Citizens Group Pushes for Open Space Protection

Posted by High Sierra Rural Alliance

February 14, 2008

A Rocklin citizens group that tried unsuccessfully to stop a Clover Valley housing project at the ballot box wants assurances that land purchased by an Indian tribe will be saved as public open space.

"Going forward, we want to make sure that we know what the deal was between the owners of Clover Valley, the tribe and the city," Save Clover Valley Chairwoman Elaine O'Deegan said Wednesday morning.

"That really needs to be disclosed to the public … Is there a guarantee the land is going to be left as open space?"

Rocklin voters passed Measure H with 52.8 percent of the votes Tuesday, ratifying the City Council's approval of a 558-home housing development in Clover Valley.

Yes on Measure H spokesman Doug Elmets said the developer has been waiting years to move forward with his project.

"It's a great opportunity for the city of Rocklin and its residents," Elmets said.
"For the first time in a generation, people will be able to experience the cultural significance of Clover Valley and the incredible beauty."

Although the approved plan preserves more than 300 acres as public open space, project opponents say building homes in the 622-acre valley would destroy wildlife habitat, sacred American Indian historical sites and increase traffic and air pollution.

Measure H was backed financially by project developer Rick Massie and the United Auburn Indian Community, a Placer County tribe that owns Thunder Valley Casino.
The tribe's plan to buy roughly 65 acres along the valley floor surrounding the most significant cultural sites was contingent on Measure H passing.

Mayor Brett Storey said Wednesday that he's already asked to meet with the developer and tribe.

"We want to ensure that everything is as it seems and that the tribe is indeed going to purchase the land for open space," Storey said.

"We need to make sure that that is included in all the documentation. … Even though it's a private land deal, we want to alleviate those fears."

Community leaders, elected officials and members of the business community actively campaigned in support of Measure H, including the mayor and other City Council members.

"The community leadership, and ultimately the voters, realized that this development was going to happen at some point so it was best to try and do what they could to make it a positive development," Elmets said.

O'Deegan said money and the powerful influence of the developer, tribe and city officials chipped away at the grass-roots campaign to save Clover Valley.

"I don't think you could find a campaign that had more power and influence and money going against it," O'Deegan said.

"Our campaign was grass roots, and we basically got our money from the people of Rocklin."

There is still an ongoing lawsuit against the city and developer over the environmental review for Clover Valley.

"That is a barrier they're going to have to overcome," O'Deegan said. "We got 7,200 votes. That's 7,200 people who were dissatisfied with what they're planning to do in that valley. I think there's probably a good chance people will be challenging the three City Council members whose seats are up in November."

Residents went to bed Tuesday night not knowing whether Measure H had passed or failed.

Unlike in recent past elections, numbers from Placer County were slow coming in due to new state regulations that prohibit modem transmission of precinct results, said Assistant Registrar of Voters Ryan Ronco.

Semiofficial final results came in shortly before 1 a.m. Wednesday, while in previous elections, voter counts from most, if not all, precincts were posted online by 10 p.m.

Source: Sacramento Bee

By Jennifer K Morita