HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from John Blenkush - Short-term Rentals Menchaca, Clarissa
Subject: FW: Copy of Complaint
Attachments: Exhibit 1 (Jim Crane).pdf; Exhibit 2, (Road - No change).docx; Exhibit 3 - Roads.pdf;
Exhibit 4 - Wildlife Carrera Images.pdf; Exhibit 4a - Motive.docx; Exhibit 5 -water.docx;
Exhibit 6 - water issues.docx; Exhibit 7 - well mtc.pdf; Exhibit 8 - Open Home.docx; BOS
LETTER.pdf
From:John Blenkush [mailtoJblen536@gmail.com1
Sent: Friday,January 5, 2018 8:47 AM
To: Menchaca, Clarissa <cmenchaca@buttecounty.net>;Snellings,Tim<TSnellings@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Re: Copy of Complaint
Thank-you, Clarissa. Please see attached for BOS letter and supporting documents.
Appreciate it.
John Blenkush
1
January 5,2018
RE: Response to Dan Raner letter,dated September 20'11,2017
Dear Butte County Supervisors:
It is deeply troubling to us,where in his letter dated September 20c11,2017 to the Board of Supervisors,Mr.
Raner not only implies elected officials are being bought and paid for("...perbaps fame of there profls end up as
campaign contributions.')but knowingly chooses to spin a false negative narrative about us and,more importantly,
the short-term rental(STR) business. It should be noted,in a November 6",letter to Mr.Raner,we gave him
the option to correct the narrative,but he declined.
1. `None of us had been nolified." False!
a) Neighbors to the north and south of us have a direct line-of-sight to our front door and
parking lot,making it impossible for us to run a STR without them knowing. Early on,
we had several conversations with these two neighbors about us running the STR.
Furthermore,we've had a long-standing gentlemen's agreement to keep a watchful eye
on each other's homes for the past ten-years.
b) North neighbor hired our managers to caretake their dog,2Rd month of STR.
c) Hired South neighbor's friend as manager. To date,South neighbor okay with our STR.
d) Within a month after triggering our rental,we notified local real estate broker Oim
Crane)we were operating a STR and would send clients his way. (Exhibit 1)
e) We didn't feel it was necessary to notify neighbors who live more than a'A mile down
the road from us.
2. "ourprivate mad is being damaged weekly"(presumably by our STR guests) False!
a) Mr.Raner,in the Minutes of Meeting,October 22,2017,quotes his road expert: "the road
is in reasonablygood condition."
b) To our knowledge(and by his own admission W- 'I've sprayed poison oak"`7 pull weeds.')Mr.
Raner,in the 14 years he's owned his 2 parcels,has yet to significantly contribute to the
maintenance of AJ Stohx(2 equal shares)or Stag bane,(1 equal share) despite '
contractual obligations. This is in stark contrast to the efforts made by his fellow
stakeholders,who have participated alone and in work parties,performing preventive
maintenance and paying for rock. An attempt by Mr.Raner to terminate the road
contract and write new language designed to give his vacant land a free pass and reduce
his contractual obligations by 2/3rds was thwarted. (Exhibit 2)
c) Suggestion(s) to switch from totes to a single dumpster to keep the massive WM garbage
trucks—which are damaging our roads—for isn't this the very reason the BOS curtailed
their mileage on county roads? --off our private roads was greeted with, `Nat everyone has
u 1rllek to haul theirgurbage,"by Mr.Raner,yet this is exactly what other residents in Forest
Ranch do to address the bear problem and reduce wear and tear on their private roads.
(Exhibit 3)
3. (STR) `unleashed dogs are roaming on porches and charging neigbbors"False!
a) Our STR House Rules and reviews confirm our guests'dogs are NOT allowed to roam
off-leash. Failure to do so results in the loss of our guest's security deposit. (less than
I%of our guests bring dogs) plenty of room far the Iwo dogs to nen around on the patio(deck)and in
the dog pea'; "the Lack deck was agreat place to hang osrt witll ny dogs."Note: our 1000 sq ft deck is 5
feet off the ground and completely fenced in.
b) Neighborhood dogs (including ours) have historically been allowed to roam off-leash.
c) Not a single photo of our guests'dogs has been captured by our wildlife-monitoring
camera;however,dozens of pictures/videos have captured neighborhood dogs roaming.
We've lost count as to how many times over the years we've had neighbors'dogs
charge"us. (Exhibit 4)
4. "noi y parties." False!
a) We've drawn guests from as far away as Europe and Asia and from all around the
United States. Hard to imagine they'd spend time and money to come here just to party.
b) Our reviews detail the various reasons people are drawn,not only to Butte County,but
to our unique setting and structure. (Log home)Many are family gatherings,some of
which include grandparents and babies. "serene'; '%eacefid';
'War-gating'; "relaxing';
"breatbtakiug", 'kiratforkids'; "amating; "expisite; are just some of the adjectives describing
our guests'stay with us. (See reviews below)
c) Two neighbors adjacent to our property have complained of"loud music"prior to our
starting the STR (originating from other neighbors) but we never received a single
complaint regarding `noisy parties"at our house.
d) Neighbor below us is within earshot,and,as late as Oct.2017,he said he doesn't have a
problem with us running a STR,because it has had no impact him.
