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Erickson Ranch Annexation |
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Thursday, 21 February 2008 |
 After many public concerns
and comments on the Erickson Ranch Annexation at Tuesday’s Sutter Creek City
Council meeting, one Sutter Creek man summed it all up by stating, “Where
there’s smoke, there’s fire.” 187 acres that have been acquired by the city
from CalTrans are now slotted to be annexed into the city of Sutter Creek and made into a public open
park. Even though the council has
already signed off on the Cooperative Agreement and the
Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Report, citizens are still
concerned about the impact this property will have on Sutter Creek. Public
comments centered around two issues –the potential future taxpayer costs of
maintaining this property, and protecting the area’s natural habitat and Native
American plants and cultural areas.
The
deed to the property imposes several conditions on its use and maintenance.
One condition is that the property must be maintained “in perpetuity,” and
citizens are concerned that funding will eventually come out of the taxpayers’
pockets. City Manager Rob Duke answered
those concerns by indicating that much of the maintenance funding will instead
come from other sources, including, but not limited to, federal and state
grants, fee programs, and local volunteer efforts. Also, there was some concern about how and by whom the
Native American plants and cultural sites would be preserved, and the cost
associated with those actions. The
park will include a picnic area, a maintenance building, a walking trail around
the perimeter, and two access points with parking lots. The council will be voting on whether to annex the
property at the next council meeting on March 3, 2008.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 21 February 2008 )
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