#68, June 2008

Annual Meeting June 5, 2008

CVPA Vision Fund

Vision Committee Status Update

Greater Tehachapi Area Specific Plan (GTASP)

Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB)

2008 Cummings Valley Bus Tour, July 12
Morning Tour, 9:00 A.M.
Afternoon Tour, 12:00 Noon.

Click here for photos from the event.
More high resolution photos are available using the publicly accessed Mission - Reports password protected link.

UPCOMING EVENTS

#67, April 2008

PRISON EXPANSION

The Meadows at Cummings Valley

Other Ag News

Holly Brooke Ranch – Good News

Triassic Legacy Vineyard Planting Event

CVPA VISION FUND APPROVED APRIL 22 (EARTH DAY)

Vision Fund Contribution Form

UPCOMING EVENTS

    The CVPA has taken several important steps recently in its determination to represent the interests of almost all residents of the area in the fight against the sod-farmers' proposed "Meadows" development.  It recently met with the County Planning Department and the Executive Director of the Kern County Local Agency Formation Commission to clarify the ground rules that the developers must follow.  It has enlisted the assistance of an experienced land use planning consultant.  And, on January 8, 2008, we met in San Francisco with attorneys of the law firm of Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger and entered into a retainer agreement with them as legal counsel for the CVPA.  The firm specializes in land use issues.
    Shute, Mihaly has distinguished itself in its work for cities as well as public interest and conservation groups. To pick just two examples, the firm has been a leader in the campaign to preserve Lake Tahoe (recently scoring a success in the United States Supreme Court) and, on behalf of the City of Livermore, developed the innovative legal framework for the South Livermore Plan.  The plan -- which has garnered nation-wide interest -- enabled the City, Alameda County and local landowners to preserve local vineyards and integrate them into a controlled pattern of suburban development.
    The firm will advise the CVPA on all questions regarding the sod-farmers’ proposed development, including the procedural process; compliance with CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act environmental impact report requirements); annexation into the Stallion Springs CSD, should the issue arise again; and any proposal for the creation of a new community services district for “The Meadows”.  It will act as liaison with the County Planning Department and other public agencies.  The CVPA plans to obtain their assistance with any issues regarding generation of the new Greater Tehachapi Area Specific Plan. 
    We envision a hard fight over a number of years.  Shute, Mihaly and other consultants will play a critical role.  Many concerned CVPA members have given generously to enable us to retain them.


    CVPA has never been “just against everything”. We have played and continually seek to play a positive role in the community with endeavors like our educational bus tours, roadside trash pickup, Yellow Starthistle eradication, old tire recovery program to reduce mosquito breeding, establishment of the Tehachapi Cummings Land Trust and others.
    We now have a “Vision Committee” of five, headed up by Gary Pearson, to create concepts of how lands in Cummings Valley might be used to reap economic benefits for the landowners and greater Tehachapi area while preserving the agriculture and open space.  Working with Gary, are Girard Fisher, Craig and Sally Fox and Ron Pflugrath.  Anyone else who would like to contribute would be welcome. Please send your ideas for visitor attractions to our P.O. Box or e-mail Gary, gwpearson_2000@yahoo.com.
    Bob and Patty Souza of Souza Family Vineyard have shown the way for the valley becoming a visitor attraction with a variety of interesting things for visitors to do, based on a foundation of wine tasting and vineyard tours.  Other areas have experienced great financial benefit for their communities from the development of wine growing. 
    Wine tasting is the lure, but other attractions like our ostrich ranch with its tours and gift shop, and alpaca farms could be just the beginning. Bed and Breakfast facilities and an upscale restaurant might follow.  Visitors could stop in Stallion Springs for coffee, lunch, dinner or golf.  Or they might have lunch or dinner in Tehachapi, visit interesting shops, and perhaps decide to spend the night. Visitors and tourists in a holiday mood tend to spend money more freely than locals.  At the end of their stay, they leave their money and go home without placing burdens on the infrastructure or our rural way of life.
    We hope to work with The Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce and Anthony McDemas’ Taste of Tehachapi to further our vision.



