According to Planning Commissioner Rebecca Willis "11 issues are identified in the staff report. At the applicant’s
request, the Planning Commission continued the hearing until Dec 13th.
Staff is willing to meet with the applicant to look at project
modifications that Castle and Cooke may be willing to do and where that
may go. However, the nature of some of the items do not lend themselves
to being “resolved” in 90 days."
At the 9-13-12 meeting planning submitted a staff report that was
prepared August 24, 2012. The report stated that the Sawmill Lake Project was
not consistent with the Current General Plan and precludes option in the
conservation element, land use element and water element of the General Plan.
The report further stated that the Planning Commission direct 'staff to prepare
a resolution recommending that the Board of Supervisors deny without prejudice
the General Plan Amendment, Specific Plan, Vesting Tentative Map, and
Development Agreement for the Sawmill Lake Project based upon the findings
contained and found there in to be brought back to the Planning Commission for
action.'
The questions surrounding the approval of the project include,
but are not limited to, habitat of the Western Pond Turtle, six Tuolumne Button
Celery plants, residential water runoff that could potentially have detrimental
effects on Chinese Camp Brodiaea plants downstream, thinning of Oak trees, and
more. (Read full staff report for list of ‘findings.’)
Planning Commission 9-13-12 meeting VIDEO