[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6530161,"mediaKeyId","3702338-35027c8d8631aaf6ecacd53927c1defd","parentId",3702338,"title","Ione council sends Train Depot basketball plan back to planning after neighbors, commissioners raise process and privacy concerns","audioSeconds",3630,"startMs",7458000,"endMs",11088000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3702338-35027c8d8631aaf6ecacd53927c1defd&start=7458&end=11088","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3702338-35027c8d8631aaf6ecacd53927c1defd/thumbnail_7458000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6530161/California/Ione-council-sends-Train-Depot-basketball-plan-back-to-planning-after-neighbors-commissioners-raise-process-and-privacy-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530161-c3d89028bb3df7685b7960b93d035e8c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194192&Signature=BxII9hPucL54jI0o5DjFVCfi-TNlTG5G~wgweKDU6KQEzfo90f-99ZPt08TJaopiaft88eNTY7jaQQohgx6t4j29C6ZJhfN8u8kY82BCNBFT-gS1X~4Db-y1lPEVIIhILRuhYsXlHZqzeRDEH4U30qTUZItWvVIpGybMyZW2ooV5ulW2TSal7QH70OgAOSAeHYFxPon4xnuych1e3sF8CHBtHKLSqX~8Dk5UowtEVudRVEvn15kFR8wyF1T7c92SDzvanmuYqPCTIqyVmWIX12i71huV6VcxSQNU8TkGpzwtVD00PQsrTXLcJYn7Y7i3V94SY-zPDTnbL1YCaFietQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-06T01:34:20Z","article","The Ione City Council voted on June 3 to send a proposal for a half basketball court, perimeter fencing and related work at Train Depot Park back to the Planning Commission for site‑plan review and public outreach after residents and some commissioners raised procedural and privacy concerns.

Selena Mitchell, Parks and Recreation staff, told the council the funding opportunity came through ACRA and that roughly $50,000 had been allocated toward a park project whose approved footprint must be respected. The parks commission had earlier approved adding a basketball half court but asked staff to meet on‑site to resolve neighbors’ concerns about noise and privacy; the site meeting produced a proposal to move the court toward South Mill Street and use decorative perimeter fencing rather than a chain‑link enclosure. Mitchell told council the commission recommended perimeter fencing and further on‑site review to avoid removing trees or reworking drainage.

Neighbors and commissioners pushed back at the council meeting. Michael Bull, whose property borders the park, said he and other nearby homeowners were not given notice and opposed placing a court next to their yards. Parks and Recreation Commissioner Fern Day and other commission members said the commission had prioritized finishing the Depot Park as a higher objective and urged the council to support the volunteers who have been working on the project; commissioners also said the project would reduce turf maintenance in one area and provide a playable space closer to neighborhoods that currently lack nearby courts.

Planning Commission Chair Amber Hoiska reminded the council that the municipal code requires a site plan review permit for non‑residential construction, which includes new paved courts and fencing, and several commenters urged the city to run the proposal through the planning process so neighbors could be notified and the project reviewed for drainage and other technical issues.

Selena Mitchell and Parks and Recreation commissioners said volunteers have contributed labor on the project and that most initial costs would be materials; she estimated the proposed sound wall would cost about $20,000 and said the ACRA allocation of about $50,000 would not fully cover the most expensive options. Several council members and staff noted that the ACRA funds were time‑sensitive — county staff had allocated funds from residual county program money — and urged proceeding quickly but within required process.

Council action: A motion to send the Depot Park basketball/fencing addition to the Planning Commission for formal site‑plan review and neighborhood outreach passed (voice vote, majority). Council members who spoke said they wanted the project to proceed but asked staff to return with planning approval, cost estimates and a clear public‑notification plan before construction.

Why it matters: The Train Depot Park project has long been a community priority but also a flashpoint for dispute over process and scope. Neighbors’ objections and the Planning Commission’s site‑plan rules require the city to balance expedited use of grant funds against the public‑notice and site‑engineering work that minimizes later complaints, legal risk and construction rework.