5. `Trash cans are left out for animals to scatter." False! Not by us.
a) An audacious charge,given Mr.Raner has not only walked pass our bear cage many
times,but even brought "strangers"to view our bear photos. (Exhibit 4)
b) We have,however,cleaned up our neighbors'spilled trash from time to time,as we are
the only stakeholders in our neighborhood who own a bear cage.
6. "trash bags are placed on neighbors'lYlaste Mgt. barrels"Ludicrous!
a) It's absurd to believe our guests would hang around waiting for our neighbors to roll
out their garbage bins sometime Thursday morning in lieu of dropping their garbage
into our 24/7 available bins.
7. "strangers drive into neighboring parcels."
a) We,too,over the years have had strangers motor up our driveway. Not uncommon in
this neck-of-the woods,nor are we familiar with any of our neighbor's extended
families,friends,acquaintances, service techs,etc...so they're all strangers to us,just as
we recognize our guests may be to them. The difference is our guests have been vetted
and are insured through the STR companies for a million dollars.
b) We were, from the very beginning,sensitive to NOT disturbing the neighbors by having
cars motor up their driveways. To this end,we supplied detail mapping to our place,
erected signage pointing the way,and contacted Google maps to correct an error in their
mapping.
8. "up to(STR) 19 cars have been parked."False!
a) Regarding our STR,we've never had anything close to that many cars parked in our off-
street,out-of-sight private parking lot.
9. "use have deep ewncerns about fire safety and evacwation plans"Unjus tified.
a) STRs require hosts to post a Safety Card with emergency contact numbers.
b) Our house,built in 2009,meets and exceeds all codes related to life and safety,which
includes an indoor fire suppression system and superior electrical system.
c) Detectors and fire extinguishers are prevalent throughout the house.
d) We consistently achieve high marks from Cal-fire for keeping our entire 5-acre parcel
clear of undergrowth and debris,which is in stark contrast to Raner's heavily debris and
brush-laden 13 acres,which has never been—in the 14 years he's owned it—cleared.
e) We annually clear the overhang and groom the roads,maintaining it as a viable escape
route,should a Etre occur/other. (Exhibit 4a)
10. "emphasities "events,parties, weddings,graduations." False!
a) We've turned away a half-dozen offers to hold{large)weddings at our site,accepting
only 2 offers for weddings—one had a party of 6,the other was a small,intimate
wedding with less than a dozen attendees. (They were from England)
b) We have accepted--from parents—offers to hold graduation celebrations at our place,
while facilitating and supervising the event ourselves.
11. Vn-supervised"False!
a) During our two long-term absences (May/June,2016 and June/July,2017)we hired
managers to oversee our STR. North neighbor hired our first managers in June of 2016
to caretake their dog/South neighbor's friend was hired during our absence in 2017.
b) In addition,we placed a facilities master mechanic on call,should there be problems.
t) During our absences,we had text conversations with our North neighbors—unrelated
to the STR--without ever receiving a complaint from them.
12. "the rental owner is on a shared-well with three owners:" True,but apparently a non-issue with the
well stakeholders for the following reasons.
a) bong before we started our STR,we deployed water saving measures,including
capturing rain water for fire suppression,irrigation,and dust control in our 10,000 gallon
tanks multiple times per year.
b) None of the other 3 stakeholders have taken advantage of our standing offer to pay a
larger share due to 2 of the stakeholders being largely absentee owners. (Exhibit 5&6)
c) In 2016,while we were operating our STR,we paid an equal share despite a dramatic
increase in cost due to a 2-month leak in two of the stakeholders'water line,without
complaint. (Exhibit 6)
d) We've performed 90%of the maintenance on the stakeholders'well in the past ten
years,mostly without compensation for labor and parts. (Exhibit 7)
e) Going forward,we installed a water meter and recommend payment by usage,not equal
shares,primarily because 2 stakeholders are largely absentee owners.
13. "...we were being burdened with a variety of problems from the renters"
a) Raner's words, " le discovered this summer, by chance, that one of our neighbors was renting out
his home..."strongly suggests our renters had little to no impact on the neighborhood.
Why else would it take him 15 months to discover, Gy chance,we were operating an STR?
As documented above,the problems Raner says he(and he claims others) "were being hurdened with"were
fabricated,or is simply the lifestyle of living in the foothills where inhabitants tend to favor freedom over
restriction. Due to the novelty and,yes,bad apples in the business,we understood the concern(s)involved
with STRs even before we started,so we took every precaution to limit the impact on our neighbors. And
for 15 months we operated without complaint.
