Newsletter: Fall 2007

Articles


Support Our Vision: CLOVER VALLEY HERITAGE NATURE PRESERVE

City's Vote Generates Lawsuit

CITY'S VOTE FORCES LITIGATION AND REFERENDUM PROCESS

Compelling evidence, common sense, and the will of a majority of citizens were not enough to change the minds of the Rocklin City Council on August 28. Even though opposition to the proposed 558-unit Clover Valley development was strong, the disappointing vote to approve the project was expected. By charging ahead with its approvals of the Clover Valley development, the city of Rocklin ignored regulatory agency advice, legal authorities, and viable options to preserve the jewel of Placer County and create a unique historic nature preserve.

What Now?

Clover Valley Foundation and Save Clover Valley Coalition's eight years of diligent work included a contingency plan in the event the City Council voted against the will of the citizens. Within 48 hours of the city's developer-driven vote, the Save CV Coalition began referendum signature gathering to bring the vote to the people of Rocklin. Additionally, CV Foundation retained the services of a renowned law firm to take legal action based on inadequacies of the Environmental Impact Report. Although many options were presented to both the City and the developer to resolve the issue, they were ignored or dismissed. Save CV and the CV Foundation are utilizing their constitutional and legal rights to correct this unacceptable project approval. The ball is now in our court; it's time to turn the tide and stop this disastrous project.

UPDATE: LAWSUIT WAS FILED ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2007 CHARGING CITY WITH VIOLATIONS OF CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT.

Recent Actions

For weeks, Save CV volunteers gathered signatures for the referendum petition. In spite of developers' attempts to bully and intimidate-hiring people from out of state to infiltrate meetings, serving threatening legal papers, blocking signature gathering efforts, filing innocuous police reports, mailing bogus flyers, passing out rescission cards-the Save CV's dedicated volunteers carried on! As of this writing, signature validation is being processed (and litigation papers are being filed).

UPDATE: SIGNATURES WERE VALIDATED — CITY COUNCIL MAY CONSIDER OPTIONS AT OCT 9 MEETING.

Please Donate!

We appreciate all the citizen support we've had for eight years. Folks like you have kept faith that our effort to save Clover Valley's rare and vanishing resources is a worthwhile endeavor. We need your help now more than ever. We are asking you to join us — see upcoming gala fundraiser on October 13 and other opportunities to give us a boost.

If you can contribute any amount, you are assisting us in saving a pristine, unique valley that has resisted the forces of destruction. As an urban historic nature preserve, Clover Valley would benefit the city and region far more than an additional 558 unnecessary residences and a cross valley highway. Your continued financial support will help us win this battle!

Primary Issues

PUBLIC HEARING!

In an effort to educate the public and ferret the truth, CV Foundation offers the following:

Claim 1: The referendum will force the project to revert back an increased number of homes to meet the current zoning (950+).

Fact: The zoning that "allows" more than 950 homes ignores regulatory and environmental reality. It's as if officials, upon annexation, spun the wheel of fortune for the developer to see where the pin would land. 900 units? 974 units? Fine, whatever you want. The fact is that approval of 933 units attempted in a 2002 proposal, failed miserably. After abandoning that EIR, the developer proposed the current 558 unit plan, which is still-unacceptable. This reduced plan was not, as claimed, due to "listening to the public." With the city and developer kicking and screaming, the reduction was due to environmental and cultural restraints. Additionally, the elephant in the room is the sewer line-to be built for 1,000 units!

Claim 2: The current plan increases open space.

Fact: When the number of units was reduced to 558, even though still disastrous, of course, open space increased; land doesn't just evaporate. However, open space (now 366 acres) is not "public" and is primarily on inaccessible, heavily wooded, steep slopes-land that should not be graded and/or built on. Additionally, over half of the 622 acres is still slated to be bulldozed.

Claim 3: The cross-highway has been reduced from four to two lanes.

Fact: The initial grading and construction will still be for a four-lane highway; additionally, the easements and set backs for a four-lane highway will be maintained.

Claim 4: The Development Agreement gave the developers the right to develop Clover Valley.

Fact: A sentence on page 1 of the Dev Agreement states: "Developer acknowledges that the project approvals do not grant the right to develop a specific number of residential units."

Claim 5: The city will have a new fire station.

Fact: The General Plan Amendment creates a loophole for no new fire station with the words, "In the event it is later determined that a fire station facility is not necessary at this location …." However, should the fire station actually materialize, the developer's contribution will be a very small fraction of the actual costs.

The truth is that Clover Valley's uniquely diverse environmental and cultural resources are not amenable to development. No other place has wetlands, oak and riparian woodlands, wildlife, perennial creek, meadows, grasslands, scenic ridges, stone corral, rock walls, and 33 prehistoric sites all concentrated in a relatively narrow, two-mile long, steep-sloped valley. To consider bulldozing half of this special place into smithereens is an obscenity of colossal proportions.

Gala Fundraiser

When: Saturday, October 13, 2007
3 to 6 pm
What: A Sierra Club gathering to raise funds for two causes worth fighting for: Clover Valley and Placer Vineyards
Details: Fine wines, savory delicacies and desserts will be served in the lovely ambiance of a private country preserve in Christian Valley (just outside Auburn) with live music and special guests.
RSVP: Levels of participation are:
  • Environmental Champion: $1,000
  • Environmental Advocate: $500
  • Grassroots Supporter (admission): $40
Attendance will be limited to the first 100 guests; be sure to reserve early. For an official invitation, please contact us.

In Appreciation

Donations were received on behalf of our "teenage advocates": Rose, Emily, and Amanda.

A huge round of applause goes to the hundreds of citizens who not only attended four very long nights of hearings (Rocklin Planning Commission and City Council) but also volunteered at our tables, wore our armbands, and most importantly spoke at the meetings and/or wrote letters. You are all our heroes.

Please send your tax-deductible donations to:

Clover Valley Foundation
P.O. Box 713
Loomis, CA 95650

To donate to "Save Clover Valley," please send your donations to 3031 Stanford Ranch Road, Ste 2-201, Rocklin, CA 95765-5537.

Any amount, large or small, is welcome. Questions, ideas, suggestions? Please email email@clovervalleyfoundation.org or call (916) 652-7005.