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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9ACasinoMay 15, 2006 RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE DRY CREEK RANCHERIA BAND OF POMO INDIANS PROPOSED CASINO PROJECT SOUTH OF PETALUMA WHEREAS, the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians has applied to federal authorities to build a second casino south of Petaluma; and WHEREAS, the area of approximately 220 acres is located between Highway 101 and the Petaluma River, east of the Kastania Road exit, just south of Petaluma city limits; and WHEREAS, this site is the same approximate area that the Cloverdale Band of Pomo Indians of California, aka the Makahmo Pomo Indian Nation, proposed to acquire for a reservation site in March of 1994; and WHEREAS, building a casino and associated uses on this site would violate city and county general plans and good land use policy; and WHEREAS, this land provides habitat for wildlife as well as being used for agricultural uses and livestock grazing; and WHEREAS, such lands represent an important scenic gateway and urban separator to Sonoma County; and WHEREAS, the Tribe's plans were announced in the media without any government -to - government consultation with affected local communities; and WHEREAS, the proposed project could overwhelm the local infrastructure in the area in which the casino project is proposed, including uncertainties over water supply and transportation impacts; and WHEREAS, the environmental impacts of the proposed project have the potential of being far-reaching and of such magnitude that they would negatively affect a significant portion of the North Bay, including aggravating of existing traffic problems along Highways 37 and 101, as well as county and city roads in the project vicinity; posing severe water quality risks and availability; profound negative visual impacts in this scenic area; impacting the existing lack of affordable housing; and impacting the service area of emergency services; and WHEREAS, when California voters approved Proposition 1A (Indian Gaming) in March of 2000 as a means of supporting the laudable goal of Indian economic development and self- sufficiency, they were not aware that such approval would allow Nevada developers to seize prized off -reservation environmental resources for intense development without regard to locally approved general plans or any meaningful environmental review or protection. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Petaluma City Council, based on the information currently available, strongly opposes the creation of a gambling casino, resort or hotel on the site proposed by the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians; and THE PRESS DEMOCRAT • THURSDAY, MAY 11 River Rock tribe's plali', opposed by county officials, Graton Indians By CLARK MASON THE PRESS DEMOCRR AT The Indian tribe that owns River Rock Casino in Alexander Valley has applied to federal authorities to build a second. casino south of Petaluma in an apparent move to be closer to the the Bay Area's lucrative gaming market. The Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, which. four years ago opened the only Sonoma County tribal casino near Geyserville, wants to take more than 220.acres off Highway 101 into federal trust for a casino. Although the application is considered by some a longshot for approval, it drew an immediate response Wednesday from county officials and a tribe planning a ca- sino in nearby Rohnert Park. County Supervisor Mike. Kerns vowed to fight the casino proposal, citing -it as an example of"reservation shopping" in which tribes try to open casinos far.from their ancestral lands. "It's a perfect example of what's wrong with the current laws allowing tribes to do this and seemingly build near urban areas," he said. "It violates city and coun- ty general plans and violates good land use policy. It's horrible." A spokesman for the 931-member Dry Creek Rancheria said it is not certain the tribe will pursue a casino. "The application allows development of a resort, casino or hotel," said the trib- al representative, who would comment only on the condition he not be identi- fied. "It's a preliminary step in a long pro- cess. No further action is planned now," he said. "The land is used for farming and will continue to be used for farming for the foreseeable future." The site is grazing land sandwiched be- tween Highway 101 and the Petaluma River east of the Kastania Road exit, just south of the city. TURNTO CASINO, PAGEA11 A-1U� e wanla Rd. mah mt raPA . SONOMA: -porno. tribe couNTY applies for casino MAMN COUNTY The Res N..0 t CASINO: Plan criticized as `reservation shopping' CONTINUED FROM PAGE Al Leaders ' of the Graton Rancheria acknowledged a Pet- aluma -area casino would com- pete with their casino and re- sort planned 12 miles. north near Rohnert Park and accused the Dry Creek tribe of trespass- ing. "We feel it's a most egregious form of reservation shopping, given that the tribe already has land into trust and a casino on im, said Greg Sarris, , tribal chairman for the Federated In- dians of Craton Rancheria, which is planning the Rohnert Park casino. The Craton Rancheria also has applied to have land taken into federal trust for a new res- ervation. But experts say. Gm - ton stands a better chance of ap- proval because of a congression- al bill that restored the tribe and recognized its right to ac- quire land in its historic territo- ry. Sarris said the Dry Creek Po- mos "are totally out of their ter- ritory. Petaluma is a Coast Mi- wokword and the vicinity of Petaluma is the site of five — count'em five —aboriginal, dis- tinct Coast Miwok villages as documented." "It exemplifies greed and pits. Indian against Indian," he said of Dry Creek's Petaluma plan. "And that gives Indians a bad name." Sales documents and state- ments from several sources in- dicate the tribe bought 160 acres of the property near Peta- luma last year for more than $$2.7 million. The tribe apparent- ly added more acreage, but the tribal spokesman Wednesday was unable to say how much the tribe paid in total. County officials said tribal of- ficials previously told them they intended to maintain it as agricultural use, possibly plant- . ing grapes and producing wine. But that changed April 14 when the Dry Creek Rancheria applied to have the land taken into federal trust and eligible for gaming. The tribe joined dozens of others across the country to beat a April 15 dead- line to be exempt from a pro- posed federal crackdown on off - reservation casinos. That legis- lation is to be considered by Congress this session. The Dry Creek application is a so called "two-part determina- tion" that requires the U.S. inte- rior secretary to declare that the gaming establishment Would be in the best interests of the tribe and that it would not be detrimental to the communi- ty. Once that determination is made, the governor must agree. John Maier, an attorney with California Indian Legal Servic- es who is working with the Gra- ton Rancheria, said given the current political climate "it is highly unlikely, extraordinari- ly unlikely, they would ever be able to acquire the lands into trust for gaming purposes."