Had Mr.Raner chose to have a friendly neighborly chat with us instead of pursuing a near 3-month covert
course of action,misunderstandings, shaped by misinformation,would have been avoided,and erroneous
statements like these ("shoat-term rental was not legal in our Foothill-Residential.Zone"the rental owner did not file for aty pet-wit,"
motels popping ep in neighborhoods, `iuke in enoan>ons pvfets", itrr-strpeivised and uat-regtllaied')would never have been
conceived.
We feel it's more constructive to ask,"What could and did go right during the 20 months we operated a STR
than to speculate as to "What couldgo wrong?"
A shared economy reduces the human impact on our finite resources. Build more motels? Deploy yet more
fleets of taxis? Why? When the resources are already available. When the alternative is not sustainable,and
when it does not reflect well on us as stewards of our finite resources.
STRs do not `puke in enotwous profrls"as Mr.Raner would have us believe. These are,largely,part-time mom and
pop operations,simply folks who need or want to supplement their income. Which they pay income taxes
on. As with any business there is overhead. In our case,the moneys garnered from our STR paid for
maintenance, (including the road and well),utilities,custodial,and local,state,and federal taxes. Our net
profits (most of it) stayed here,where we shop locally,instead of lining some far-flung corporation's pockets,
as is the case with the net profits from chain motels. Even though a STR ordinance and permit process does
not yet exist in Butte County, (Whigham court case)we paid the sales tax(69/0),because we feel it's good
business practice to support,not only our local community through their numerous charities, (Charter School,
Fire Station 24,the Lions Club,FRCA,and Caring Veteran's),but the county we live in,too.
Mr.Raner's statement, "Mal a nrrmUer of arrt-of-corrnl�Lrryerr are prrrchcrsirrg homes acrd pnpetly in msidendal.7orres for the express
purpose of seuing to shorl-tern-rexlals,"does not pass fact checking,especially in our neighborhood. One could
make more money renting long-term with less overhead and effort,than operating a STR. Within view from
our property lines,are 3 substantial (2000+ sq ft) houses,which sit vacant 80—90 percent of the time. The
owners could rent them out,short or long term. They could register them as relief shelters with Aixbnb's
Open Home program during crises. They choose not to. It's there prerogative. Their right. Even though,
in our view,it's a wasted resource. Especially during critical need.
We choose to share our resource,and to make it available during crises to those displaced who need time to
rebuild their lives and to support relief workers_ Airbnb's Open Home program has helped thousands in
need, free of charge,including during the Oroville Damn evacuation. (Exhibit 8)
Our 3000 square-foot log home sits in the middle of a heavily-forested 5-acre parcel. It borders a 14-acre
parcel (west—house located on far end),a 10-acre parcel(south—vacant 100%of the time),a 6.53 acre
vacant parcel adjoined by another 6.53 acre (east—house located on far end) and a 5-acre parcel(north—
vacant 50%+ of the time),which is bordered by another 5 acre parcel(vacant 100%of the time) Our
property includes a long driveway with a large,private gravel parking lot,a 2500 square foot fenced in dog
pen,a 1000 square-foot fenced in deck,and a mud room,which doubles as a dog room. (we don't allow dogs
in the house) Our House Rules are strictly enforced,which,if not adhered to,subjects the guest(s) to loss of
their security deposit and/or removal from the STRs'communities. Our guests are vetted (3 forms of ID)
and are backed by a one-million-dollar insurance policy. (Airbnb and Homeaway) If our property cannot
qualify as a STR,we can't fathom how the 300 or more current STRs in Butte County would qualify,given
the characteristic of our space and facilities.
Does the BOS want to attract overnight guests? Tourists,from around the world,who visit the jewels of
Butte County? Do you want net profits to be spent locally? Or line the pockets of far-flung corporations?
Are you in favor of driving the local economy without accelerated expansion into greenbelts? Do you want
to swell TOT? Do you favor utilization of existing properties rather than chipping away at our finite
resources? Do you want emergency shelters—on a minute's notice—available and ready to cater to those
who have not only been displaced,but to those who are also deployed to assist? Do you want to bring the
World's communities together? (Airbnb views itself as a community,governed by peer pressure.)
If you answered yes to any of these questions,then please consider embracing,rather than hindering,STRs.
Please don't let ill-informed,non-participants sway your judgement. Give STR owners direction with a
clearly-defined ordinance and a minimalistic permit process,which will grease the wheels of what is inevitable:
The transformation of the lodging industry.
So why do Butte County visitors choose STRs over downtown motels? More space,more privacy,no
compromises? We think it's best to let our guests tell you. Common theme? Family.
