Demands for more public inclusion in the new county general plan took center stage at the Aug. 12 meeting of the Amador County Planning Commission.

Vince DeStigter, president of Amador Citizens for Responsible Government, claimed in a letter to the board of supervisors that Planning Director Susan Grijalva was against their request for pre-EIR public hearings on the general plan, something Grijalva disputed. "It was never our intention to avoid public participation," Grijalva explained. "We are scheduling joint meetings, and after the meetings, more workshops will be held before the final process."

ACRG, supported by the County Business Council, Association of Realtors, Grape Growers, and Farm Bureau, claimed that preliminary documents included harsh restrictions and anti-property proposals. "Property owners want a place at the table," the letter said. "We will not give up on this."

ACRG's request for more public hearings, "not workshops," went to the board of supervisors, which left it up to the planning department to decide. Meetings may be scheduled by mid-October, Grijalva said. Meeting materials will be available for public review at the planning department and posted on its Web site, with staff recommendations and proposed conditions for approved projects.

Next came the Healing Word Church's application for a use permit allowing a 35-seat church, including Sunday services, bible study, and counseling, to be located in the Buckhorn Plaza in the old Bank of Amador building. The project received a mitigated negative declaration from an environmental study because of traffic, parking and public health issues. "How many bible studies, how many days and how many people?" asked Commissioner Ray Ryan.

Don Baueley, spokesman for the church, said he couldn't predict how many days. "As few as two or as many as five," he said.

Grijalva said numbers matter. "Higher water usage affects other tenants, for example." After discussion, Ryan moved to approve the use permit as filed, with two days of bible study, suggesting the church submit a letter of appeal later if a greater need arises.

In other business, planners noted that the board of supervisors had granted the appeal of the Amador Vintners Association request for a variance on their use permit. The commission also approved Ventosa Colina's request for extension of time for a tentative subdivision near old Ridge Road, and Ralph and Karen Benson's request for extention of time for a proposed subdivision near Shake Ridge Road.

Sierra Pacific Industries, applicant Catlin Martell II, requested a categorical exemption on their tentative proposal to divide lot 3 of the Sierra West Business Park in Martell into two parcels. This was approved with some conditions after no problems were reported. It will go on to the board of supervisors for a final decision.

Planner Nathan Lishman asked for guidelines for compensating staff for the extra time needed for large projects coming in, such as commercial and manufacturing buildings and high density multi-family units. Working with first-time developers also takes more time, he said. Other planners questioned what fees are reasonable for applicants, especially on the corridor.

Several projects required consideration of denial due to lack of activity, usually involving failure of the applicant to provide enough information about water, sewage or setbacks. Those can be found on the planning commission's Web site at www.co.amador.ca.us.