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Monday, August 24, 2009 @ 9:23 AM
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Hello Everyone:

It has been a productive summer for the Butte County General Plan 2030 team, with reviews of preliminary drafts of the new Butte County General Plan 2030 document as well as the new Butte County Zoning Ordinance and preparations for the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Our Development Services staff and the General Plan 2030 consultant DC&E are excited about the public release of these important documents and the ensuing discussions that will take place with the all of you at the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and Planning Commission/Board of Supervisors meetings.

Here are a few developments that you should be aware of:

1) August 25, 2009 – Housing Element Adoption Meeting at 1:30 pm (Board of Supervisors Chambers, 25 County Center Drive, Oroville) The Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission will be considering the adoption of the new Housing Element and amendment of the existing General Plan to include this updated Element. The Board and Planning Commission will be reviewing the input from all meetings, as well as mandatory comments from the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), prior to the consideration of adoption. The full staff report, including the revised Housing Element is available on the Butte County General Plan 2030 website.

2) September 17, 2009 – MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The new Butte County General Plan 2030 document, that has been three years under development through many different public meetings, will be the subject of a PUBLIC WORKSHOP (Workshop Series 7).

TIME AND PLACE:

Meeting Date: September 17, 2009, at 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Location: The Energy Farm, 2015 Challenger Drive, Oroville
(near the Oroville Airport)

Are you interested in Butte County’s future? Butte County General Plan 2030 is "Charting a Course" that directs Butte County’s path for the next 20 years. At this important Public Workshop, you will review and provide input and
comments on the Draft General Plan 2030, which will be released on the County’s website, www.buttegeneralplan.net, on approximately September 4, 2009. Free CDs containing the entire document will also be available at Development Services approximately 1-week prior the Public Workshop, and will also be available at the meeting. Your input will be forwarded to the Butte County General Plan 2030 Citizens Advisory Committee, Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors for direction on the Final Butte County General Plan 2030 document, scheduled for adoption in September 2010. Now is the time to provide your input on this important document that will shape the future of Butte County! If you cannot make it to the meeting but still have input and/or questions, please be aware that comments and questions will be accepted at all future CAC meetings (see 3 below) and at the Board of Supervisors/Planning Commission Study Sessions (see 4 below). All comments will be accepted and considered prior to the final consideration of the Draft General Plan 2030 document in January 2010.

3) The CAC Meetings on the Draft Butte County General Plan 2030 (Meeting Series 7) will take place at the following times:

* Thursday, October 22, 2009
* Thursday, October 29, 2009
* Thursday, November 5, 2009

All CAC meetings are open to the public and will take place from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Butte College Main Campus Cafeteria, 3536 Butte Campus Drive, Oroville.

4) The Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission will hold two all-day Special Study Sessions (Meeting  Series 7) on January 19 and 21, 2010 to consider all input on the Public Draft General Plan 2030 document. Both meetings will take place from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm at 25  County Center Drive, Oroville. These meetings are open to the public who are encouraged to attend and provide input.

Butte County General Plan 2030 is still on-track for final adoption in September 2010. There is much that will be
going on for the remainder of this year and all of next year as you can see. Also look for important updates on Meeting Series 8 devoted to the Draft Zoning Ordinance and on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for Butte County General Plan 2030. Our General Plan website, www.buttegeneralplan.net will continue to be THE place to
connect with the current goings on of Butte County General Plan 2030 and is a valuable resource for the public. All
public drafts, staff reports and other important resources will be posted to this site at the earliest possible time.

Thanks for your continued interest and support for the creation of Butte County General Plan 2030.

Take care, Tim

Tim Snellings, Director
Butte County Department of Development Services