

Jordan often mentioned that only time, place and = manner can be=20 regulated (size can also be limited). Time is what allows cities to = control=20 signage, making regulation of temporary signs enforceable, but = regulation of=20 political signs unenforceable.

Lighting of signs became a hot = topic, with=20 the question of neon signs bouncing around the horseshoe-shaped table = for some=20 time. Eventually, Jordan agreed with the council and commissioners that = a sign=20 ordinance would have to include exceptions to be workable.

Jerry = Budrick