■ Butte County Department of Development Services ■ ■ March 26, 2015 ■ Agenda Report – Mooretown Rancheria REZ15-0001

■ Page 1 of 4 ■

BUTTE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA REPORT – MARCH 26, 2015

Applicant: Mooretown Rancheria of the Concow Maidu Tribe

Location: The Feather Falls Casino parking lot, located at the southeast corner of Alverda Dr. and Feather Falls Blvd., south of the Feather Falls Casino

Owner: same

File #: REZ15-0001 Parcel Size: 5.16 + acres

Request: A rezone to repeal the May 22, 2001 Conditional Zoning Agreement between the Mooretown Rancheria Concow Maidu, a federally-recognized sovereign Indian tribe, and the County of Butte, thereby removing encumbrances to the subject property

Supervisor District:

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Planner: Stacey Jolliffe Principal Planner

G.P.: Low Density Residential Attachments:

Zoning:

LDR (Low Density Residential)

A: Resolution forwarding a Recommendation to the Board of Supervisors

Zone Date: December 6, 2012 B: Draft Ordinance Amending Butte County Zoning Map

APN: 079-230-015 C: Zoning Map; Ownership Map

D: May 22, 2001 Conditional Zoning Agreement

E April 30, 2013 Letter from BC DDS to Mooretown Rancheria

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

This project, Rezone REZ15-0001 (Mooretown Rancheria), is a request to repeal the May 22, 2001 Conditional Zoning Agreement between the Mooretown Rancheria Concow Maidu, a federally-recognized sovereign Indian tribe and the County of Butte. Repeal of the Conditional Zoning Agreement, including conditions, and mitigation measures applicable to construction of the Feather Falls Casino parking lot, would remove encumbrances to the approximately 5.16-acre parking lot, being held in trust by the United States on behalf of the Tribe.

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■ Butte County Department of Development Services ■ ■ March 26, 2015 ■ Agenda Report – Mooretown Rancheria REZ15-0001

■ Page 2 of 4 ■

A final building permit for constructed parking lot improvements was issued by Butte County on October 22, 2002. The proposed project meets the criteria for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301, Existing Facilities, of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt the attached resolution finding the project to be Categorically Exempt from CEQA and recommending that the Board of Supervisors approve Rezone REZ15-0001(Mooretown Rancheria) to repeal the May 22, 2001 Conditional Zoning Agreement (CZA). PROJECT DESCRIPTION/SITE CHARACTERISTICS:

The subject property is a 5.16-acre parking lot for the Feather Falls Casino, located at the southeast corner of Alverda Dr. and Feather Falls Blvd., south of the Feather Falls Casino.

A Conditional Zoning Agreement approved May 22, 2001 includes conditions of approval

and mitigation measures applicable to construction of the parking lot.

At the time the CZA was approved in 2001 the Parking Lot property was conditionally zoned C-1.

Adoption of the General Plan Land Use Map and Zoning Map in 2010 and 2012 respectively,

re-designated and rezoned the parking lot LDR (Low Density Residential). Adoption of the Zoning Ordinance in 2012 (Ord. No. 4062) included the following provision regarding the applicability of conditional Zoning:

“Conditional Zoning. The Zoning Ordinance shall not interfere with, repeal, abrogate, or annul any Conditional Zoning Agreement established between the County and an applicant prior to the effective date of the Zoning Ordinance. All uses under the Conditional Zoning Agreement will continue to be permitted, in addition to all uses allowed under the zone.” (BCC §24-5 (E.))

In order to rescind the 2001 Conditional Zoning Agreement, a rezoning of the property must

be approved. The current LDR zoning designation would remain after the proposed rezoning.

The casino and parcels surrounding the parking lot parcel are already in trust status for the

Mooretown Rancheria Concow Maidu and therefore are not subject to local land use designations. The Tribe has indicated their intent to also have the parking lot parcel placed into trust status. The repeal of the 2001 CZA would remove a specific encumbrance that the Federal Government has identified as an impediment to accepting the property into trust on behalf of the Tribe.

A final building permit for constructed parking lot improvements was issued by Butte

County on October 22, 2002. The parking lot’s consistency with conditions of approval and mitigation measures relative to construction were checked and confirmed prior to approval of the final building permit.

