::: COMMUNITY NEWS

County OKs resuming South development in exchange for $1.5 million in bridge funds

Published Thursday, August 21, 2003

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved an interim ordinance Tuesday that allows the South developer to continue building and provides funding to get the $1.5 million bridge proposed by the Rancho Murieta Association under way.

The supervisors also approved an agreement for funding the bridge or funding alternatives to the bridge if it cannot be constructed by 2008.

The supervisors said the matter will be revisited in 45 days.

The ordinance modifies a previous requirement for the South developer to provide a river crossing before the 601st building permit would be issued by the county.

The 600th permit on the South was issued a few months ago. Since then, the county has held firm and not issued more permits until the crossing requirement was addressed.

Reynen & Bardis, the South developer, worked out an agreement with the Rancho Murieta Association to fund a proposed $1.5 million bridge in exchange for the association’s support for the amended ordinance. The ordinance immediately provides $450,000 for the design and permitting phases of the bridge and allows construction to continue on the South. The remainder of the bridge cost is secured by a letter of credit from the developer.

The county is a party to the funding agreement that was originally negotiated by the developer and the RMA since it will collect a fee of $850 per unit from new development on the North and the South to repay the South developer.

The interim ordinance, which was fast-tracked to the supervisors, will be replaced by a permanent ordinance within a specified time frame. It goes back to the supervisors in 45 days. Prior to that, it will go before the Cosumnes Community Planning Advisory Council a second time for fuller consideration. The CCPAC board, an advisory body, deadlocked last week on whether to approve the measure.

"We can track this as it goes forward," said Supervisor Don Nottoli, who represents Rancho Murieta, and has worked with community officials and the developer on this issue.

Nottoli and other county officials pointed out that the provisions of the ordinance and the progress of the bridge will be subject to public scrutiny.

There will be a public hearing process before the ordinance is made permanent. Additionally, the fee requirement will become part of the planning process for new development on both the North and South.

Nottoli seemed to be responding to comments from residents Ron Hand and John Kershaw, a CCPAC member, who addressed the supervisors about the haste and lack of public input that have characterized the bridge proposal to date. Hand also questioned the RMA’s reliance on a single bid for the project.

Before making a motion to adopt the ordinance and to approve the funding agreement, Nottoli pledged he would "make sure the community is kept informed of the project."

A contingent from the RMA attended the one-hour session. RMA President Michael Schieberl spoke on behalf of the ordinance and the bridge project. Resident Randy Jenco, president of Viking Construction, the company that will build the bridge, told the supervisors it was his "personal ambition" to complete the project, and affirmed that his company's $1.5 million bid was viable.