General Plan Update Working Paper January 2008 In this Working Paper Page Introduction... LU-1 Distribution of Existing Land Uses... LU-1 Current General Plan Designations... LU-5 Westover Field Airport Land Use Plan... LU-12 References... LU-13 Figures LU-1 LU-2 Existing (2007) Land Use Classifications... LU-3 Existing General Plan Land Use Classifications... LU-7 Tables LU-1 County Assessor Land Use Categories... LU-1 LU-2 Existing County Assessor Land Uses... LU-2 LU-3 Housing Units, 1990-2007... LU-5 LU-4 Current General Plan Land Use Designations... LU-6 LU-5 Dwelling Units and Non-Residential Square Footage by General Plan Category LU-9 LU-6 Zoning Districts... LU-10 LU-7 Zoning District-General Plan Designation Consistency... LU-11 LU- I
Introduction This working paper provides information on current land uses and general plan land use designations in Amador County. This information provides a context for examining constraints and opportunities for land use change over the 20-plus year planning horizon of the General Plan. These constraints and opportunities, along with the emerging vision articulated by the GPAC, have been used to generate three land use alternatives. Distribution of Existing Land Uses Amador County s current land use pattern is comprised of large areas of forest land, agriculture (including crops and livestock), rural residences, industrial and mining/mineral resource extraction, and a number of unincorporated communities that have a mixture of land uses, including commercial, industrial, and residential uses. Existing land uses in Amador County have been documented based on County Assessor use codes. These use codes have been collapsed into broader categories of land use, as described in Table LU-1. Table LU-2 presents a summary of existing land uses by acreage within the unincorporated area and the county area based on these broad land use categories. Assessor use codes do not coincide with either general plan land use designations or zoning categories, but provide a snapshot of existing conditions on the ground. Table LU-1 County Assessor Land Use Categories Category Agricultural-Improved Agricultural-Preserve Residential-Improved Residential-Manufactured Commercial-Improved Industrial-Improved Timber Preserve Zone Miscellaneous-Improved Agricultural-Vacant Commercial-Vacant Industrial-Vacant Residential-Vacant Miscellaneous-Vacant Land Use Category Agricultural Residential Commercial Industrial Timber Preserve Zone Miscellaneous Vacant Agricultural uses are located throughout the western half of the county. The majority of the area west of SR-49 and the Shenandoah Valley is currently in agricultural use. LU - 1
Residential uses are also located throughout the county. These uses are concentrated in the county s unincorporated communities, including Buckhorn, Camanche, Drytown, Fiddletown, Pine Grove, Pioneer, Red Corral, River Pines, and Volcano. Other large areas of residential development include the Ridge Road area between Martell and Pine Grove, and the Amador Pines area above Buckhorn. Table LU-2 Existing County Assessor Land Uses Category Unincorporated County County Total Approximate Acres Percent Approximate Acres Percent Agriculture 112,100 29.7 112,800 29.3 Commercial 2,100 0.6 2,500 0.7 Industrial 600 0.2 600 0.2 Misc. 4,800 1.3 4,900 1.3 Residential 46,800 12.4 48,200 12.5 Vacant 180,600 47.9 185,100 48.1 TPZ 28,300 7.5 28,300 7.5 Unclassified 2,000 1.3 2,200 0.6 Total 377,300 100 384,600 100 Note: Percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding. Commercial areas in Amador County are found primarily in unincorporated communities such as Martell, Pioneer, Pine Grove, Volcano, Drytown, Fiddletown, Red Corral, and Buckhorn. Industrial uses are located primarily in Martell but also distributed throughout the western portion of the county, particularly near Ione. Timber Preserve Zones (TPZ) are located in the eastern half of the county, and along the Cosumnes River. Miscellaneous land uses include federally-owned forest lands in the eastern half of the county, lands surrounding reservoirs, and some mineral resource land near Ione. Vacant land, which includes multiple County Assessor land use categories (except TPZ), is located throughout the county. Figure LU-1 presents the location of existing land uses based on the broad categories created from the County Assessor use codes. LU- 2
