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MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Carol J. Huchingson, County Administrative Officer
DATE: April 9, 2019
SUBJECT: Consideration of Responses to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Invitation to Provide Comment on the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians' Land Acquisition Applications
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On March 4, 2019, the County received a Notice from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (Bureau) inviting comment on the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians' (Tribe) application to move seven parcels into trust. As staff began researching this matter, new information was learned regarding the Tribe's recently opened cannabis dispensary along with an expansion of cultivation and manufacturing programs. The Bureau requested information on property taxes, assessments, government services provided, and potential zoning consistency. The accompanying information indicates that the Secretary of the Interior will consider factors such as the purpose for which the land will be used; the impacts on local government of removing said properties from the tax rolls; and jurisdictional problems and potential conflicts of land use that may arise.
On March 20, 2019, the Bureau responded to County staff's request for a 30 day extension from the March 26th deadline and granted it in part, with a new deadline of April 18, 2019. On March 22, 2019, the County received another notice for fourteen parcels to be moved into trust, also with an April 18th deadline to respond to Bureau's request for comment. During staff's continued research, it became clear that beyond the expansion of the Tribe's cannabis industries, there are other potential inconsistencies in land use, both present and possibly future. For example, there are plans for a potential commercial center and casino on Soda Bay Road. Generally, the area in and around the Big Valley Rancheria has zoning reflecting Agricultural and Residential uses. Some of the ongoing and potential uses typically would not have been previo...
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