Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 07/31/2008 10:17 AM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 07/31/2008 10:17 AM
Expires: 01/01/2013 12:00 AM
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Letter to the Editor~By Kathy Mayhew
Dear Editor: "Keep It Rural, Calaveras agrees with Ken Churches' June 30 letter that agricultural operations, open space, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, oak woodlands, recreational opportunities and food security are all vital to sustaining Calaveras County's economic vitality. The Trinitas developers could have worked the orchard, sold their product, conducted educational tours, operated a tasting room and farmers market and promoted other Calaveras....
Grown enterprises without triggering an environmental impact report. It's not their olive oil business that's under CEQA review - it's their golf resort proposal.
They built an 18-hole golf course on Natural Resources/AP land, violating Williamson Act prohibitions that land under contract "shall not be used for any primary purpose other than the production of agricultural products." They did this AFTER being told by the County August 9, 2001 that: "Non-renewal of the contract will be effective March 1, 2006. Until that date, the property must remain zoned AP", and that: "a golf course, whether for private or public use, is not allowed in the Agricultural Preserve Zone as either a permitted or a conditional use." Such Williamson Act abuses threaten the continued existence of a program vital to the economic survival of thousands of farmers and ranchers statewide.
A golf course is NOT agri-tourism. The U.C. Small Farm Program's Agricultural Tourism online database identifies 12 "outdoor recreation" activities enabling visitors to learn about agricultural operations or enjoy natural settings; golf courses are neither, and aren't listed.
The olive orchard occupies only 5 percent of the site. At least 95 acres were converted prematurely to recreational use. Much of what's left would become roads, rooftops and parking lots for a huge clubhouse/event facility, motel and exclusive residences. A county zoning adjustment is required to make the golf course legal and to build the rest of the project.
The proposal in no way resembles a wildlife preserve. Many native oak trees around the course will probably die from irrigation over-watering within ten years. Ridge at Trinitas supporters need to stop trying to position it as the new face of agri-tourism. It's a growth-inducing, area-changing private membership golf resort that didn't play by the rules, doesn't belong in an ag zone and shouldn't be approved."
Kathy Mayhew
Wallace
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