One More Time: The Original Approved Conditional Use Permit

It's like a game of Where's Wally?, find the violations that still exist today and those that the County is about to "retroactively" approve. Click on the link to review.

Judge For Yourself

Take a look at these pictures. See that great big building on the property? That is the riding facility built without the proper permits. It's huge! Thought if you could see it for yourself you'd understand why it is so egregious. As of this writing final permits have not been issued and it's not too late to express your displeasure to your elected representatives. It's the height of hypocrisy. Next time the environmental community takes a project to task for not having the proper permits, remember this situation.

Wow. The Planning Commission Was Snowed By The Cedarblade Show

The narrative went something like this. But the vote was 5-0 to support the scofflaw. What gives? Over the next week, we'll remind you of the real Ranch story and let you decide what should happen next. Until then.

Today's The Day! Cmon Down...

Finally, a bit of attention and a spotlight on the activities of our fair Yolo County Government at Work. SoCal blogger says it well, here.

The meeting starts in a minute or two but you've still got time to drive out and see the show since the Ted and Brenda show doesn't officially start until 9:30 a.m. at the Board of Supervisors Chambers 625 Court Street, Room 206Woodland, California 95695.

The bottom line: should scofflaws be allowed to flaunt the rules set up to prevent illegal (non-union) construction? Ted and Brenda have built, among other non-permitted structures, an almost 40,000 sq ft riding arena without the proper permits. There are hundreds, if not thousands of people traipsing in and out and around this facility each month at public events.

This is a slap in the face to the planning commissioners and the board of supervisors, and frankly an embarrassment. The precedent being set here is atrocious. Anybody from outside watching this show (what little of it has been public) would have to wonder about the Alice in Wonderland world that is Yolo County land use planning.

And where is the environmental community? Ted and Brenda have sidestepped more than a handful of environmental regulations, turned up their nose at CEQA rules (except being concerned about their fair application on OTHERS property) and generally been defiant.

To paraphrase a line from a famous movie: "conditional use permits, we don't need any stinking conditional use permits." That seems to sum up their philosophy...

Let's see what happens today...

Countdown To Glory: May 14, 2009

Want to know about the ultimate in hypocrisy? Well, you're reading this so I'll tell you.

The Historic Nelson Ranch owners are about to get their permits and approval (if they haven't already) for a 30,000+ square foot riding arena - not covered in their conditional use permit - and already constructed without any public scrutiny and with the assistance of Yolo County with the only hurdle the Yolo County Planning Commission hearing on May 14, 2009.

Now, can you imagine the outcry from the environmental community about the niceties of CEQA review if this same facility were say, a Target store? To give you an idea of some of the thoughtful questions that the environmental community might ask I post this link.

Where is the outrage? Search this blog using the terms "conditional use permit" for all previous posts and to bring yourself up to speed. More to come...

Let's See...

2-5-WOODLANDCentral California Quarter Horse Association Horse Show. AQHA approved. Historic Nelson Ranch. Info: Ana Lise Kozlowski, 209/334-3540

Now, how is it that an unpermitted facility operating in violation of it's Conditional Use Permit can 1) receive the required permits to host a gathering of this size and 2) does the Central California Quarter Horse Association and/or the insurance company for the "ranch" and for the "association" know about the potentially dangerous, dilapidated structure? Will it be roped off from the public during this and other seasonal events? All good questions without good answers.

How Appropriate...

Free Fertilizer = Composted Horse Manure- Historic Nelson Ranch
Located at the Historic Nelson Ranch in Woodland Ca - Northern California http://www.historicnelsonranch.com we offer horse boarding, horse training, ...yubasutter.craigslist.org/grd/1089264493.html - Similar pages

Clark Pacific decision means new jobs for community
Published in the Daily Democrat
Created: 01/27/2009 02:31:38 AM PST

I was overjoyed to read that Judge Janet Gaard ruled in favor of Clark Pacific, proving that environmental protection laws were not violated. I'm certainly not the only one who recognizes the significance of this judgment. In talking with my neighbors and friends, we all want to see our city prosper and recognize that having Clark Pacific in our community is positive.

As a major employer, Clark Pacific will bring new jobs, and at the same time, bring life back into the old Spreckels sugar beet processing plant.

In today's economic slump, Woodland needs jobs. It's unfortunate that people such as Brenda Cedarblade and Ted Wilson - who filed the lawsuit to oppose Clark Pacific's expansion - don't see the value Clark Pacific brings to our county. Their shortsightedness will only serve to keep things stagnant.

