What's Going On? Bias? Campaign Contributions?

   With all the comparisons of different events that take place in Calaveras County lately has come some loud controversy over why certain businesses have been allowed to run large events for years without any special permits, while others are shut down
by Calaveras County Supervisors.

   And why large concerts are considered agri-tourism on A1 land, but golfing is not?

   The Trinitas owners lost their property and investment, and we lost a million dollar beautiful golf course because our County Supervisors said they were illegal.   Zoning? A 1.

   Lake Tulloch Resort has been told they have to have a Condidtional Use Permit, and fees the County Sheriff has been harassing their guests. They say they are now turning it into a drug and alcohol rehab center because the zoning is unquestionable.  They are zoned C2 PD
  
   So who are they comparing themselves to? Could it be Ironstone Vineyards, who has been doing concerts with thousands of people in attendance for over 10 years? Zoning? A 1

   We wondered if these other two businesses have a legitimate complaint, so we asked Calaveras County Counsel if the Kautz have a Conditional Use Permit to have 5000 attend concerts there.

   We were sent a copy of a General Plan Amendment and Zoning Change application, along with a Conditional Use Permit, filled out in late April of 2012 by John and Gail Kautz, owners of Ironstone. That was only 4 months ago.

   We were told that this application is in the investigation process; NOTHING APPROVED!
Therefore, they have no special permit to have 5000 people at a concert at this time, nor did they for the ten prior years?

   Why were they not required to have special permits, or other special event permits for these 10 years?

   We asked several people, who refused to be identified. They all said the same thing. "The Kautz gave Tom Tryon money during his campaigns!"

   Shocked, we looked back on some old records and found this to be true. We also spoke to many local people who had made complaints over and over again years ago about problems with the large events at the winery.

    The main complaint was of the narrow road, which they all felt was too dangerous to allow so much traffic on for events. So what happened to those complaints and why wasn't the road (6 Mile) widened and made safe?

   When we asked this of Janis Elliott, she told us there had been 0 complaints filed against the Kautz or Ironstone. At least not in WRITING!  She says only written complaints count now.

   So is a certain elected official, or officials allowing some businesses to get away with and actually covering for them so they did't have to get any special permits for over 10 years?

   And now are they jumping all over two other businesses who seem to be doing the exact same thing unfairly?  Is there something crooked in Denver (or Calaveras County)? You tell us!

   Does there seem to be some discrimination or favorites allowed to do what they want while others are continually harrassed, even run out of business?