    Although the Tehachapi Cummings Land Trust was formed through the efforts of CVPA, it is a separate and independent organization with its own charter and 501(c)3 non-profit designation.  The Trust is qualified by the IRS to accept and administer conservation easements to preserve natural resources of the Greater Tehachapi Area.  Resources may include agriculture, open space, wildlife habitat, public recreation, and scenic values visible to the public.  Easement donors are entitled to income tax benefits.
    The first easement is on the 14.45-acre property being developed as a vineyard by Chuck McCollough.  It is an agricultural and open space easement, which will ensure that the property can never be rezoned for residential or commercial use.  The easement agreement provides for one single-family residence (which will belong to his daughter and son-in-law who will soon own the property).  It also provides for improvements including wine-tasting facilities to support the agricultural purpose.
    Chuck thinks the site is ideal for the Zinfandel, Viognier and Syrah wine grapes to be planted in April.  Not only that, because of its location, he wants it to be a show place entrance into Cummings Valley as part of the "Positive Vision".


    Membership: We currently show 516 members of which a quarter are now in arrears. Our membership year runs from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008, so please look at your label, center of top line to see your expiration year. If that year is 2007 or earlier, your dues are due. Consider extending your subscription for two or three years. We need your support now, even more than ever before, in light of the headline story.

    Kern Board of Supervisors: The Board recently approved removing 32 acres in Brite Valley from the exclusive agriculture designation of the General Plan to permit subdivision into smaller estate sized parcels for residential development. This action passed (by a 3 to 1 vote) over the recommendation to the contrary of the Planning Commission as well as objections of representatives of Smart Growth Tehachapi and the CVPA, who voiced support for the Planning Commission’s position. Supervisor McQuiston was the only logical voice of reason on the Board suggesting the action was premature to the release of a comprehensive Specific Plan currently under development for the area and questioning the wisdom of ignoring the recommendation of the Commission which was re-instituted specifically to study such requests for change. Supervisor Maben led the charge to approve the action by laying “blame” for lack of an area Specific Plan upon the City of Tehachapi. In addition, he revealed years earlier “discussions” with the parcel owners who, he implied, had waited long enough.    jfm



    Our 516 CVPA members believe that a major contributor to our enjoyment of a rural quality of life is the beauty and tranquility of the open space and agriculture of Cummings Valley.  They also recognize that we have a responsibility to preserve for this and future generations the prime soils in this uniquely favorable climate for summer growing of as many as 30 different types of cool season  organic vegetables as part of a healthful food supply.
    The owners of Superior Sod and Pacific Sod want to destroy these values by placing 2800 houses and businesses on 1409 acres in the middle of the valley.  The impact of 7000+ people and 5000 more cars would be devastating, bringing traffic, congestion and crime.  Imagine the traffic congestion on Highway 202 and its approaches, and the travel problems on Banducci Road as people seek this alternate route to escape congestion on 202. We must also remain aware that there are already 2778 undeveloped home sites in Cummings Valley and adjacent communities that will add many more people and cars to impact roads and other infrastructure.
    From their sales pitch, it would seem they have actually convinced themselves that their plan would be beneficial for us, ignoring the fact that it has been shown that most residents of the area see it as a travesty.  The truth is that the only benefit would be to the developers’ bank accounts! 
    Let's avoid the lesson other areas have learned to their sorrow - that a development of this size can only spread like a cancer as adjoining property owners feel compelled to cash in until all is consumed and nothing is left of the dream we came here with.
    We need all the help we can get to derail "The Meadows at Cummings Valley".  Please join us to add your voices to the effort and help cover some of the costs with your small, but important dues.



 More than 100 years ago the Supreme Court wrote “ALL PROPERTY IN THIS COUNTRY IS HELD UNDER THE IMPLIED OBLIGATION THAT THE OWNER’S USE OF IT SHALL NOT BE INJURIOUS TO THE COMMUNITY.”
    Who then, is “the community” and who is to say whether or not it will be injured by an owner’s land use? In our local rural situation “the community” often consists of a few land owners all sharing common rural character and a quality of life that was instrumental in their decision to purchase their property. If land owners in that community feel that their right to enjoy their land will be infringed by a change in land use by one member of the community, then the community will, indeed, be injured. It follows the simple concept that if you FEEL you are injured, then you ARE injured.
    Those whose rights are protected by adherence to the Kern County General plan must certainly be placed ahead of the one person who wishes to amend the General Plan. It is time to say “You do not  have the right to change the use of your land if doing so unfavorably impacts the rights and wishes of your neighbors or community.”
    We often hear “I bought this ranch so I could subdivide to provide for my retirement” as if possession confers some inalienable right to break it up whenever they wish. When land is acquired, it comes with a specific land use zoning designation as prescribed by the Kern County General Plan. Amending the General Plan to allow a change of land use is a serious business in that it may impact negatively other properties in the area. People need to understand that using land as a future nest egg carries risk, and like investing in the stock market or playing the lottery, does not guarantee a secure retirement.             cnm
(reprinted from CVPA News, January 2000 and still appropriate!)  

