The Pine Grove Civic Improvement Club meets on the first Wednesday of the month starting at 6:30 p.m. Prior to this, the Pine Grove Council meets at 5:30 p.m. Due to renovations which started in January 2011 at the Pine Grove Town Hall, we will be meeting at the Pine Grove Mobile Home Estates on Irishtown Road for a few monthsl. Meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend and we welcome visitors and new members of the community.
While the Town Hall is under construction, the Pine Grove Library will be closed. There is a book drop at the Upcountry Community Center, under the Pine Grove Market.
Pine Grove Corridor Project: The November 16, 2010, community workshop conducted by the Amador County Transportation Commission (ACTC) allowed participants to view and comment upon the nine alternatives recommended by the Stakeholders Group. The nine were chosen by using the following criteria: community character, rights of way, environment (air, noise, visual), safety, access across Highway 88, traffic operations and congestion, transportation alternatives, and consistency with regional planning. However, the economic impact on local business was not considered in making these recommendations. That is to be evaluated in the environmental documents, a draft of which is expected in 2012.
Stay tuned: More of these public meetings will be scheduled. If you have concerns, contact your representative on the Stakeholders Group or a member of the Pine Grove Civic Improvement Club or Council. Stakeholders are listed below and the officers of PGCIC and Council are on the About Us or PG Council pages.
Introducing your Stakeholder Working Group
As part of the alternatives analysis process, and in order to maintain compliance with CEQA/NEPA requirements, Caltrans and ACTC have recruited volunteers from various community organizations and local businesses to serve as representatives on the project Stakeholder Working Group (SWG). This group of volunteers will meet with Caltrans, ACTC and their consultants on a monthly basis and serve as the “voice of the community,” providing valuable insight on the needs and values of the community throughout the alternatives analysis process. This advisory committee will play an integral part in assisting the Project Development Team (PDT) in the following areas:
Correctly characterizing the key issues
Identifying creative alternatives
Resolving competing agency missions and goals
Refining, screening, and recommending the alternative that best reflects the full range of stakeholder values
Community members may contact the SWG representatives with questions and comments through the various groups they represent.
Stakeholder Working Group Membership
Donna Custdio, Pine Grove Elementary
Doris Abad, Pine Grove Mobile Home Parks
Gary Reinoehl, Upcountry Community Council
Jan Houghton, Pine Grove Civic Improvement Club
John Carlson, Pine Grove Town Council
Bruce Kynaston, California Highway Patrol
Marie Schulter, Upcountry Community Center
Paul Molinelli, Sr., Ace’s Waste Services
Ray Blankenheim, Amador Fire Protection District
Roy Ragan, Pine Grove Community Services District
Ruth Gottstein, Volcano Community Council
Sharon Lundgren, Volcano Communications
Stew Munnerlyn, Munnerlyn’s Ice Creamery
Jay Ollig, Pine Grove Community Services District
For General Project Information, please contact:
Neil Peacock, Associate Transportation Planner/Program Manager Amador County Transportation Commission
Phone: (209) 267-2282, Email:neil@actc-amador.org
Grace Magsayo, Project Manager Caltrans
Phone: (209) 948-7976, Email: grace_magsayo@dot.ca.gov
To submit comments to be included in the public record, please contact:
Gail Miller, Acting Environmental Office Chief, Central Region Environmental North Office Caltrans
Phone: (209) 243-8274, Email: gail_miller@dot.ca.gov
Staying Informed & Getting Involved
Community involvement and feedback is vital to the success of the process. Caltrans and ACTC are providing several avenues by which you can stay informed on the project’s progress and questions and comments from the public are encouraged. Open communication throughout the process will help ensure that the recommended alternative meets the technical objectives while reflecting the values of the community that the project will ultimately serve. Some of the ways you can stay informed include:
Public Meetings: Public meetings will be scheduled at major milestones during the PA/ED process to keep the public informed and provide an opportunity for you to speak with project representatives.
Project Newsletter: A project newsletter will be distributed regularly to keep you informed of the project’s progress.
Websites: The Caltrans and ACTC websites will be updated on a regular basis with maps, exhibits, meeting summaries and general project updates.
Caltrans: www.dot.ca.gov ACTC: www.actc-amador.org
Stakeholder Working Group (SWG): You are encouraged to contact SWG members with comments and questions that they can then share and discuss during SWG meetings.
Project Development Team (PDT): You are also encouraged to contact PDT members from Caltrans and ACTC directly if you have project related questions or comments you would like included in the formal public record.
March 2011 construction on Town Hall. Photo at right shows detail of work under the Hall. .
