Blue Lake continues annexation hearings By Matt Kapko Eye Correspondent The Arcata Eye 11-26-2002 The pre-zoning process of potential annexation areas in lands adjacent to Blue Lake and the Blue Lake Rancheria is taking form. On Nov. 18 the Blue Lake Planning Commission met for its second annexation meeting. City Planner Bob Brown directed the commission as to what issues needed further discussion and conclusion. The meeting’s focus was on business permit conditions and Timber Production Zones (TPZ). Planning Commission Chair Terrence Gray said his most pressing concern is to avoid creating more hoops for businesses to go through. He said he wanted to avoid the long-held attitude among community members and the media, viewing the City Council and Planning Commission as anti-business by creating too many obstacles for even the smallest of businesses to open shop. Richard Platz, city attorney, said the planning commission is dealing with the most important issues and is looking forward to seeing how it deals with them. A concern among the commissioners was how to deal with potential growth and maintaining the rural mystique and aura that has come to be expected in Blue Lake. Some commissioners presented specific ideas for handling new business prospects. Planning Commissioner John Bartholomew said he wants the city to restrict any franchises from having a business in Blue Lake. Scott Oberlies, planning commissioner, wanted all commercial endeavors to require conditional-use permits. Gray, however, trying to avoid being labeled anti-business, recommended the city allow no “drive thrus” as a way to keep every business from needing consent from the city. Some of the areas under consideration for annexation are designated TPZ. Brown said that cities rarely annex TPZ land and because of its rarity, Platz recommended the city enact a plan mirroring the current TPZ guidelines by the county. Once it’s a TPZ, it’s hard to get out of it, Platz said. “There might be a blend that’s more acceptable to Blue Lake than the county,” Brown said. All lands designated as a TPZ must have a 10-year plan approved by the board of directors and can begin harvesting timber 10 years later. Pat Charley, a resident and landowner in one of the annexation areas with significant TPZ holdings, doesn’t oppose annexation but wants to insure that TPZ guidelines are not changed. Charley is also concerned with any imposed limitations on future land use and tax issues. She wants to keep the land in its current size, rather than dividing it into smaller holdings. “But I’m not gonna live forever,” she added. Regarding potential tax impacts from annexation, Platz said, “If there’s no change in ownership there’s no change in property tax.” The Blue Lake Rancheria is not supporting the city’s current drive for annexing lands adjacent to its current limits. Some of the considered areas border the Rancheria’s land trust. “We’re going to oppose the annexation,” said Tribal Vice Chairperson Arla Ramsey, “With their plan they’re going to make us an island. “Our plans have outgrown the land base we have. In order to see these ideas we have happen, we’ll have to acquire more land.” The agreement in place with the Tribe regarding the upkeep and maintenance of Chartin Road is strictly with the county, she said, and anybody who takes over that road would have to abide to the current agreement with the county. When the Rancheria purchases land it intends to put it in the trust, regardless if it is from the city or county, she said. However, if the city owns the land desired for purchase, it will be able to more strongly oppose the Rancheria’s adding it to the trust. The city is going about it the hard way, Ramsey said. “They’re not annexing us. We don’t have any say in this,” Ramsey said, “We have plans that are going to conflict with their plans. There’s nothing that we can say that will alter [the Local Agency Formation Commission’s] final decision.” The Local Agency Formation Commission’s (LAFCO) only mission in life is to deal with shifts of boundaries from one public jurisdiction to another, said City Manager Duane Rigge. After the Planning Commission provides the City Council with its recommendations and pre-zoning for the annexation areas, the council decides what plans will be presented to LAFCO, Rigge said. If LAFCO determines that the city has the capacity to offer services to new acquired lands, it will put the issue up for vote. In populated areas (consisting of 12 persons or more) annexation would be determined by a vote from registered voters in the area, said Rigge. In un-populated areas it will be voted on by landowners, he added. “The pre-zoning issues are being resolved issue by issue,” Rigge said. The next annexation meeting is scheduled for Dec. 16. Home