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

1/13/2009 6:40:00 PM
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Judge sides with county over concrete plant on ag land

Tim Hearden Capital Press

A judge has ruled that Yolo County did not skirt environmental protection laws when it approved a precast concrete manufacturing plant on rural land.Superior Court Judge Janet Gaard ruled on Friday, Jan. 9, that the county and its Board of Supervisors followed the California Environmental Quality Act when they rezoned agricultural land for heavy industrial use by landowner Clark Pacific, according to a county news release.The project was approved in April, prompting a lawsuit by Historic Nelson Ranch owners Brenda Cedarblade and Ted Wilson, whose property is adjacent to the site, according to published reports.The lawsuit asserted the county approved the project without conducting an adequate environmental review.

In particular, it asserted that the county did not properly consider impacts to biological resources, air quality, global warming, traffic and noise, the county's release stated.The court rejected all the claims while agreeing with the plaintiffs that before the plant can operate 24 hours a day, the county must conduct further environmental reviews to identify impacts of around-the-clock operations, according to the release."

Clark Pacific has long been a responsible and environmentally sound business in the Yolo County community," Mike McGowan, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said in a statement. "We are pleased to have their continued business and now the court's affirmation that we have also been responsible to the residents of Yolo County and environmentally conscious in our planning efforts."

Yolo County Prevails in Lawsuit Against Cedarblade

Yolo County wins legal battle over Clark Pacific site

Sacramento Business Journal - by Melanie Turner Staff writer

Yolo County has prevailed in a lawsuit that alleged the county approved Clark Pacific Corp.’s project at the former Spreckels Sugar Co. site without conducting an adequate environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Superior Court Judge Janet Gaard on Friday issued an order ruling in favor of the county.
On April 1, 2008, county supervisors approved Clark Pacific’s project. A short time later, Brenda Cedarblade and Ted Wilson filed a lawsuit alleging that the county’s environmental review of the project did not properly consider impacts to biological resources, air quality, global warming, traffic and noise.

The court rejected all but one of the petitioners’ claims. The court agreed with the claim that before the plant can operate 24 hours a day the county must conduct further environmental review to identify any potential impacts of round-the-clock operations. The plant does not operate 24 hours a day, nor has it in the past.

Clark Pacific, one of the top architectural precast producers in the country, was founded in 1963 and has most of its operations in West Sacramento. The company purchased the former home of Spreckels Sugar Co. northeast of Woodland in February. The company cast its first product there in July.

The company’s long-term plan is to eventually — possibly within 10 years — move the West Sacramento operation to Woodland. Clark Pacific expanded into Woodland after outgrowing its 22 acre site in West Sacramento.

Up to 250 jobs are expected to be located in Woodland, including transfers from West Sacramento and new hires. At full build-out, the project is expected to create $428,000 in annual sales-tax revenue for the county.

“Clark Pacific has long been a responsible and environmentally sound business in the Yolo County community,” Supervisor Mike McGowan said in a news release. “We are pleased to have their continued business and now the court’s affirmation that we have also been responsible to the residents of Yolo County and environmentally conscious in our planning efforts.”

Judge Sides With Job Creators

Clark Pacific wins lawsuit
By Democrat staff
Created: 01/10/2009 02:34:41 AM PST

A Yolo Superior Court judge has ruled that environmental protection laws were not violated in the siting of precast concrete manufacturer, Clark Pacific, on rural county land.

Judge Janet Gaard decided Friday that Clark Pacific, Yolo County and the Yolo County Board of Supervisors followed the strict regulations of the California Environmental Quality Act in rezoning agriculture land for heavy industrial use.

The land in question contains the vacated facilities of the former Spreckels sugar beet processing plant.

The Board of Supervisors approved the project in April 2008 and Historic Nelson Ranch owners Brenda Cedarblade and Ted Wilson, whose property is adjacent to the site, filed the lawsuit shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, Clark Pacific began operations at the site, pouring concrete building components. The company has plants in West Sacramento and Fontana.

"We are very pleased with the decision of Judge Gaard, which reflected a thorough consideration of the case," said Bob Clark, president of operations for Clark Pacific. "The decision also affirms that the county followed the law, and affirms that we were very careful and sensitive to the environment and neighbors in developing plans for our new Woodland plant."

More of the Same, Amazing How Many People Know About Brenda's Misdeeds

Daily Democrat

Created: 12/07/2008 07:56:29 AM PST

Whoever said "The only thing constant is change" is right on. Time changes, people change and communities change. That's exactly what is happening in Yolo County, which is changing for the better. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed a landmark bill to discourage sprawl in future decades. The idea behind the bill is not to prevent change, but rather encourage smart growth.

Senate Bill 375 by Democratic Senator Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento will push California communities to consider climate change impacts of development in regional planning with an emphasis on reducing car travel.

It is the "first in the nation" to connect land-use planning and greenhouse-gas reductions. The bill has also been noted as the "most sweeping revision of land-use policies since Governor Ronald Reagan signed the California Environmental Quality Act," by Schwarzenegger wrote in a statement.

