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MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Carol J. Huchingson, County Administrative Officer
DATE: April 16, 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 its due diligence 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. Staff's comments are intended to ensure that any potential demands on infrastructure and services will continue to be met for constituents throughout the area. The Bureau's recent invitation to comment represents the first, and possibly only, opportunity for the County to address potential concerns.
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 us...
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