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■ Butte County Department of Development Services ■ ■ March 26, 2015 ■ Agenda Report – Mooretown Rancheria REZ15-0001

■ Page 3 of 4 ■

ANALYSIS

General Plan Consistency

The project was reviewed for consistency with the policies of the General Plan. The following policies appear to be of particular relevance to the subject property: Goal COS-15 Ensure that new development does not adversely impact cultural resources. No new development is contemplated with REZ15-0001. The project is the repeal of the conditional zoning agreement for a developed parking lot for the Feather Falls Casino. Goal COS-16 Respect Native American culture and planning concerns

COS-P16.1 County staff shall participate in a dialog with local Native American tribes to collaborate on tribal land use plans. Repeal of the Conditional Zoning Agreement, as requested by REZ15-0001, is consistent with Goal COS-16 and COS-P16, as the repeal removes encumbrances to the property being held in trust for the Tribe. COS-P16.2 Impacts to the traditional Native American landscape shall be considered during California Environmental Quality Act or National Environmental Protection Act review of development proposals.

The subject property, a developed parking lot, is not a traditional landscape.

Practical Effect The practical effect of the REZ15-0001 is relatively minor. It would remove conditions of approval and mitigation measures applicable to the Feather Falls Casino parking lot, through repeal of the CZA which placed those restrictions on the property.

The project site area has been constructed with parking lot improvements consistent with the CZA. A final building permit for constructed parking lot improvements was issued by Butte County on October 22, 2002. The parking lot’s consistency with conditions of approval and mitigation measures relative to construction were checked and confirmed prior to approval of the final building permit.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW/CEQA ISSUES

As noted above, the project site area has been constructed with parking lot improvements consistent with the CZA.

CEQA prompts analysis of impacts to the physical environment. Where a project will not have a direct physical effect on the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect effect, that project is likely to meet the criteria for a CEQA exemption

REZ15-0001 would result in no change to the physical environment, but rather would remove encumbrances to the parking lot associated with the CZA’s conditions of approval and mitigation measures.

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■ Butte County Department of Development Services ■ ■ March 26, 2015 ■ Agenda Report – Mooretown Rancheria REZ15-0001

■ Page 4 of 4 ■

This project has been determined to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions under Categorical Exemption Class 1 (section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines) Existing Facilities:

Class 1 consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. The types of “existing facilities” itemized below are not intended to be all inclusive of the types of projects which might fall within Class 1. The key consideration is whether the project involves negligible or no expansion of an existing use.

LOCAL AGENCY REVIEW

● Butte County Departments and other Agencies were notified of the proposed rezone and had no comment.

PUBLIC COMMENT

No public comment was received as of the time this report was published.

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                                                          Resolution No.  PC _____    

A RESOLUTION OF THE BUTTE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDING THE  BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE REZONE REZ15‐0001 

REPEALING THE MAY 22, 2001 CONDITIONAL ZONING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MOORETOWN RANCHERIA CONCOW MAIDU, A FEDERALLY‐RECOGNIZED SOVEREIGN 

INDIAN TRIBE, AND THE COUNTY OF BUTTE   WHEREAS, on May 22, 2001 a Conditional Zoning Agreement (CZA) between the Mooretown Rancheria Concow Maidu, a  federally‐recognized  sovereign  Indian Tribe, and  the County of Butte was approved relative to a +5.16–acre property, APN 079‐230‐015 (‘subject parcel’ or ‘subject property’), which zoned the subject parcel to C‐1 (Light Commercial), subject to conditions and mitigation measures imposed on parking lot development; and   WHEREAS, parking lot improvements were constructed on the subject property and were issued a final building permit for light poles, electric, and water piping on October 22, 2002; and       WHEREAS, on October 26, 2010 Butte County adopted a new General Plan, including a new General Plan Land Use Map which  re‐designated  the  subject  property  to  a  LDR  Low Density  Residential  land  use designation on the Butte County Land Use Map; and,  WHEREAS, the Butte County Board of Supervisors adopted a Zoning Ordinance Update on November 6, 2012 under Ordinance #4050 which rezoned the subject property to LDR Low Density Residential; and, 

 WHEREAS,  the General  Plan  EIR  (SCH  #2008092062) was  certified on October 26, 2010  by  the Butte County Board of Supervisors (Resolution 10‐150) and the  Zoning Ordinance Update  Supplemental EIR (SCH #2012022059) was certified on November 6, 2012 (Resolution 12‐123); and,  WHEREAS,  the  Zoning  Ordinance  Update  specifically  provided  that  established  Conditional  Zoning Agreements were not modified by adoption of the update, specifically:  

