HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmail from Twila Rhoades - Craig Access Road Subject: FW Craig Access Road
From:Twila Rhoades [mailto:iudvrhoades400@gmaii.com,]
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2017 10:13 PM
To: DSPlanning<DSPlanning@buttecou ntV.net>
Subject: Craig Access Road
My name is Judy Rhoades. I have owned property on Craig Access Road since the mid 70's. At that time the
road was called Oregon Creek Road. We camped on our property every year. Back then we could drive to the
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lake in two places, go swimming, have a picnic and just enjoy the beauty of our area. I believe Craig Access
Road was maintained by Parks and Rec.
In 1988, we began to developing two of our three parcels. Thanks is when we found out that DWR owned Craig
Access Road and that we need a Certificate of Compliance to use the road. After several trips to Sacramento,
and paying fees, we received our COCl. We moved to our home in April 1989.
Craig Access Road has been used by the public as access to the State Park and lake since it was first developed.
I believe that public use of the road over so many years has established a right to use the road. Maps of the Lake
Oroville State Recreation Area and the Feather River Yuba River Regions All show Craig Access Road as
public access to the take. If DWR doesn't want anyone using the road, isn't this false advertising?
A little background on Craig Access Road. DWR put-chased the road in 1969 from Jack and Lovall Sims. The
Craig Saddle Area was originally part of the Oroville Dam Project in 1964. Craig, Saddle Area was proposed to
have 2240 camping units, 500 picnic units, 10 acres of beach, 10 acres for boating, 5 concession acres and 3990
parking spaces. Currently there is only a boat-in campground that can not be used most of the year due to low
water levels.
DWR receives revenue from boat ramps, campgrounds, marinas, the sale of water etc. Is it that DWR isn't
making, any money off Craig Access Road the reason they don't want to maintain it? It is not the public's fault
they choose not to develop Craig Saddle. In addition, no COCl should be required to do anything on Craig
Access Road since it is really a public access road. There are also Indian burial grounds off Craig Access that
are still being used today.
According to ORAC, DWR plans to extend the Enterprise boat ramp and put in more parking spaces. There are
currently several parking spaces and the ramp can only be used when the lake is full. I have never seen the
parking lot full.
Craig Access Road is only a half mile from the Enterprise boat ramp, is only four miles long and has several
residents living on or off it who need to have a year round accessible and fully traversable road. A Road
Resurfacing proposal was done by Robinson Construction Company 11/5/1998 at my request and given to
ORAC and DWR. I have copies if anyone is interested. I have been dealing with issues about this road for the
past several years and prior to delicensing.
During the Craig Fire in August 2008, CDF used their equipment on the road to get in and put the fire out.
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Thank God for Firefighters. The road was much improved after they were here.
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Due to a very hard winter, in January 2017 the road became untraversable. After several calls DWR came and
worked on the road a little on 1/30. Channel 12 came and filmed the road on 1/31. DWR came on 2/16 and
fixed a very large washout as emergency vehicles could not get in when there was an emergency. They left us
some piles of rock to use to fill pot holes. On 2/22 came again as Leroy Ellinghouse of DWR had told residents
that no trucks were allowed on Craig Access Road and that the residents did not even have pennission to use it.
DWR also sent a fax to our Trash Service Company telling them they could no longer pick up our trash at the
end of our driveways.
Over the past several months, a lot of money and man hours have been spent by local residents trying to make
the road traversable. By allowing DWR to not maintain the road and forcing the Butte County Board of
Supervisors to adapt an Interium Urgency Ordinance, DWR has made the value of our homes and property
"0". This is unacceptable. DWR claimes they have spent$250 thousand dollars on Craig Access Road in the
past 10 years. I find that hard to believe and would like to see the receipts/records of how this money was spent.
Where did the original Grant Money go plus the money from COCs and permits? Reality companies are still
showing property in this area, the residents are paying taxes including an extra fire tax. Please take all of this
into consideration when allowing DWR to pass the buck to you. We are not asking for a freeway. We just want
some new culverts, clean drainage ditches, overhanging tree trimming, grading and gravel done to the road.
Thank you for anything you can do to help us.
Judy Rhoades
400 Craig Access Road
OroviIle, CA 95966
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