Two Ideas For Jamestown Mine

Jamestown Mine Drawing

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Jamestown, CA - Tuolumne County has received two proposals on how to utilize the 670 acre Jamestown Mine site.

Gold Rush Garden's Inc., led by Vincent Estell of Modesto, is proposing that the property be used create a tourist destination similar to Butchart Gardens in British Columbia. The plan is to build tourist activities around acres of garden space, featuring native and non-native plants and trees.

Alltech Environmental, out of Sonora, has submitted a proposal that emphasizes the use of natural resources to develop green energy. It was submitted by Terry Rice.

According to Deputy CAO Daniel Richardson, the deadline has now passed to submit proposals. County staff will read over and analyze the documents in the coming weeks, and will then make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.

The issue is expected to go before the Board during the second meeting in August. Additional information about the proposals will be available leading up to the meeting.
Back in April, outside entities were given 100 days to submit proposals to the county about the best use of the property. The Board of Supervisors stated that 50 percent of the final decision will be based on potential impact to the local economy, 30 percent on financial remuneration to the county (lease, rent, etc), and 20 percent will be based on the qualifications and strength of the proposal team.

300 acres of the mine site is owned by the county, and the remaining 370 acres are owned by two private citizens. The application allows for a cooperative approval process so that the county's land and the private land can be used for a single project.

Written by bjhansen@mlode.com.

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