Ledger-Dispatch

By Kelly Scott (kenos@ledger-dispatch.com) =

District 3 Supervisor Ted Novelli = addresses=20 attendees of an Upcountry Community Council meeting last month. = Upcountry=20 residents have grown concerned about a general plan proposal that = could=20 restrict where some are permitted to live.

Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger=20 Dispatch
Some upcountry residents are = worried one=20 of the proposals in the county's general plan update could have them = seeking use=20 permits to remain in their homes.

The unlikely pitch was crafted = because=20 of a lack of services in high-elevation areas, such as electricity, fire = protection and sewage. The majority of the land in the affected area = east of=20 where Highway 88 and Shakeridge Road converge, is either publicly owned = by the=20 Bureau of Land Management or U.S. Forest Service, or else privately = owned by=20 Sierra Pacific Industries. But there are pockets of homes, including = many around=20 Silver Lake where services like electricity, water and sewer have been = an issue.=20 Fifteen to 20 existing parcels could be reclassified.

According = to the=20 report done by EDAW, a firm retained by the county for the general plan = update,=20 these lands are "subject to heavy snowfall and have scattered timber = cover". A=20 conditional use permit would be required for any use of this land = according to=20 the land use classification system, including the limited residential=20 use.

Concerns about that designation have come from several = residents,=20 including District 1 Supervisor-elect John Plasse. Plasse, who lives = just=20 outside Jackson and whose family once owned Plasse's Resort, said the = issue=20 wasn't one of rezoning, but one that would place restrictions east of = what's=20 known as the R13 grid.

"In their words, the county does not = encourage=20 year round living above 4,000 feet due to lack of resources," he=20 said.

The county's hired firm, EDAW, is concerned that if an = officer is=20 an hour away patrolling upcountry, away from the greater population, it = may not=20 be in the best interest of the county or an effective method of using = resources.=20 The proposed use permit would allow the county to regulate the time of = the year=20 when occupancy would be encouraged.

"No, not a good idea," said = upcountry=20 resident Mark Henry. "In other words, the county is saying that = upcountry=20 residents aren't important enough to have sheriff's services and we can = only=20 live in our homes when they tell us we can."

Similar sentiments = echoed at=20 an Upcountry Community Council last month, where roughly 40 people came = to hear=20 about the general plan proposal, among other matters. After debating the = issue,=20 the council agreed to put the concerns in writing to the board of = supervisors.=20

Currently, residents in the affected area need a permit to use = roads the=20 forest service doesn't necessarily have to maintain. If the county = allows any=20 type of development or parcel splitting on these lands, it becomes = responsible=20 for providing services full-time.

"It seems to me that this is an = attempt=20 to justify not providing services," Plasse observed.

Novelli said = he is=20 personally acquainted with a year-round Panther Creek resident who deals = effectively with the winter months by parking a vehicle on the highway = where it=20 is plowed and either snowmobiling out or walking during the snow season. = Most=20 upcountry residents are similarly used to dealing with the weather, = Novelli=20 added. The supervisor said he could only foresee requiring use permits = for new=20 developments.

"Otherwise, as a supervisor, I would say no permits = are=20 necessary, especially if you are familiar with the winter months," said=20 Novelli.

"It's good for all of us to remember that even after the = general=20 plan is adopted, nothing stays cast in stone," added Upcountry Community = Council=20 member Debbie Dunn. "Every county is allowed four amendments a year to = their=20 general plan."

The board of supervisors cannot accept the general = plan=20 update without the county Planning Department's agreement, Novelli = explained.=20 "Hopefully we can all make concessions for the better of Amador = County."

Kelly = Scott