Planning Director Responds to Haley's e-mail

   Rebecca Willis, Calaveras County Planning Director, sent us a response regarding Castle and Cooke's Dave Haley sending out an e-mail to residents in Copperoplis.

    Per Willis:

    "I have no knowledge of a Castle & Cooke email claiming to contact Dave Haley if anyone is interested in the plan.

    Dave Haley is NOT in charge of the Copperoplis Comunity Plan."

   In addition, Willis told us "The subcommittee did a very good job and provided the Planning Department with goals on time as they were tasked to do.

    The Planning Department needs to provide additional information so that goals, policies, and implementation language is technically accurate and conforms to a protocol.

    Goals are worded very broadly. Policies are more defined and focus on specific topics. Implementation measures have specific programs or action plans to carry things out.

   This can be a tedious process with the English language.  We thought it would be a better use of everyone's time if staff works with the subcommittee on ffinalizing the language into these categories and then we can bring the draft goals and policies to the whole Copperoplis Community Plan Advisory Committee for its review along with public input.

   That is why the January meeting was cancelled.  We will have the subcommittee's work ready to present at the February meeting.

   The Sawmill Project is required to be evaluated against the current General Plan under state law.

   Obviously, the current General Plan does not include a Copperopolis Community Plan since the County has not yet adopted such a plan.

    If anyone is interested in more information on the Sawmill Project, we have posted the environmental documents and the Planning Commission agenda materials on the Planning Department home page. Here is the link:

    http://www.co.calaveras.ca.us/cc/departments/planningdepartment.aspx

   Please note that on December 13, 2012, the Planning Commission recommended the Board of Supervisors deny the Sawmill Lake project without prejudice on a 3-2 vote.

     This was also the Planning Department's staff recommendation.  This project will be scheduled for public hearing with the Board of Supervisors in February 2013.

    We will let you know when a public hearing date is confirmed."

   We appreciate Rebecca Willis' time and willingness to clarify confusing facts and unfounded rumors.