Gold Rush Ranch and Golf 
Resort 
Draft Environmental Impact 
Report 
Draft EIR Public Hearing Presentation 
to 
City of Sutter Creek 
Planning Commission 
Environmental Stewardship & Planning, 
Inc. 
August 25, 2008

Presentation Overview


• Proposed Project 
• Environmental 
Review Process 
• Significant and 
Unavoidable Impacts 
• Alternatives 

Proposed Project 

• 18-hole golf course 
• Combined golf and community clubhouse 
• 1,334 residential units 
• 300 interval-ownership vacation units 
• 60-room hotel 

Proposed Project 


(continued)


• 57,000 square feet of neighborhood 
commercial uses 
• Police/fire station site 
• Two passive-use park sites 
• 300 acres of permanently preserved open space
• Roadway and utility infrastructure 

Environmental Review


• Notice of Preparation and EIR Scoping: Spring 
2005 

• Draft EIR Released: June 30, 2008 

• Draft EIR Review Period Ends: August 29, 
2008 

• Draft EIR Public Hearing Purpose: To Receive 
Oral Comments 

• Final EIR to be Prepared after Draft EIR 
Review Period 


Resource Issues 


Evaluated in Draft EIR


• Population and Housing 
• Public Services and Utilities 
• Transportation and Circulation 
• Air Quality 
• Noise 

Resource Issues 


Evaluated in Draft EIR


(continued)


• Soils and Geology 
• Hydrology and Water Quality 
• Public Safety and Hazards 
• Biological Resources 
• Cultural and Paleontological Resources 
• Visual Resources 
• Land Use 

Other Issues 


Addressed in Draft EIR


• Growth Inducing Effects 
• Cumulative Impacts 
• Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes
• Evaluation of Alternatives 

Significant and Unavoidable 
Impacts


Project-Specific Impacts: 

• Expansion of public facilities 
• Increased traffic on area roads 
• Ozone precursor emissions 
• Changes in the visual character of the 
Project site 
• Night sky lighting 

Significant and Unavoidable 
Impacts 


(continued)


Cumulative Impacts: 

• Increased traffic on area roads 
• Greenhouse gas emissions 
• Ozone precursor emissions 
• Traffic noise adjacent to area roads 
• Night sky lighting 

Alternatives


• Alternative 1 - No Project Alternative 
• Alternative 2 - Development Consistent with 
Existing land Use and Zoning Designations 
(Environmentally Superior Alternative) 
• Alternative 3 - Reduced Project Alternative

Component Alternatives


• Component Alternative A - Access to site from 
SR 88 
• Component Alternative B - Internal access to 
Lots 22 and 26 

Questions or Comments 
from Planning 
Commission