No 65;  August 2007

Annexation of Sod Farms to Stallion Springs

BBQ 2007

New features of the CVPA web site – cvpainc.org

jm

September Meeting

Misc. Reports

Bus Tour June 2

June Annual Meeting

Stallion Springs to Annex Lands in the Heart of Cummings Valley to Enable Development??

The Cummings Valley Wine Growing Region

April Meeting Revisited

TC Land Trust

PETITION

(A printable copy of this petition is available here)

Tehachapi Ag Futures Alliance

No 63;  January 2007

Ag Futures Alliance


February Meeting - Souza Speaks

No 62;  October 2006

Mark September 30 as the date for the annual barbecue at the beautiful Souza Ranch.  Festivities will start at 4:00 PM and dinner at 6:00.  On the menu will be deep pit beef and pork, rolls, cole slaw, potatoes, wine, beer, ice tea, lemonade and dessert  - - all for $20 paid in advance or $25 at the gate.  To get on the $20 entry list, send your check to CVPA, P.O. Box 1020, Tehachapi, CA 93581 before September 20.  Tickets will not be issued.  Come for succulent seasoned deep  pit meats with all the fixings, social time with old and new friends, and music in beautiful ranch surroundings.





    Election of officers at the June 3rd annual meeting resulted in the installation of long time members and previous officers of CVPA:
    We wish to thank outgoing president, Janice Armstrong, and outgoing treasurer, John Mester, for their outstanding service during the previous year.
    The program for the evening was the showing of two DVDs produced for the Ventura County Ag Futures Alliance.  They illustrated the compatibility of preserving agriculture within a rapidly growing society. Compact village-style residential developments, quality affordable farm worker housing and buffer areas between farming and residential areas were shown.
    Superior Sod owner and CVPA member, Dick Considine, would like to develop a major up scale residential development with commercial amenities, landscaping, and open space in place of sod on his land in the middle of Cummings Valley.  He has been very open with CVPA in showing the kind of development he has in mind.
    We have learned that Dick's plans include properties owned by Pacific Sod (Pacific Earth Resources of Camarillo) and another property owner for a total developed area of 1263 acres.  We are convinced that approval of such a development would trigger a cascade of events resulting in the demise of agriculture and a filling of the valley with houses and strip malls.
    CVPA has sent a nice letter to Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, Pacific Earth Resources owners, to advise them that we will oppose any such development with every lawful means available.  Copies were sent to Dick Considine and Supervisor, Don Maben.
    The prime soils and cooler summertime climate are a precious agricultural resource for food production that we cannot afford to squander.

There appears to be confidence, by those in the know, that this time around the treatment plant will be built.  With state of the art tertiary treatment, the effluent can  be used to irrigate crops not for human consumption.  This could provide low cost water for sod growers.  However, it is said that the new treatment removes the nitrates, so the argument that the sod growers need to stay in business to grow nitrate-hungry sod loses validity.


If you haven't visited the Grimmway Farms organic produce shed on Bear Valley Road just south of Cummings Valley Road (open each Saturday from 10:00 until 4:00 during the harvest season), you are missing out on a real treat!  The wonderful selection of reasonably priced fresh organic produce is getting rave reviews.  After a little urging from CVPA, Grimmway decided to open the shed again this year to be a good neighbor by giving us the chance to buy the organic produce we see growing here plus some, like melons, grown in other places.

The CVPA bus tour of Cummings and Brite Valleys has been offered every odd numbered year since 1993.  Because so many had been disappointed by the early sell-out in 2005, we decided to offer it in 2006.  But alas, again the two runs of the bus sold out.

The real purpose of the tours is to give members and non-members an appreciation of the history, flora and fauna, geology, and beauty of the area, but it doesn't hurt if we add a little to the treasury.  This year we came out ahead $737 including ticket sales, donations and also dues from 12 new members whom we welcome to our association.

We have received a very graceful note of appreciation of the tour from one of our existing memberships, new to the tour, however. Such warm responses make us feel the planning and preparation effort may actually be  worth while. Thank you, B&B, for those kind words.