Existing Housing Stock Table LU-3 presents the number of housing units by type in the unincorporated area of Amador County between 1990 and 2007. These figures are published by the California Department of Finance. Table LU-3 Housing Units, 1990-2007 Year Annual Single-Family Multi-Family Total Mobile Percent 2 to 4 5 Plus Units Detached Attached Homes Change Units Units 2007 11,528 1.35 10,222 89 126 53 1,038 2006 11,374 2.39 10,090 89 122 47 1,026 2005 11,108 1.49 9,845 89 110 47 1,017 2004 10,945 1.25 9,717 84 88 47 1,009 2003 10,810 1.69 9,582 84 88 47 1,009 2002 10,630 1.51 9,404 84 86 47 1,009 2001 10,472 1.01 9,246 84 86 47 1,009 2000 10,367 1.72 9,142 83 86 47 1,009 1990 8,888 -- 7,742 203 943 Source: Department of Finance May 2007, August 2007 The average annual growth rate for housing units has been about 1.64 percent over the past 17 years. Eighty-nine percent of the county s residential units are singlefamily detached homes. In 2007, there were 1,038 mobile homes and fewer than 300 multi-family units in the unincorporated county. Unlike urban and suburban communities, a large proportion of Amador County s housing stock is not occupied year round. The 2000 Census reported that 1,712 housing units were held for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use, over 11 percent of the county s housing stock. Because of the high percentage of such housing units, there is a less direct correlation between housing unit growth and population growth in Amador County than in urban and suburban communities. Current General Plan Designations The current General Plan defines 26 categories of land use, of which seven are defined within the text but not depicted on the Land Use Diagram. These designations, along with their acreages and percentage of county area, are presented in Table LU-4. The current General Plan Land Use Map is provided as Figure LU-2, following Table LU-5. LU - 5
Table LU-4 Current General Plan Land Use Designations Current General Plan Land Use Designation Acreage Percent of County Total R-S Residential-Suburban 14,800 3.9% R-L Residential-Low Density 600 0.2% R-M Residential-Medium Density 1 <0.1% UA Urban Planning Area 7,900 2.1% LS Local Service Center SP Special Planning Area 2,800 0.7% SP-I Special Planning Area-Interim I Industrial 1,900 0.5% C Commercial 500 0.1% PS Public Service 1,100 0.3% A-T Agricultural-Transition 31,200 8.1% A-E Agricultural-Estates 4,200 1.1% A-I Agricultural-Intensive 800 0.2% A-M Agricultural-Marginal 20,100 5.2% A-G Agricultural-General 156,700 40.8% A-U Agricultural-Upland 2,900 0.8% A-MR Agricultural-Mineral Resources MRZ Mineral Resources Zone 12,200 3.2% O-WS Open-Watershed O-W Open-Wilderness 23,600 6.1% O-F Open-Forest 63,900 16.6% O-C Open-Crest O-R Open-Recreation 6,600 1.7% GF General Forest 30,000 7.8% WP Water Project DF Designated Floodway -- Water 2,200 0.6% Total 384,001 100% Note: Grey-shaded designations are currently described in General Plan text, but are not shown on the Land Use Diagram. Acreage totals do not add up to 100% due to rounding and the presence of 46 acres of unclassified land. Source: EDAW 2007 LU- 6
Table LU-5 presents an estimate of the number of dwelling units and commercial and industrial square footage in the various General Plan land use categories. Average residential densities are based vacancy rates. Estimates of average commercial/industrial floor area ratios (FARs) are based on FARs for typical commercial and industrial properties. These values were derived from current development characteristics within the county. Table LU-5 Dwelling Units and Non-Residential Square Footage by General Plan Category Class Average Units/Acre FAR Average FAR Acreage Estimated Housing Units Estimated Total Square Feet A-E 0.05 -- -- 4,200 210 -- A-G 0.01 -- -- 156,700 1,567 -- A-I 0.01 -- -- 800 8 -- A-M 0.01 -- -- 20,100 201 -- A-T 0.1 -- -- 31,200 3,120 -- A-U 0.01 -- -- 2,900 29 -- C -- 0.9 0.09 500 0 1,262,749 GF 0.001 -- -- 30,000 30 -- I -- 0.6 0.002 1,900 0 1,000,000 MRZ 0.0145 -- -- 12,200 177 -- O-F 0 -- -- 63,900 0 -- O-R 0.01 -- -- 6,600 66 -- O-W 0 -- -- 23,600 0 -- PS -- -- -- 1,100 0 -- R-L 3 -- -- 600 1,800 -- R-M 18 -- -- 1 18 -- R-S 0.215 -- -- 14,800 3,182 -- SP 0.4 -- -- 2,800 1,120 -- UA -- -- -- 7,900 0 -- Water -- -- -- 2,200 0 Grand Total 384,001 11,528 Actual Total 11,528 2,262,749 Note: Commercial and Industrial square footage area estimated based on assessor data and input from the Amador Economic Development Corporation and County staff. Commercial and Industrial FARs are estimated and account for the percentage of vacant land in these categories. Percentages do not total 100% based on rounding and the presence of unclassified parcels. Source: EDAW 2007 LU- 9
Zoning Districts The County s zoning code serves as the primary implementation tool for the General Plan. Whereas the General Plan is a policy document and sets forth broad direction for development decisions, the zoning ordinance is a regulatory document that establishes specific standards for the use and development of each property in the county. The zoning code regulates development intensity using a variety of methods, such as setting limits on appropriate building setbacks and building heights. The code specifically outlines regulations, indicating which land uses are permitted in the various zones. The county is divided into 23 zoning districts. Table LU-6 lists those districts. Table LU-6 Zoning Districts U Unclassified District X Special Use District R-1 Single Family Residential District R-2 Low Density Multiple Family Residential District R-3 High Density Multiple Family Residential District C-1 Retail Commercial and Office District C-2 Heavy Commercial District M Manufacturing District LM Light Manufacturing District MM Medium Manufacturing District A Agricultural District AG Exclusive Agriculture District H Highway Commercial - Recreation District T-1 Trailer-Camp District T-2 Mobilehome Park-Camp District B Combining Lot Size District RE Residential Estate District R-2A Two-Acre Residential District TPZ \Timberland Preserve Zone PD Planned Development District MR Mineral Resources District R-1A Single-Family Residential-Agricultural District DR Combining Design Review District VR Vehicle Restriction Combining District O-S Open Space District Source: Amador County Code 19.12.010, 19.24.010-19.24.048 Section 65860 of the California Government Code requires that zoning codes be consistent with a jurisdiction s general plan. Specifically, the various zoning districts LU- 10
