HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmail from Greg Colby - Butte Creek Canyon Overlay Zone Menchaca, Clarissa
From: Breedon, Dan
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 3:21 PM
To: Menchaca, Clarissa
Cc: Hatcher, Casey
Subject: FW: Butte Creek Canyon Overlay
Clarissa, I received this concerning the Butte Creek Canyon Overlay.
From: Greg Colby [mailto:colbius2@att.net]
Sent:Sunday, February 25, 2018 1:54 PM
To:Teeter, Doug<DTeeter@buttecounty.net>
Cc: Breedon, Dan<DBreedon@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Butte Creek Canyon Overlay
Supervisor Teeter;
We are long time residents of Butte Creek Canyon, owning property since 1981 and living in the canyon since 1983. I
would like to voice our concerns and opposition to the upcoming zoning change coming before the Supervisors on
Tuesday February 27, 2018. 1 have some points below I would like to bring to your attention in regards to specific points of
the overlay. During the planning commission process, there were 2 reports from county staff stating the water quality in
Butte Creek in Butte Creek Canyon is good to excellent. Therefore the fish are not being impacted by the water quality.
The deer are not an endangered or threatened species. They are abundant and not being threatened in any way. This
overlay is a solution desperately looking for a problem! There are now less than 5000 acres out of the whole canyon that
are being included in the overlay. Magalia and Paradise Pines drain into Butte Creek but those areas are out
also. According to county staff, in the overlay as it stands now, there can be no more than 157 undeveloped parcels,
either created or already existing, that can be developed inside the overlay. County staff has stated that this is most likely
a high number due to various factors. This burden is being put on a small minority of property owners of all of Butte Creek
Canyon. Why?
1 - Septic regulations-There is no evidence of pollution or real reason to increase the setbacks. There is language in the
overlay that appears to allow or make it easier to condemn someone's property if their septic system failed.
2 -Vegetation removal - Landowners and taxpayers should be able to manage their property without a bureaucratic jungle
to navigate. This is over regulation.
3 - Maximum impervious surface- Pervious Pavement. What is the efficacy of this product? In my early research on this
kind of product, I found that the cost is more than double the price of regular asphalt. How long will it last? How long
before it plugs up? Is the county going to use this pervious asphalt on all the roads in Butte Creek Canyon? If not, why
then would the county force it's citizens to use it?Also this section is way overboard on the restrictions of the amount of
"allowed" impervious surface.
4- Erosion control-The county has lots of regulations already in place when it comes to development of property. This
section requires excessive costs by mandating hiring civil engineers to develop property. This is unnecessary!The county
already inspects projects.
Added costs for developing property is a hindrance and time waster. Butte County should be aiding development so the
tax base will go up. We are closing fire stations and we are making it more difficult to increase tax revenue through
legitimate development. As a retired firefighter, I find this appalling. Most of this overlay looks like an attempt to hinder and
make development more expensive.
5-Administrative Relief-This puts people at the whim of UN-elected bureaucrats. One more hurdle and hoop to jump
through. There are some who say this is better than no relief. I suppose that is so, but mainly it is not necessary if we don't
have an overlay that hinders people from life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!
If you are a large landowner, corporation, utility, or you hired an attorney, you got out of the overlay. Foothill Residential
(FR) parcels should be out of overlay. Land use for FR allows many agricultural activities. The situation now is some FR
parcels are out(because of who owned them), others are inside the overlay. I request that all FR be exempted. Barring
that, I request our parcels we own to be out of overlay. Why would the county force this on people if it is such a good
deal? Let people choose if they want in or out. This turns the canyon into a giant Home Owners Association! People
choose to be in HOA's when they buy a property. This overlay is in effect, a bait and switch as this overlay was not in
place when many, many folks purchased their property.
Finally, We reserve the right to legally challenge this overlay zoning on all points (sections A,B,C,D and E) and also
specifically B (all), D2, (A and B), D7(all), D8 (all) and E= (all).
Thank you for your time, attention, and NO vote...
Greg Colby
Colby Family Trust
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