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BL annexation chugs forward
By Matt Kapko
Eye Reporter
The Arcata Eye
February 04, 2003
The issue of annexation in Blue Lake has been described as a conflict between producing economically viable housing and maintaining open space.
Many residents cite the agricultural and open-space lands as main reasons for making the Peaceable Hamlet their home.
In fact, the General Plan, last updated in 1986, documents proof of similar opinion among elected officials at the time. It calls for agricultural and open space to serve as a barrier to other cities and a buffer at city limits.
However, considering the landscape of many of the properties adjacent to Blue Lake currently being considered for annexation, the document may too serve as a hindrance, as it discourages the annexation of agricultural parcels and open space.
These issues and more came to the Planning Commission at its meeting on Monday, Jan. 27.
The ‘gateway of Blue Lake’
Planning Commission Chair Terrence Gray said the desire to maintain open space is still a strong sentiment in the community.
An example of that desire, the Poff property already buffers open space against adjacent jurisdictions such as the Blue Lake Rancheria and the City of Blue Lake. The 20 and-a-half acre property is located alongside State Route 299, bordering Blue Lake on its southwest side and the Rancheria on its southeast.
“We are the gateway of Blue Lake,” said Carol Dellabalma, representing the interests and desires of the Poff property, owned by Cecil Poff, her father.
Planning Commissioner Scott Oberlies agreed, saying he likes the treed buffer between the 299 and the Blue Lake Casino.
Dellabalma voiced numerous concerns about annexation, but added, “Ultimately it’s for the betterment of the community”
Constant throughout her dialogue with the commission was a noticeable irritation with the Tribe.
Dellabalma laid out a barrage of allegations against the Rancheria. She charged that the Tribe had destroyed the property’s fence and refused to replace it.
When asked about it later, Tribal Vice Chairperson Arla Ramsey said this was not true.
“You can see that the fence is not disturbed,” she said.
“Anybody can go out and look at it, you can see we worked up to about 20 feet before we got to the fence, then we stopped. They just wanted a new fence.”
The Tribe sent its Tribal Liaison Bruce Ryan out to inspect the fence nearly a year ago and told the property owners that “the fence is not disturbed,” Ramsey said.
Ramsey recalled that the property owner told her that “other Tribes that we live around would have just fixed our fence for us.”
Ramsey did acknowledge that bordering property fences were damaged, but not on the Poff property. The fence on the Nuchols’ property was disturbed by the casino construction, she said, and it was completely replaced because of that.
Dellabalma also said that on weekends and evenings she is seeing some casino patrons parking alongside her property and on Chartin Road.
To this, Ramsey responded by noting that the cars parked on Chartin Road, ignoring the no parking signs, do not belong to casino employees or patrons, but residents.
She said on busy nights all employees are asked to park at the annex and the only other overflow parking is on Rancheria Road.
On the other side the annexation debate, came a change of opinion with Patricia Charley, owner of four properties located between SR 299 and Blue Lake Boulevard. She offered a hesitant, yet still pro annexation stance.
“I think we’re looking forward to annexation,” she said.
As a way to entice property owners to annex to the city, Oberlies recommended the city make water/sewer services rates the same for all customers within city limits (currently not the case).
“In my own personal view, it should be equalized” unless there are specific added costs to supply certain units, said City Councilmember Brian Julian from the audience.
City Attorney Richard Platz interjected and said that by guaranteeing a reduction in water/sewer rates for annexation, the city could be accused of effectively buying an election. Platz offered background information about the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling against a similar case, claiming amounted to just such a purchase of the public will.
Annex across State Route 299?
Not having been discussed since its first annexation hearing in October, 2002, Planning Commissioner John Bartholomew asked if the commission should try to re-determine the City Council’s stance on annexing lands on the northern, opposite side of SR 299.
He said he thinks the commission should continue the pre-zoning process in more areas, instead of being “timid” about it now.
He noted that many residents as far away as Glendale consider themselves a part of Blue Lake and although Glendale may be too far away to consider for annexation, it should say something about the city’s opportunity for annexing lands beyond the original areas recommended to them by the council.
After much discussion, it was proposed to have a joint meeting with the council to discuss many of these issues in detail. At the City Council meeting the following night, a joint meeting was agreed to and scheduled for February 11.
The desire to add more areas to consider for annexation is perhaps a side note of many commissioners’ fears of missing the opportunity to annex more lands, therefore laying open a path for the Rancheria to purchase and develop some of those lands.
Of the Rancheria’s future plans, Ramsey said, “We’re doing planning like any responsible government. We’re doing long-range planning.”
The Tribe has almost completed working on its General Plan, she said.
“What most people don’t understand is; man, we have a million debt to pay off before we do anything,” Ramsey commented.
“They just assume you got the nice casino there, you got money now.”
Near the close of the meeting, the commission unanimously voted for Gray to continue as its chair.
“I appreciate the support I get from people working on the commission,” Gray said.
Richard Golebiowski was named vice chair.
After gathering feedback in its joint meeting with the City Council on February 11, the next Planning Commission meeting will take place Feb. 24.
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