`Enjoying time with family and friends. Absorbing the pure beauty surrounding us. Thunk you for allowing its to have a
specs!Christmas inyour beaut ful house. It was wonde ful to relax and forget about the real world."Dena Palmer,Oakly,
CA,and local Chico relatives.
Thasr H rgiving family gathering--our second in this lovely spot? Played outside with our 2+year oldgrandson, cooked as a
family for our Thanksgiving feast, enjoyed the warm atmosphere and beautiful views. On top of our list of things to be thankful
for was the joy in our 97yr. old father's eyes as be presided over our Thanksgiving-day. He was so pleased to be here again this
year and to enjoy a day with his family in this beautiful spot. Thankyou! God willing we will be back again nextyear."Jane
and Rob Malcolm. Austin,TX,Chicago,and local Chico relatives.
`10ur purpose for our stay was to attend a family members graduation from the fish and game academy and celebrate with friends
and family. This is the first time we have ever rented a vacation home. We were wanting something to accommodate a good si,-ed
group and a dog. We were beyond pleased with the set up of this home. The mud room for the dog was awesome!.«!It was
completely furnished with dog crate, dog bed,food dam'water bowl, toys...what more couldyou ask for. The home itse f is
amati ngT Very spacious,unique in it's architecture andyou feel likeyou're inyour own home. Plenty ofparking, loved the two
person hammock for an afternoon nap and the Cornhokgame. The 7&9 year olds er joyed the kiddie pool on the side deck. It
bas been a truly rela-wing time with friends and family. We Ue all decided we need to do aget together like this once ayear. The
views and quietness ofyour homes location is perfect. Nothing better than enjoying God's country. God bless. Hope to visit
again sometime in the future." The Eye Family,Bankson and Marsh. Chowchilla, Caruthers,&Tulare,CA.
'Thankyou so much for openingyour home to us Needless to say it is gorgeous here—and it was the perfect retreat far us as we
welcomed our new baby girl into ourfamily. Thankyou again!" The Davidson/Chang Family,Bangkok,Thailand.
graduation retreat/family weekend. Barbequedr Relaxed, Walked.butte Meadows 6 jumped in the creek to cool off.
Host°s john&Nancy aro arvesomelr Great space. The deck (especially in the early morning)copper tub�stone shower. just
a wonderful ipace dam'the hosts aro really lovey&an inspiraiionl1 TVery fortunate that thy have shared their special home.
Thanks!.!" Worthington family,Albany CA.
`Enjoyed each other's company. Celebrated our brothers birthday,went to Lavender Ranch,ate at Sierra Nevada Brewery,
went antiquing, hiking @ Butte Meadows. Thepictures did not do his home jrustice)V From the moment we drove up the
driveway this magnificent home emerged from the forest and welcomed us in. This house is tastefrully appointed,and the views are
breathtaking. The beds are comfortable, the directory extensive and very heoful. The couches are extremely comfortable—this
whole house isjust set up to be relaxing and comfortable? Yoruguys have thought of everything? We thorozrghly enjoyed our stay
—I am sure we will be back! Thankyouforsharingyourmagnificent home. God Bless" Gina&Charlie Farinha,
Florida.
`Sibling reunion. Fellowship wl each other. A bit of sight-seeing in the gorgeous country side around here. Justspending time
with family. (we live too far apart)Your home/proper y isgorgeous. Thank yorr for this opportunity. I would d f nitely rent
again. Gorgeous? God Bless!" Lisa Erdmann,Southeast Michigan.
"VVdflower Century. We loved your comfortable houseP Special place far sure. The hummingbirds on the deck are constant
entertainment. So comfortable here. Perfect fr pets? Everything here is first class! The views after a long bike ride are the best.
,Special day for sure?! ThankyouY' Cliff&Laura Ward/Mark&Stacy Tedson,Tahoe,CA
`Tamily reunion far my mom to celebrate her 7011,birthday. Caught sup with distant relatives. Also had carrot cake to celebrate
Mom's birthday. We also eelehrated Easter Sunday. Favorite moment. The kids building a fart in the loft wing with the build
a for?set." Paula. Washington State.
`23eth i surprise 5011,B-day weekend. RELAXED,ate, drank good wine&champagne. Played party games and celebrated
our friendships. The whole weekend was magical,jun and so relaxing? We all laved being in this beautiful,cow home?11
Thankyou!" Beth&John Howard, Chico,CA
"Christmas weekend with family and friends residing in Chico &Sac. Breakfast at(2)Cottage, tour CSUC. Xmas dinner
here, relaxing day. Incredible place. World class view. Ama,-yng construction and amenities. Thankyou for letting us visit
your lovey home. What a delights" The Akerbloms,Stockholm,Sweden.
