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Greenbelt Alliance In the News

Novenmber 4, 2003

Letters to the Editor

Subheading

EDITOR: Steve Scott, the mayor of Windsor, is confused. In a letter to the editor Wednesday, Scott inexplicably claimed that Greenbelt Alliance has not taken a position on the proposed casino near Rohnert Park. As a point of fact, Greenbelt Alliance has taken a strong position in opposition to a casino or any development outside Rohnert Park's urban growth boundary. Our position has been featured on the front of our Web page (www.greenbelt.org) for nearly two months. Moreover, we have publicized our position to elected officials and community leaders in Sonoma County and broadcast it in our e-mail and print newsletters. Greenbelt Alliance has been working closely with elected officials and environmental allies on this issue and will continue to do so.

People paying attention to the casino debate are aware that Greenbelt Alliance defends the integrity of urban growth boundaries and opposes wasteful sprawl-inducing development, but this apparently does not include Mr. Scott.

KELLY BROWN

Greenbelt Alliance, Santa Rosa

Ill-informed attack

EDITOR: Steve Scott (Let the Public Speak, Wednesday) should check his facts before he rants. The most meager inquiry would have informed him that the Sierra Club strongly opposes many aspects of the proposed casino outside Rohnert Park. Our statement has been circulated in e-mail, shared with casino opponents, read in a public meeting of the Rohnert Park City Council and posted on our Web site. Here are some excerpts:

"The club stands by the principle that new development should occur within established urban growth boundaries. The club objects to the fact that in addition to falling outside the Rohnert Park urban growth boundary, the currently proposed casino site is in a community separator, in a flood plain, in an area designated for groundwater recharge and in an area identified for agricultural preservation through the Williamson Act."

"Any development on the scale of the proposed casino should undergo thorough environmental review consistent with CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act) and make an enforceable commitment to full mitigation. Particular attention should be paid to protection of all endangered species including the California tiger salamander, protection of vernal pools and wetlands, water supply and wastewater disposal and air quality."

Mr. Scott's ill-informed attack on the Sierra Club is regrettably unconstructive.

PETER ASHCROFT

Sierra Club Sonoma Group Chair

Santa Rosa

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October 29, 2003

A deafening silence

EDITOR: The silence is deafening. Where is the opposition from "environmental groups" to the Rohnert Park casino? The Sierra Club and Greenbelt Alliance are showing a level of hypocrisy and lack of principle by their inaction. Are we to interpret this to mean that the purpose of urban growth boundaries and community separators was to save room in between our cities for casinos?

The Sierra Club, Greenbelt Alliance and other environmental groups could help ease the growing levels of suspicion if they would make public their donor lists. Until that happens, the public will have to scratch their heads wondering why inconsistencies like this exist.

STEVE SCOTT

Windsor

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