must be compatible with the objectives, policies, general land uses, and programs in the general plan. If the zoning code becomes inconsistent with the general plan by reason of amendment to the general plan, the zoning code must be amended within a reasonable time so that it is consistent with the amended general plan (Government Code 65860). Table LU-7 shows the correlation between the General Plan land use designations and the zoning districts that implement those designations. Table LU-7 Zoning District-General Plan Designation Consistency Existing Land Use Designation Compatible Zoning Districts R-S Residential-Suburban RE, R-2A, R-1B-3, R-1B-4, R-1A R-L Residential-Low Density R-1, R-1B-1, R-1B-2, R-1A, PD R-M Residential-Medium Density R-2, R-3, PD UA Urban Planning Area LS Local Service Center SP Special Planning Area PD, X, M SP-I Special Planning Area-Interim PD, X, M I Industrial M, MM, LM, MR C Commercial C-1, C-2, H, PD, LM PS Public Service PF, PD A-T Agricultural-Transition A, RE, R-1A A-E Agricultural-Estates R-E, A-10, AG, R-1, R-1A A-I Agricultural-Intensive AG, A-20, R-1A, RE-20 A-M Agricultural-Marginal AG, A-40, R-1A, MR A-G Agricultural-General AG, A-40, R-1A, MR A-U Agricultural-Upland AG, A-40, R-1A, MR A-MR Agricultural-Mineral Resources AG, A-40, MR, X, R-1A, M MRZ Mineral Resources Zone X, MR, R-1A O-WS Open-Watershed A, AG, O-S, A-40, R-1A, MR O-W Open-Wilderness AG, O-S, PF, R-1A, MR O-F Open-Forest AG, O-S, PF, R-1A, MR O-C Open-Crest PD, O-S, R-1A, MR, AG O-R Open-Recreation O-S, PF, R-1A, MR, AG, PD GF General Forest AG, A-40, O-S, R-1A, MR, TPZ WP Water Project A, AG, A-40, PF, O-S, R-1A, MR DF Designated Floodway DF, R-1A, AG, MR Note: Shaded land use designations are not in use. Bold zoning districts are not defined in the zoning ordinance. Source: Amador County General Plan LU- 11
Westover Field Airport Land Use Plan Westover Field is a county owned and operated facility located in Martell. The airport was originally constructed in 1937, and a major runway realignment project took place in the late 1970s. Westover Field has one 3,400 foot runway which runs in a northeast-to-southwest direction. A large percentage of the flights originating at Westover Field take-off toward the southwest due to the prevailing wind patterns. The Airport Land Use Plan (ALUP) for Westover Field was prepared in October 1987 and amended in July 1990 by the Amador Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC). The plan provides a basis for determining which land uses which are compatible with airport operations. Three Safety Areas are defined in the ALUP. These include Clear Zones, Approach/Departure Zones, and an Overflight Zone. Compatible land uses are identified for each zone. In the Clear Zone, generally low intensity uses, including industrial and agricultural uses, roads, railroads, utilities, and parking areas are permitted. In the Approach Zone, additional commercial, recreational, some residential, and industrial and transportation uses are allowed. In Overflight zones, uses which are expressly excluded include stadiums, concert halls, and similar uses, as well as petroleum and plastic production uses which represent fire or explosion hazards. Most other uses are permitted in this zone. Please refer to the ALUP for more specific identification of permitted uses. No existing conflicts were identified in any of the three zones, although potential for future conflicts in the Clear and Overflight Zones from future development activity was identified. Conflicts may include both safety and noise conflicts with airport operations. The County is currently pursuing an update to the Airport Land Use Plan. LU - 12
References Amador County Airport Land Use Commission. 1990. Airport Land Use Plan for Westover Field, Amador County. October 1987, Amended July 1990. Jackson, California. California Department of Finance. 2007 (May). E-5 Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State, 2001-2007, with 2000 Benchmark. Sacramento, California..2007 (August). E-8 Historical Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State, 1990-2000. Sacramento, California. County of Amador. 1973. Amador County General Plan. Jackson, California.. 2005. Amador County 2004-2009 Housing Element. Jackson, California. U.S. Census Bureau. American Factfinder, Summary Tape Files 1 and 3, 1990 and 2000. Avaliable <http://factfinder.census.gov>. Last Updated April 20, 2006. Accessed September 2006. LU- 13