`First famiy vacation in 13years and first family trip with the new twins! We enjoyed the comfortable cabin with spectacular
views,relaxed,and even made it out to Lassen National Park where we had a chance to hike a bit andplay in the snow. (in
July, no less) Thankyou to John and Nang for openingyour lovely home to ourfamily! It was the perfectplace for ourfamily
vacation—everyone loved it and had a chance to relax. It was perfect and comfortable far the babies and dogs too! The house
had everything we needed(r-more) &trxrly exceeded our expectations0"The Kwoks,San Francisco/Fresno/Los
Angeles
grandparents visiting from Florida,so we came to visit grandson who is at Chico (CSU). 3 generations. We stayed in the
cabin and spent lime together,relaxing, reading,playing cards&board games, and drinking wine by the fire. The cabin is
spectacular, and John&Nang have thought of everything to ensure guests are comfortable and have anything they could possibly
need Thankyou!T' The Nunez Family,Foster City,Ca and Florida.
Dear John&Nang: lY/orvr Ivly wife, Terri and I had the pleasure to spend almost 4 days with our son,Brett, dazrghter in
law,Emily,and our twograndson r What a wonde>firl and deligh#rl rrsidenceyou have here—right out of the movies. We saw
4 deer in backyard, 72 fork ys,and enjoyed the hummingbirds. Your surmundings arefantastic. As my son said, 'take
Tahoe without the lake." Your intenorfznishing is beyond description Tbankyou for a once in a lifetime eNperiance."
Howard&Terri Hill,Boise,Idaho.
`This is an amatiing property with very nice view on top of the hill. The house is way clean and john gave a lot of hep before
and dzrrzng the stay. A lot of toys far the kids and they love them and they enjoy so much with the deer and turkeys running
around Star viewing is also agood option in this property since it's a bit away from the city light." Hong,Milbrae,CA
`Our family had an incredible weekend at John and Nancy's home in Forest Ranch! Words cannot describe the beauty and
comfort of this home. Plenty of space, breath taking views and a bath tub fat for a queen! Our son attends Chico State, our
house is about an 8 hour drive. It'.r easy to see why John and Nancy are super hosts. Ourfamill would like nothing more than
to return and spend another weekend in this sereniy." Rebecca,Fontana,CA
`The location of this cabin is spectacular...we enjoyed sitting on the back deck every night watching the sun go down. We love to
cook and the kitchen was superb for this purpose. It was a wonderful and relaxing time and we wish we could've stayed longer."
Candice,Atlanta,Georgia.
"We had such a great weekend here. The house is amaUing, it has everythingyou need,its clean and the view it so relaxing and
beautiful. Our boys had fun on the trampoline and loved the outdoors. The highchair he ped a lot with the 1 year old. We took a
daytrip to Lassen park,and it was so nue to have the house to get back to after a hike and the drive. Can defznitly recommend
this stay!"Sandra, Stockholm,Sweden
`My now-husband and I hosted a very intimate wedding at the cabin. We wanted something secluded and beautiful,just for our
close family and friends. The event turned out lovely and I couldgo on and on about this cabin!All the little details and
craftsmanship, even the lovely pictures dont do itjustice.Plus,John and Nancy are interesting, nice,and communicative. Five
stars for the cabin and the bosts!" Meagan,England.
`The Lavender Log Home was beautiful.)We had an intimate family occasion at the home and it couldn't have been more
spec7al. The scenery was breathtaking and the everything about the home was modern and well cared for and we all felt pampered
and rejuvenated at the end of our stay.Everyone wants logo back!Thank you john and Nancy."Jennie,Provo,Utah.
`Fantastic log house,perfect forfamilygatherings.just.20 minutes from Chia in the pine forest with fantastic view that makes
you want to sing halalryah. Our hosts weregenerous to stock the kitchen with anything we could have possibly needed. We enjoyed
the log burning fireplace. Our parppy had his own spacious mudroom so no worries about his security and comfort while we were at
an event in town." Linda,San Juan Capistrano,CA
`Zt was such a wonderful experience staying at John&Nany's. Everything was,well prepared and John&Nancy were very
considerate.Me and my associates spent two nights there and e%plored Lassen Volcanic National Park."Zhe,San Jose,CA
"Thanks John and Nancy?You have agreat home. We arrived friday afternoon,settled in and spent the rest of the afternoon
enjoying the sunshine and playing some cnrnhole on the huge back deck. There are a few hummingbird feeders and the
hummingbirds were very entertaining.A few deer fed their way through the backyard around dusk. We BBQed dinner and
relaxed. There were plen y of beds and rooms to go around. The loft was agreat place to hang out and watch a bit of TV. We
headed into Chico(a$20 ober ride)the next afternoon to hit the brewery and a few local hangouts.All in all it was agreat trip
shanks largeyhipart to john and Nancy?The cabin is beautiful,everything is well orgam,-ed,the house was kid friendly, the
kitchen is very functional and the sbower is amazing but ourfavorite part was the back deck!" Vincent V.,Ripon,CA
Breathe taking? This home is everything described and more. We had an amatiing time relaxing and enjoying the view. The
home is comfortable and equipped with all necessary amenities.My family and friends loved waking up to the rising sun over the
mountains. We left feeling rejuvenated and great-full for the time we spent together in the serene setting. Thankyau for sharing
the wonderful homeyou have created."Jessica B.,Anderson,CA
"Wow!We had such an incredible stayWe pulled up to the home right at sunset and OH MY GOSH, the view does NOT
disappoint. Perfect sunset views from in the house, deck;backyard or choice of hammocks We weregreeted by a sweet hand
written note and home made spice bread(carbs always win over my heart). The home is absolutelygorgeous and even more
spectacular in person. We spent a week and weren't even ready to leave when it was time to do so. The home is close enough to
Chico(20 min)thatyou don't feel out in the middle of nowhere but far enough and in such an incredible locationyou feel removed
from the world and relaxed. I mean, a shower with a view of the woods...unreal.!It was incredibly peaceful and a tare vacation.