 The Zoning Ordinance shall not interfere with, repeal, abrogate, or annul any Conditional Zoning Agreement established between the County and an applicant prior to the effective date of the Zoning  Ordinance.    All  uses  under  the  Conditional  Zoning  Agreement  will  continue  to  be permitted, in addition to all uses allowed under the zone.”  (BCC §24‐5 (E.)); and  

WHEREAS, the Mooretown Rancheria of the Concow Maidu Tribe filed Rezone application REZ15‐0001 on January 26, 2015 with the Butte County Development Service Department requesting  that  the County repeal the Conditional Zoning Agreement approved May 22, 2001, thus removing encumbrances to the subject property that have interfered with the subject property being taken into trust status by the Federal Government on behalf of the Tribe; and 

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  WHEREAS, a duly notified public hearing was held on March 26, 2015; and  WHEREAS, the Butte County Planning Commission reviewed and considered the information in the staff reports, and all oral and written testimony presented to the Planning Commission; and  WHEREAS, an Environmental Assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was prepared circa 1999 by Mooretown Rancheria for the Proposed Conveyance of Fee Property to Federal Trust  and  Development  of  a  Cultural  Center,  A  RV  Park,  Casino  Over‐Flow  Parking  and  Associated Infrastructure, Mooretown Rancheria, Butte County, California;  and the EA identified no cultural impacts from the Casino project inclusive of the Casino Over‐Flow Parking which is generally coterminous with the subject property, APN 079‐230‐015 ; and,  WHEREAS, REZ15‐0001 is categorically exempt from CEQA under section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines as an existing facility consisting of the “operation  repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor  alteration  of  existing  public  or  private  structures,  facilities,  mechanical  equipment,  or topographical  features,  involving  negligible  or  no  expansion  of  use  beyond  that  existing  (emphasis added)” because, the subject property is currently developed as a parking lot and will continue with no change or expansion of use after the Conditional Zoning Agreement is repealed; and   NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Planning Commission hereby recommends to the Board of 

Supervisors the following findings: 

1. Notice of the Planning Commission hearings on the proposed Rezone and categorical exemption, 

was given as required by law and the actions were conducted in accordance with CEQA, and the 

State CEQA Guidelines. 

2. All  individuals, groups and agencies desiring  to comment were given adequate opportunity  to 

submit oral and written comments on the proposed Rezone and the categorical exemption.   

3. The proposed adoption of  the Rezone  is  consistent with  the General Plan and any applicable 

community or specific plan as provided by Government Code Section 65860 

4. The proposed adoption of the Rezone is not inconsistent with other applicable provisions of the 

Zoning Ordinance. 

5. Proposed adoption of the Rezone is physically suitable in terms of design, location, shape, size, 

and other characteristics to ensure that the proposed uses and development will not endanger, 

jeopardize, or otherwise constitute a hazard  to  the property,  surrounding properties, and  the 

community at large. 

6. The proposed Adoption of the Rezone does not jeopardize the health, safety, and welfare of the 

County. 

   

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DULY PASSED AND ADOPTED this 26th day of March, 2015, by the following vote: 

AYES:     NOES:     ABSENT:   ABSTAIN:    

_____________________________ Rocky Donati, Chair Planning Commission County of Butte, State of California 

ATTEST:  _____________________________ Tim Snellings, Secretary Planning Commission County of Butte, State of California 

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AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING REZONE REZ15-0001 (MOORETOWN RANCHERIA)

REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 3724,

PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 24, ARTICLE 38, OF THE BUTTE COUNTY CODE

The Board of Supervisors of the County of Butte ordains as follows:

Section 1. Ordinance No. 3724, An Ordinance Zoning A Portion Of The County

Of Butte, State Of California, An C-1 (Light Commercial) District, Pursuant To

Section 24-25.40 is hereby repealed.

Section 2. Severability. If any provision of this Ordinance or the

application thereof to any person or circumstances is for any reason held to be

invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be deemed

severable and the invalidity thereof shall not affect the remaining provisions

or applications of the Ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid

provision or application thereof.

