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The Trinitas golf course was built on 95 acres of historical grazing pasture on designated Natural Resources Land, zoned Agricultural Preserve, while under Williamson Act Contract – none of which recognize golf courses as a permitted use. The Williamson Act (WA) was specifically designed to preserve “agricultural and open space lands by discouraging premature and unnecessary conversion to urban uses.”
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Trinitas converts agricultural land to non-agricultural use: Except for the 11-acre olive orchard and 9 acres of ponds, the proposal would convert the bulk of 280 acres zoned for agriculture to commercial, residential, and private recreational use.
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Is growth-inducing: If the project is approved, the pressure to sell or develop adjoining and nearby agricultural land will be heightened, because the project also represents “leapfrog” development far from any existing community or services. Owners of land in close proximity to the golf course will face greater inducements to sell agricultural land for conversion to non-agricultural uses.
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Threatens neighbors’ “Right to Farm” (Zoning Code 17.18.015): “Any legally existing agriculture land use (farming, ranching, orchard, livestock, row crops, food processing) is considered to have a right to enjoy the productive and economic fruits of labors without fear of infringement on this right by encroaching residential or other non-agriculture development on adjoining parcels and lands in the general vicinity. The right to farm shall take precedence over all other adjoining and nearby land uses.” (RDEIR p.3.8-8) (emphasis added)
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Misrepresents “agri-tourism” and sets a dangerous precedent, because the balance between agriculture and tourism/recreation at Trinitas is seriously out of proportion – an 11-acre olive orchard versus 266 acres of non-agricultural uses. “The primary intent of agritourism is to provide farmers, ranchers, and other agriculturalists with options to supplement their income, which, in turn, would allow them to resist the pressure to sell their land for non-agricultural purposes. Agritourism was not intended to help a private golf course resort masquerade as a quaint rural enterprise.” (See RDEIR comments)
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Is inconsistent with Calaveras General Plan Land Use Element Goal II-3, to: “Preserve and manage those lands identified as Natural Resource Lands for the future good of the general public.” The stated objective is to open a private membership golf club, open to the public “until all memberships are purchased” (RDEIR, p.2-6) (individual memberships $50,000); offering golf lessons “…for members only” and privately sponsored golf tournaments for “groups and corporations.” (RDEIR, p.2-6) This objective neither preserves the natural resource land nor serves the general public.
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Conflicts with General Plan Goal II-20, to: “Provide for the development of recreation oriented commercial uses which are necessarily tied to the location of recreation resources.” It is not a “location-specific recreation-oriented commercial use that can be allowed outside of Community, Special, and Specific Plan areas, and Community Centers.” (General Plan Policy II-20A) There are no “natural features appropriate for associated recreation oriented commercial development.” such as caves, lakes and rivers.” (General Plan Implementation Measure II-20A-1) The golf course is a man-made recreational facility inappropriately located in an agricultural zone.
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Does not fit the “Conversion Criteria” proposed in the draft Agriculture and Forestry Element to the Updated General Plan
(See comments on RDEIR 3.8 - Land Use Planning & Agricultural Resources p.6)
See Planning Commission Hearing Exhibit 9, written comments “Regarding: The Ridge at Trinitas, FEIR, Chapter 3.8, Land Use and Agricultural Resources” for more information on this topic.