Their home has anythingyou could possibly need foryour stay.My children guu fly found all the toys as wells john and Nancy
had a well detailed binder at their home that answered all of the questions one would have but also resounded quic;ely when
contacted. They were the absolute perfect hosts!One day we did the drive up to Chester and it was absolrrtelygorgeous and the fall
colors were showing off(a must see). I also recommend getting pi tia at the only restaurant in town--it was soyummy!We
absolutely recommend thisgorgeous log home. You will be blown away!We loved how peaceful it was there and eryoying seeing
different wildlife each day:wild turkys,jackrabbits,squirrels,a family of deer(all seen while laying in the t U bedl.{q It was an
absolute dmam!All of ourfriends who saw photos and videos of our stay were enamored.!We can't wait toga back!Thankyou
John and Nancy forsharingyourgorgeous home with us!" Emily H., Southern California.
'Dear both,Just a thankyou for the very nice wordsyou wrote about us asguests?We miss Forest Canyon andyour amatizng
hideaway already All the best toyou both!Allegan Via'Reto"Mannedorf,Switzerland.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
John J Blenkush Nancy H Jessup
Cc:Tim Snellings,Director,Development Services(tmellinQs�lzuttecostnY
l wouid start wf~th Jim Crane- He brokered our land deal and has been »
in the bt bines for over 35 years.
aV tun,?Cty via Arbnb urliAS
Hi John and Nancy, i
,head of our trip,I was avondering if YOU could recornrnend a,good
lel realt .We'd like to be shown around the area and check out the
hood and what kind of houses are on the market.'Piooupd you happen
to know aa;rnewie,who could helita us oust?Tho area we're interested in
is Chico/Paradise or the vi6nity.
Another favor:would you hap pen to know of any good job sites'for
this area?W�en we move back ere might meed to do some fight work
for a c—ouple of+gears,l aria in Corporate Communications and Beta has
experience in hoteVrestauraat.
Hugely appreciate any tips you might have!.Thanks so much.
Wind regards from SvAtaeirlanid.
Megan
Pest ay yr ?°r K5
EXHIBIT 1
i//,,,//s!�!�! ��/,.,1,/, i✓ /i/lr/%/i 6�,,,1/%�/i/��,o:%„ff!,S; C,,,,;i'; ✓ ,.,,,,.,,�„e ,,,Cli.l/:�,,,ici%s::
_ ca CLf rx
«."a
w. �a 1 nl uff
KG 4; ro w f5w C 3 5^Y R
✓'� nY"� � N phi � "� F'y d
_LU
p &r”
'�. c P
m
"r w
oas ry no 0
to
u a o
M o. W w w
a c o ” '�' o
az c
c o r:
J- cc
na ni
10
no
E
y c Ca w Ccr
0
r
. w
+rr
on 0
no
IV
rn >
n�F E
0
erc :. a. do c s m ' a tary
°
n 11=, m �a
a. an nti r a rr as c a
.,. c w o ro
�cz� � "o
. a c r o,l
'u am Co. CL
T t5 on P ; s
j 4 Com} y ate'+ EE,: w ,4 q uv
wCL ? Do
+nn Jon
"�.
mon « na ,un "'' e'
M. `era G' aaa uy
E
I > ° E.> w °
do
.E nno 71
cw do
'E aEi Y 19 Q a C yra °4M C3 "C1 6P
Zo
no
:a' W m
Q Q '0,
N +n 4a ✓ C "Ca dano
u4 aw c
no
0 v. aim"� s �� n �•, ar
mai y: ma c � CE,
hx o „a
a c L4 S
c w r12 qd
n
75
u, o w '� o 4AW
-, > '� a" u �„ '� E
LiS , trli 'O ✓.. Y�O R� �1 C. d� «.. G1u C �^ � ql N
0 Tn o
no
r •. r w u ., <G 'C7`~ I
C 6A G Q 4d "W-a c C'4
tn �a E 4, y,a'
72
� X
W
EXHIBIT 3
The three major causes of damage to our gravel roads:
1. Massive Waste Management trucks,which are responsible for pulverizing transitions,wash-
boarding on hills,trenching,and flattening the crown. Cour roads weren't built to withstand this
weight. (no base)
2. 'Watershed (record rainfall fast year!)