What’s next: Staff will prepare the formal site‑plan submittal, provide cost estimates for options (decorative fencing vs. sound wall), run the required public outreach and return to the Planning Commission and council with an action item for final authorization and contract awards.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting 6/3/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Ione City Council voted on June 3 to send a proposal for a half basketball court, perimeter fencing and related work at Train Depot Park back to the Planning Commission for site‑plan review and public outreach.","taxTitle","Ione, Amador County, California","taxId",79263,"location","California","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6530166,"Buyer in escrow says Castle Oaks can be saved if city secures reliable irrigation; council awaits state sign-off on Title 22 report",1721,2867000,4588000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3702338-35027c8d8631aaf6ecacd53927c1defd&start=2867&end=4588","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3702338-35027c8d8631aaf6ecacd53927c1defd/thumbnail_2867000.jpg","/articles/6530166/California/Buyer-in-escrow-says-Castle-Oaks-can-be-saved-if-city-secures-reliable-irrigation-council-awaits-state-sign-off-on-Title-22-report","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530166-ad5b4d0a33b4b7705c41ea1f102efe8c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194192&Signature=MZ28CrAHPUXP688y6FGkVyRHQyPxp89994ZoE~FepseZQMU7aiRuS4Jrget-h2505YEPK1KgNyIxNmAfzCgdcZ6QVAzmSyr-zc69NqAIfECFqdBDLhY-kwrOueI1E9NTsY~HXq2bpHoF7IC7Or8nP2joKp-kitNoZP63MvSom5nDrCujbNTTAKLbYPCqkrl7qSBLQmtBd2z4vKvZ7AAFlMqeXG-h0ALuhwzPxmXGrTFPpE7y3nH6Uskr1CaVP-ChBEAeVP3S1qMCzlu9iWr20fajukGtTuw0zKY0oegFGrxPkM8GgfL3xG1lRd0~xQjPp1sPWjqX5MXLPKyJTCu5mA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Ione City Council meeting on June 3, 2025, Jeff Christiansen, owner of Sierra Golf Management, told the city he is in escrow to buy Castle Oaks Golf Course and urged the council and city staff to secure a reliable water commitment so his company can close and invest in the facility. Council staff and outside counsel updated the council on the city’s tertiary wastewater plant and the Title 22 engineering report now under review by the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water.

Christiansen said the course is “distressed” and that his group is operating under a short due‑diligence window. “It’s a beautiful golf course. I played it for decades,” he said. “It’s a little, obvious, a little distressed right now…we’re very desirous of making a deal. We want to go quick.” He said his plans for the first year included bunker work, irrigation fixes and purchasing equipment, adding he expected to bring roughly “three quarters of a million dollars worth of equipment” to restore the course’s condition.

City wastewater staff told the council the city has been redirecting well water to the golf course while the tertiary plant remains offline pending regulatory approval. Justin, a city wastewater representative, said the city has delivered about 5.8 million gallons to the course since May 7 and that recent lab results show the irrigation water is “of excellent quality and possesses no health risk.” He also described planned plant upgrades — a programmable logic controller and SCADA work — and a pipeline that would bypass the plant’s conveyance to deliver an additional roughly 50,000 gallons per day directly from the well to the golf course.

Michelle Chester, special counsel advising the city on wastewater matters, described the regulatory posture. She said the Title 22 engineering report prepared by Ione is with the Division of Drinking Water in Sacramento and that the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board has used its discretionary enforcement authority to restrict operation pending that approval. “There are potentially daily financial penalties, ranging between $5,000 and $15,000 per day for the violation,” Chester said, and she warned that the regional board could seek injunctive relief or pursue other remedies if it determines the city is operating outside regulatory requirements.

Council members and residents pressed for faster action. Several council members and members of the public asked staff and counsel whether the council could pressure the regional or state boards to speed review, and whether the city should consider turning on irrigation before approval. Chester cautioned the council that operating in defiance of the regional board could expose the city to significant financial penalties and other legal remedies; she also said the city and partner agencies had escalated the issue to higher levels of regional and state staff to seek expedited review because the irrigation season does not allow months of delay.

Council discussion produced specific operational direction: the city manager has been given staff direction to pursue short‑term improvements to the well and piping to increase delivered flow, and to continue coordination with the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority and other regional partners to press for expedited review. Council members also discussed drafting a letter to regional/state water officials urging expedited review and raising concerns about dam safety and potential property damage; no formal vote to send such a letter occurred at the meeting, but several council members said they supported a letter and asked staff to draft one for possible special meeting consideration.

Public commenters included residents and representatives of ARSA who urged the council to pursue all available channels to get water flowing, and some speakers raised concerns about possible contamination associated with other water sources. City staff clarified that the well currently supplying the golf course is of good quality, that SR/ARSA coordination is ongoing, and that additional well piping and mechanical work could increase output if the council supports it.