Despite the current economic times, growth is occurring throughout the state. Without question, California is a desirable place to live, work and enjoy.

Change is real, as city councils and county board of supervisions determine the best way to preserve the integrity of their communities while ensuring economic prosperity.

Change is not Republican or Democrat. Although it was President Ronald Reagan who enacted CEQA in an effort to promote conservation, preserve our ecosystem, and establish a framework which is conducive to economic development.

Unfortunately, during the past four decades, CEQA has become the hook for special interest groups to hang their hat on - under the guise of protecting the environment, of course - to make growth a challenge.

Because CEQA is loosely defined and broad-ranging, there are numerous legal loopholes to contest any business's desire to grow or expand its operations. So, after making unreasonable demands, special interest group trial attorneys often force companies into a lose-lose scenario of acquiescing to their demands or take the long, expensive course of litigation.

Local jobs in any community are a welcomed commodity, such as those Clark Pacific is brining to the city of Woodland. Clark Pacific is in complete step with SB 375 by creating local jobs that will reduce the transportation costs to employees and the emissions impact on the environment.

Without a doubt, much change has occurred since Yolo County's inception. Yolo was one of the original counties when California became a state on Sept. 9, 1850.

More than 150 years later, farming and ranching remain as the predominant businesses in the county. Since then, hundreds of companies and 188,000 people, according to the 2006 U.S. Census Bureau, have found Yolo County a desirable place to call home.

As in every community, there are anti-growth, NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard), and nay-sayers. Woodland and surrounding areas is no different. For instance a Woodland resident, Brenda Cedarblade, has opposed change that she doesn't approve of by using CEQA as a blunt force weapon to stop change. By in large, it would seem her objective is to block any company - many of them well paying blue collar jobs likely to go to local workers-from making a positive economic impact in the community.

While our democracy welcomes such disagreements, such minority opposition shouldn't stand in the way of smart growth and the long-term viability of the county.

Gotta Lotta Nerve, Those Who Live In Glass (Historic) Houses...

Agriculture vs. industry in Yolo
The 2030 Yolo County General Plan needs to balance competing and conflicting land uses such as industrial, housing and agriculture. Agricultural land being converted to non-agricultural uses is reflected in leapfrog development and poor policy choices. Better-planned areas with infrastructure designed for urban uses ensures residential and urban users protection from potential future unhappiness or conflict with agriculture.
Less than four months ago, agricultural land was rezoned to 91 acres of heavy industrial. Mitigation included converting ag land to open space, presumably for habitat. County supervisors assured us it was only 91 acres, no more; however, the general plan shows a 191acre heavy industrial use at this site, including open space.
Heavy industrial zoning allows for 24-hour-a-day intense outside operation with offsite impacts. The 191-acre heavy industrial expansion sacrifices adjacent organic farms, ranches and historical agricultural zones where people live and work.
It is not fun living and operating an agricultural business next to the 91 acres now. The expansion emphasizes poor planning driven by greed with little hope of individual landowners prohibiting this change by the county. It is especially vexing given quantities of underutilized city industrial land that already has infrastructure, sewers, water and roads vs. rural areas not designed for heavy urban uses.
– Brenda Cedarblade, Woodland

Don't Believe Me? See What Others Have Said About The Historic Nelson Ranch House

Clipped from a mailpiece we received is a bunch of information from credible sources describing the deplorable condition of the Historic Nelson Ranch House -- and why it should be CONDEMNED. Click here.

The Clock Continues to Tick

Time is growing short for the county to act on the Historic Nelson Ranch Scandal...

Every Day is Scary At The Historic Nelson Ranch House

Click on the Scary Picture.

Know what's even scarier? You as a taxpayer are on the hook for the liability if this Historic gem crumbles to the ground.

Ask the current owner what they've done to protect this historical resource and restore it to it's heyday.

You already know the answer, don't you?

Happy Halloween!

Something Really Scary For Halloween - A Kids Halloween Party at the Historic Nelson Ranch!

It's one thing for adults who know better to attend a Halloween party at the Historic Nelson Ranch -- they know they're going to get tricked rather than treated. But kids? C'mon.

We recently received an anonymous batch of public documents that show that the Historic Nelson Ranch House should be condemned and razed and it's not Yolo County saying it, we'll post a few when we have time. But, we felt something should be brought to the publics immediate attention:

NO CHILDREN SHOULD BE ALLOWED ON OR NEAR THE RANCH HOUSE UNTIL ITS SAFETY IS CERTIFIED BY THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES.

The County has deep pockets and you all know who will pay if something happens to any of the members of the public -- we will -- the taxpayers.

It's time to start setting the record straight again.

Yolo's Most Wanted

I think they left off a picture. Check out this site, click here.