3, Neglect(ie: lack of preventive maintenance.)
r�/ d
i i � r�� �'r, qr oaal�try, "kjF u�rr r
WM truck on Stag Lane Transition at Forest Ranch Ra WM rut
Road is in "reasonably and condition." We believe the "good condition" has a lotto do with our and
other stakeholder's)PM over the past ten nears.
Removal of overhanging brush Raking gravel Unplugging culverts
Alternatives used by other FR residents to keep WM off their private drives and roads.
N �
r
y �
WILDLIFE CAMERA IMAGES—Exhibit 4
r
Neighbor's dog-our frt lawn Neighbor's dog—Kato-roaming Neighbor's dog with ours-reaming.
Our cage (the only one in our neighborhood) has held up against numerous attacks by bears.
4
1
Mr. Raner has walked by our cage many times and even brought "strangers"at one point to look at our
bear picture posted on the gate.
1
fig
I
Exhibit 4a
10/18/2017
Dear Neighbor:
Since our motive for working the road independently has been called into question("With potentially hundreds of your
customers using our roads annually,it appears you understand that you should be contributing a larger share for rood and
drainage maintenance and repair —Dan Raner letter-Oct 11,2017)we feel we owe you an explanation as to why[/we take on
this task each year.
I was born and raised on a dairy farm in the Midwest. My father wasted no time inputting me to work,operating and
maintaining equipment at an early age. I went on from thereto maintain and repair aircraft(military),refinery equipment
(Chevron)and facilities(Chico State). All in all,I have more than 50 years of experience in the construction and maintenance
fields. If I see something that is broken or is malfunctioning,I have the need to fix it. It's just the way I'm built. James and
Richard can attest to this,as I've done most of the maintenance on our pump house over the years. (replaced clogged piping,
pressure switch,controller,eradicated and sealed off mud bees,sterilized tank,annually trim back brush and rake a fire break
around building,among others)
The driving force behind my need to keep the road in shape stems from an incident that happened in September of 2001,the
same week 911 took place. I was working at Chico State and when I spotted smoke in the foothills,I hurried to the roof of
Whitney Hall(9 story building)to get a better view. The huge plume of smoke was coming from the Yankee Hill area,where 1,
my wife,and 2 sons lived. I raced up highway 70 only to be blocked at the Hardware store where Cal Fire had set up their
command post.
Two weeks earlier,my son was involved in a vehicle accidentthat broke his humerus. He was home recuperating and now was
trapped behind the fire line. I told the incident commander of the situation and he replied that no one,not even the fire crews,
were being allowed on Big Bend road,as the fire had engulfed both sides. I happened across a captain who knew me from
when I was a volunteer fire fighter. He knew I was experienced infighting wildland fires,so he went and had a word with the
incident commander,who allowed the captain to lead mein. Once we hit the wall of flames on Big Bend Road,the captain
turned his car around and told me,"You're on your own. Good luck."
Driving into the firestorm not knowing whether my son was still alive or if I would be able to get both him and I out alive is a
feeling of helplessness I will neverforget. Nor have I forgotten how overgrown and in ill repair our roads were.I and our
neighbors had gotten apathetic about road maintenance.
One of the things I learned over the years I spent serving as a volunteer fire fighter is that no fire captain will allow his engine
crew to drive down a rutted,overgrown road,simply because it's a death trap. That's exactly why some of the victims in the
Napa/Sonoma fires could not get out. Nancy and I've ridden bikes up on Vedder mountain and Skyline Park in Napa. The roads
are narrow,winding,and(were)wall-to-wall brush.
I did rescue my son,but I'll never forget how I almost lost him in a firestorm due to not maintaining a viable escape route.
Over 8000 acres,47 homes,and 155 vehicles were destroyed in the Poe Fire.(which was started by a downed PG&E power line)
Miraculously,no lives were lost. You can still watch the videos of the inferno on utube,one in which the incident commander
stated,"This was not so much a fire as it was a firestorm." For a time,we thought our house—a log home we had constructed
ourselves—was gone. But we were one of the lucky ones. Where a neighbor's house lay in ash,ours still stood.
So,if you see me(and/or Nancy)out working the road,we're not doing it out of any sense of obligation,but simply because we
feel the need. We don't expect anything in return.