Section 3. Effective Date and Publication. This Ordinance shall take

effect thirty (30) days after the date of its passage. The Clerk of the Board

of Supervisors is authorized and directed, before the expiration of fifteen

(15) days after its passage, to publish this Ordinance once, with the names of

the members of the Board of Supervisors voting for and against it, in the

________, a newspaper published in the County of Butte, State of California.

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PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Butte,

State of California, on the____ day of ____ 2015, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

NOT VOTING:

____________________________

Doug Teeter, Chair of the

Butte County Board of Supervisors

ATTEST:

PAUL HAHN, Chief Administrative

Officer and Clerk of the Board

By_______________________________

Deputy

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Attachment A

The Mooretown Rancheria Parking Lot (aka Feather Falls Casino Parking Lot)” herein called the "Property", situated in the County of Butte, which Property is described as follows:

Being a portion of Parcel 2, as shown on that certain parcel map for Thomas A. Poole and Manuela G. Poole, which map was recorded in the Office of the Recorder of the County of Butte, State of California, on April 30, 1990 in Book 119 of Maps, at pages 28, 29, and 30, located in the NW 1/4 of Section 34, Tl9N, R4E, MDB&M, in the County of Butte, State of California, being more particularly described as follows:

Beginning at the NW comer of said Parcel 2, said point also being the

centerline of Alverda Drive; thence S 09° 38' 12" E a distance of371.41 ft., along the westerly line of said Parcel 2; thence N 89° 57' 33" E a distance of 127.96 ft., leaving said westerly line of said Parcel 2; thence S 00° 02' 27" E a distance of 65.00 ft.; thence N 89° 57' 33" E a distance of 295.00 ft.; thence N 00° 02' 27" W a distance of 65.00 ft.; thence N 89° 57' 33" E a distance of 138.00 ft.; thence N 00° 02' 27" W a distance of 119.67 ft.; thence N 89° 57' 33" E a distance of 65.00 ft.; thence N 00° 02' 27" W a distance of 212.67 ft. more or less to a point on the northerly line of said Parcel 2 and the centerline of Alverda Drive; thence N 88° 23' 15" W a distance of 304.97 ft. along said northerly line and the centerline of Alverda Drive to the beginning of a 5000 foot radius curve concave northerly; thence along said 5000 foot radius curve to the right, for an arc length of299.47 ft. through a central angle of03° 25' 54"; thence N 84° 57' 21" W a distance of 84.45 ft. more or less to the point of beginning and the end of said description.

Containing 5.45 acres, more or less.

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ZONING0 900 1,800 2,700 3,600450

Feet

RR-5

MDR

LDR

RC

P

VLDR

G-C

MHDR

ROW

RR

MDR

LDR

RC

P

VLDR

RTL

MHDR

Self Ln

Wheeler Ave

Alverda Dr

Windfall Way

Pinecrest Rd

Sawwali Ct

Gol

dd i

gger

Ln

Lorene C

t

Rid

gew

ell C

t

Iron Horse Ln

Nissen Ranch Rd

Wal

ter

Blu

me

Ln

Lower Wyandotte Rd

Ophir Rd

Pinecrest Rd

Upper

Pal

erm

o R

d

Monte Vista Ave

Au

trey

Ln

Car

mel

Ave

Via Laton

Via Canela

Wheeler Ave

Map created by:Butte County

Development Services Department7 County Center Drive, Oroville, Ca. 95965

REZ15-0001 (Mooretown Rancheria) ·

Project Site

Oroville Sphere of Influence

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Ownership: USA in Trust for Mooreteown Rancheria 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000500

Feet

Windfall Way

Self Ln

Wheeler Ave

Alverda Dr

Pinecrest Rd

Old Mt. Ida Rd

Gol

dd i

gger

Ln

Ku

sel R

d

Sawwali Ct

Au

trey

Ln

Lorene C

t

Phaeton Dr

Iron Horse Ln

Nissen Ranch Rd

Ina Ct

Ma

jah

i Ln

Brougham Dr

Deb

by A

ve

Walter Blume Ln

Pa

no L

nG

unte

r Ln

Cortez Way (undeveloped)

Low

er W

yan

dot

te R

d

Ophir Rd

Foothill Blvd

Pinecrest Rd

Monte Vista Ave

Au

trey

Ln

Oroville Bangor Hwy

Las Plumas Ave

Upper

Pal

erm

o Rd

Via Canela

Car

mel

Ave

V-E

AveRosita Way

Forestview Dr

Map created by:Butte County

Development Services Department7 County Center Drive, Oroville, Ca. 95965

REZ15-0001 (Mooretown Rancheria) ·

Project Site owned byMooretown Rancheria

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