Gold Rush Ranch proponents face a thumbs-down state appraisal of environmental documentation for the 945-acre subdivision-golf course project proposed in Sutter Creek.

California's Department of Transportation weighed in May 4 with letters to city planners and Amador County public works officials. Caltrans used comparatively strong language in criticizing the second of two drafts of Sutter Creek's Environmental Impact Report on Gold Rush Ranch. The document is intended to satisfy planning requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act.

"Based on the inadequate and flawed Draft Environmental Impact Report Chapter 6, 'Transportation and Circulation' as circulated, and additionally the lack of addressing even those significant impacts the DEIR has disclosed, the department recommends that the city of Sutter Creek not certify this EIR or approve any additional entitlements for this project," Caltrans chief of rural planning Daniel Brewer wrote to the city.

Significant material from the first draft was deleted in writing the second - creating a "piece-meal" document, Brewer noted.

Charles Field, executive director of the Amador County Transportation Commission, said he believed Caltrans is concerned that no analysis has been made - and importantly, no comment opportunity is provided - concerning the traffic impacts from Gold Rush Ranch that would come between the time a first project phase was finished and 2025, when a second phase would be finished. He said he did not agree or disagree with Caltrans' opinion that the document is seriously flawed.

"'Full Build Out' is in reality a phase 2 development, which can reasonably be expected to begin prior to year 2025 and needs to continue to be analyzed as a separate interim scenario - in lieu of DEIR#2 deleting this scenario, in which the project creates numerous significant impacts," Brewer wrote.

Numerous comments including Caltrans' have arrived to Sutter Creek officials on the second Gold Rush Ranch draft EIR, said Sean Rabe, assistant city manager. He said city officials are not blanching in the face of the strong language from the state. Sutter Creek will go about responding to Caltrans' comments as it will to others in preparing a final environmental review. However, Caltrans alone among commenters has the power to deny "encroachments" - feeder streets and driveways - onto a state highway, Rabe noted.

"They might decide not to allow some encroachments," Rabe said.

Caltrans' terse language impressed members of the non-profit Foothill Conservancy, which itself has offered comment on the Gold Rush Ranch draft EIR.

"They're not usually so unequivocal," said Katherine Evatt, president.

Chris Wright, executive director, said, "That they condemn it in strong language like that is kind of shocking. Something like, 'Keep working on it' was more what I expected."

Caltrans castigated document preparers not only for failures to analyze, but for effectively stifling public comment. The second draft EIR states, "The final EIR will not respond to comments submitted during the revised draft EIR sections review period that do not address (exclusively) the revised draft EIR sections."

"Deleting this critical analysis scenario (the time between completion of phase 1 and completion of the entire project) related to the implementation of the project 'Full Build Out' allows the DEIR to avoid disclosing its impacts," Brewer wrote.

Rabe noted that the consultant Fehr and Peers firm, author of the draft document, is highly regarded around the state as a traffic-impacts analyst.

Gold Rush Ranch project applicant Bill Bunce said, "We are presently reviewing the Caltrans letter with our team and with the city's consultant team. Once we've had a chance to better understand Caltrans' concerns, we'll take appropriate actions."