John and Nancy
Gly///„/l%nc%W111"i%IO„
„c a c a tin rEa E
CIP
In 4? � � emu,,a ,•� �CY
E F ro
E :G c wa w w E
w b a..m E.
a to w c a ni c 'a .c
a u w M G e
ba
�5 E c `` T ,E
m o w E
'c c �”a w c on
nn c
"0, i in �
.? � dy: ,�,•_ scary w w w U =- G
W nD w O Y
leGi c '
w G
r w'a nm
us
7• G. d..... G 9 w'p V .0 �' YS O is
14
t' � ^
Lu E
�41tj
.
ro Ml tAY «'.a Crory, 'C3 'nf Gt. w ±l6 rrw
Qj
+"n Y. inn „c
'rn"n a pi ro G c; c
cE
c ca - c w .c ro m ro ..-
E warm 4.1
c vIA 'qM
e
c 5 a wx E t: E a 6 � w
E ? w c E a qa
CL r
L nn E 0.I
c ac E %
xic ro
m G
GO
a, «e% E n r w c ' r
vi o w -, E sc c w ° an c vror
w ro S i .
5 Y o w c^r w rn
-ra
t, E ro � . w�,. a o.
,c � G � G wu '�” rt w ci �: s� m. ro a' "e hYM •-^
0 fu
.� w0a ry C.a... p tia a G c c s w :. 6 u c E
no
L n! n L sV..C 2w CA del Ty w
iE is ww a m n�
w
aw^ ro " Ec
.3�" ai 'O w m
E
2E) C? a cc a 0 G a 'a G m.s a. D
is a v 0"
G..e u.. n✓ n,": rci'%''1 r-
, w FG
5. m ,u. a c a a 70 cc s
t!'1 ILA
x ,-
ua
Exhibit 6
I've finally gotten around to calculating the electric bill for the well pump. This covers the period from June,2014 through September,
2016. There was a problem for the months of May and June of this year when it was discovered that the feed line to the Sheff ields and us had
cracked and so there was a significant leak and thus a significant increase in the electric bill. Since this was and"Act of God"ll have gone ahead
and divided these months equally among the four families. If this does no seem fair to you,please let me know, Everyone's share of the bill is
therefore$311.
Eric
10/10/2016
Water bill
John EMenkush
Hi Eric:
Hope all is well vw&, you and yours.
Please send us HALF of the water bill on the next qyde. Then ycu three can split the renisinder
Thank---!
September 20, 2017. Another request was sent much earlier, perhaps in 2016, but I have no
documentation.
Exhibit 7
1/17/2017
Hi Eric:
Just wanted to keep you in the loop on the well. This past week the tank went dry
because the submersible pump did not start. I tracked the problem back to the
controller. The overloads are not resetting - either fried during our last storm (electrical
surges were abundant) or just plain wore out. As of now I've run a jumper across the
overloads and we're (James and 1) filling the tank using the submersible's circuit breaker
as an on/off switch.
I've ordered a new control box (recommended to change it rather than piecemeal
components). It should arrive Monday and midweek I'll have it changed out.
John
Your Order#1211:;09869 (placed on January 14,2017 4:01:10 PM EST)
Billing Information: Payment Method:
John J Blenkush
15933 Stag Lane,PQ Box 531 Credit Card Msa,Mastercard,Discover,American
Forest Ranch,California,95942 Express)
United States
T 5305702313 Credit Card Type:
F:5305702313 Credit Cardl Number:
Processed Amount: $185.34
Shipping Information: Shipping Method:
John J Blenkush FedEx-Horne Delivery
15933 Stag Lane,PO Box 531
Forest Ranch,California,95942
United States
T 5305702313
F:6305702313
Item Sku Qty Subtotal
Franklin Electric 2823028110-3 HP-Standard Control Box-230 Volt(Typically In :2823028110 1 $159m
Stock(Ships in I to 2 Business Days))
Subtotal
Shipping&Handling $25.35
Grand Total $185.34
Exhibit 8
C b,P th Inc.,VUSJ aVrtanb.rnnr ,.,..
Hurricane Harvey
If y—hava z-flable hcuxlung in Ina zraa lndlaatad on the Orovilie Dam Evacuation
snap,pl—a —M.,making your hems msrai¢ablu.
If you haus avahabla h—Ing in iha araea find catad an Sha
f V ,.. map,pVcasn c...Oder making your homm.-11.bk,.
f y g ....
n itslrsll � . . .I rhapma 1, nu5,n�,a
n f
ft-i August 23,2617 O tobar 9,2617
:wr tR c nor,
C7 Frfbu ttvw X^i:'ri P f y F buary'12,2617 t:r F.bruary 19,
Hu�asf 9 rg-,frn '6�Imwlwv 2617 t,x tlt RA
.t (1 ,aiyr rourn.
Jain the community of 714+Mosta who
have opened their homes to evacuees Join the community of 2 hosts who have
far free, opened their homes to evacuees for
a free.
C