The sale to Sierra Golf Management, Christiansen said, is a private contract between the buyer and the current owner; the city’s involvement will be limited to the lease and any renegotiation of terms once the buyer seeks to operate the facility under a new management arrangement. City staff also reminded the council that the city’s agreement with the current manager includes termination fees that can vary with timing: if a sale/transfer occurs before certain dates the city could be responsible for a larger termination payment to the manager, an issue staff said would be part of any lease renegotiation with a new operator.

Why it matters: Castle Oaks’ survival depends on both a commercial buyer’s willingness to invest and the city’s ability to ensure a reliable, legal supply of irrigation water during the summer season. A months‑long regulatory review could leave the course damaged and imperil a private sale and local jobs and revenue; conversely, operating in defiance of a regional or state board order could expose the city to tens of thousands of dollars per day in penalties. The council left the record open for continued staff action and said it would return to the question quickly if regulators did not accelerate review.

What’s next: City staff will continue to pursue pipeline and well improvements intended to increase direct well deliveries to Castle Oaks and will continue coordinated advocacy with ARSA and other partners to ask the Division of Drinking Water and Central Valley Regional Water Board for prioritized review. Council members said they may reconvene for a special meeting if the state agency does not provide a timely response.

","At the June 3 Ione City Council meeting, Sierra Golf Management said it is in escrow on Castle Oaks Golf Course but needs a stable water supply; city staff reported the Title 22 engineering report is with the state Division of Drinking Water and legal counsel warned the city faces potential enforcement and fines while it awaits approval.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6530156,"Ione council approves adding pickleball to Howard Park courts; project funded largely with ACRA allocation",416,11130000,11546000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3702338-35027c8d8631aaf6ecacd53927c1defd&start=11130&end=11546","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3702338-35027c8d8631aaf6ecacd53927c1defd/thumbnail_11130000.jpg","/articles/6530156/California/Ione-council-approves-adding-pickleball-to-Howard-Park-courts-project-funded-largely-with-ACRA-allocation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530156-7b65df611c6c7aca0c736030ade28a22/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194192&Signature=c3ZNWHmTEay5kfBv~-~CRAEU3XpIQXEV2bf18vzQt7ctJmetgn7TTLzv3lYyIEpLqsNY--JgGGvFRoODVeVgJYgFws0e8rU235ERCwq0YzFmCx-SEP9n0V7Lrl05Kg~KJTF-tJEGaXlx3Y-wscy3sCP8e5h~JUUX0RAgc-ANfGBALwEMB1VJw9Fzbw66NlASCbt1VWIVbfOayPHiNE6p2sIJh8dl7kUCz3wB3hkXI0pxwhjrEunA01Mbl8CtKHWqUvkcsyE9xT~Ocrto01z7zT9~OpAkid7rbDMl4cJ1yptul87RW2Q2dkTLsrTyzAsJG9GJ0zl0SC~1t4YdjDjy3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On June 3 the Ione City Council authorized staff to add pickleball to existing basketball courts at Howard Park, using an estimated $30,000 allocation discussed by Parks and Recreation staff. The council approved the addition by voice vote.

Parks and Recreation staff member Selena Mitchell described a low‑cost approach that would reuse existing concrete and removable nets so the courts can continue to serve basketball, tennis and pickleball users. Work would include removing modular tile on part of the courts, cleaning and preparing the concrete surface, painting new lines, and installing a center fence to separate play areas. Staff said most labor could be provided by city crews and that the largest contractor cost would be perimeter fencing; an initial fencing estimate was roughly $11,000 for an eight‑foot fence, though staff said the project could use a lower height to reduce costs.

Commissioners and council members praised staff work to keep the cost down. The council motion approved staff moving forward with the project and using the identified funding source to complete the work.

Why it matters: Pickleball is a popular and accessible sport; converting part of an existing court to accommodate pickleball and tennis provides more play options without building an entirely new facility or incurring the higher cost of a sport‑court contractor.

What’s next: Staff will proceed with the preparations described, confirm final fencing and resurfacing bids, and schedule construction to minimize disruptions to court users.","The council authorized converting half of existing basketball courts at Howard Park to support tennis and pickleball using a $30,000 allocation; staff said the approach preserves basketball and keeps contractor costs low by removing tiles and resurfacing existing concrete.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Ione council sends Train Depot basketball plan back to planning after neighbors, commissioners raise process and privacy concerns

Buyer in escrow says Castle Oaks can be saved if city secures reliable irrigation; council awaits state sign-off on Title 22 report

Ione council approves adding pickleball to Howard Park courts; project funded largely with ACRA allocation