Thursday, January 06, 2022

JUDGE HALTS MEGA-RESORT DUE TO FIRE EVACUATION FEARS

Isn't This The Sort Of Thing A Planning Commission Is Supposed To Do?

by Bob Walsh

The Guenoc Valley in Lake County, NorCal, is / was going to be a $1 billion resort.  A county judge has put a hold on it, asserting that the developers have not adequately planned for an emergency wildfire evacuation SHTF scenario, which is far from impossible in that area.

The CA A.G. joined the Center for Biological Diversity in that group's lawsuit challenging the building of the resort.

Judge J. D. Markham agreed that the planning commission failed to account for emergency fire evacuation.  

The project covers about 16,000 acres and would bring slightly more than 4,000 people into the area.  Lake County is on the low end of the socio-economic scale and the influx of jobs and money would be really helpful.  

The development, if it goes ahead, would bring in a polo field and some nice vineyards.  Much of the area used to be owned by Lillie Langtry.  

Back in 2020 the God-emperor of California vetoed a bill that would have required new developments in fire prone areas build evacuation routs and address the building up flammable vegetation in the area.

At least eight people are known to have died in their cars attempting to evacuation during the Camp Fire in 2018 that destroyed the town of Paradise.

A similar legal action has at least temporarily halted the development of the 20,000 home Tejon Ranch Centennial Project in L A County.

1 comment:

Gary said...

Is some law in play or just another judge overstepping their authority?