As reported earlier, CVPA is sponsoring a Tehachapi Ag Futures Alliance (AFA) to build community-wide support for the preservation of agriculture throughout the Tehachapi area.  At the third meeting in June, two committees were formed;  One to deal with issues faced by larger growers and another to try to stimulate more agricultural diversity and participation by smaller growers and offer assistance , if requested.
    The CVPA Board would like to determine if enough members are willing and able to promote these objectives.  Please read side one of the insert in this newsletter, and then consider the possibility of helping to carry out some of the functions on side two.
    If we can help retirees, hobby growers or those with a serious interest in making money be successful, they will be helping us preserve our rural quality of life.
    Please be sure to review the article on the back cover of this CVPA News about our upcoming September 7th meeting featuring program speaker Joseph McIntyre, the new facilitator for the Tehachapi Ag Futures Alliance.

On June 28 Jo Anne Huckins and Chuck McCollough attended a meeting with several hundred others in Fresno to hear speakers and engage in work sessions relative to an effort to bring eight San Joaquin counties together for planning growth in the valley.  We had been told that Supervisor, Don Maben, had insisted that East Kern be included, but in the work sessions we found we were not on the map.  This could change, and also, there may be much to be learned from how those counties plan to control growth.  The number one issue from all those present seemed to be the need to preserve agriculture.


    We examined a proposal for a residential wind energy system on the north side of Cummings Valley Rd. west of Hwy 202.  The turbine size (10 Kw) and total height (104 feet) are well within the limits for a permitted use.
    A proposed equestrian center and riding school in Brite Valley seems to have potential for dust, traffic and road degradation problems resulting from large numbers of vehicles and horse trailers in and out of the facility.  We have written to Kern County Planning to recommend that dust mitigation measures be considered and that the applicant be made responsible for maintenance of any dirt roads damaged by visiting vehicles in wet weather.


    I can’t remember when we have had such high minimum (often called overnight low) temperatures as we have been having, or at least as Longhorn Lane in Stallion Springs at 3960 feet altitude has “suffered” of late. To check if those impressions were correct, I reviewed the data recorded by a weather station installed here since the spring of 2002. Here are bits of that data recorded up to 27July2006:
1. Highest minimum temperature was indeed this year:     73.2 F., 07/18/2006 , 06:22 hrs with relative humidity of 37%.
2. Previous highest minimum temperature since 2002:      72.3 F., 07/29/2003 , 06:17 hrs with relative humidity of 62%.
3. Highest maximum temperature this year so far:           101.5 F., 07/25/2006 , 14:53 hrs with relative humidity less than 20%.
4. Highest maximum temperature since 2002:                 104.0 F., 07/09/2002 , 12:15 hrs with relative humidity less than 20%.
    Until this review, I had also been under the mistaken impression that August had always been our warmest month. Apparently July holds that honor. You know, some people claim that the cricket’s chirping frequency is directly related to the night time ambient temperature. If true, reckon the locals must be “plumb wore out ’bout now”.

    Joseph McIntyre, the new facilitator for the Tehachapi Ag Futures Alliance, will give us his perspectives on the potential for preserving and stimulating agriculture throughout the Tehachapi area as a means of preserving a valuable food resource as well as maintaining the rural quality of life.   He will by then have spent two days touring the area and meeting growers as well as sizing up the commitment of attendees at two AFA meetings. The meeting has been moved to Wednesday to accommodate the speaker; remember, Wednesday, September 6, 2006 at 7:30 PM, SSCSD meeting room.
    CVPA has invested $14,000 of its treasury to fund the first year of the AFA process.  Please attend this meeting to offer your thoughts about the AFA effort, and to let Joseph know that CVPA members are committed to the AFA concept for the benefit to the community of preserving agriculture and open space.

    If your mailing label shows a year earlier than 07, it is time to send your check for one or several years at $12 per family per year. 
    We need your support now more than ever as we face challenges to the rural qualities we came here to enjoy.  CVPA may again find it advantageous to provide some financial support along with other contributors to continue the Ag Futures Alliance into the second year.  Member numbers and money may be critical as we strive to preserve the integrity of the area.
    Please complete the membership form and return it with your check.  We would hate to lose you, if you haven't kept up with your dues, but we feel we should drop members who are more than two years in arrears.  A check for the current membership year (July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007) will put you back in good standing.

     Sign-ups by members have been fewer than expected, so the tour is being advertised in the Tehachapi News and the Loop with the write up below.  If you want to secure a seat on the bus, sign up ASAP!



Imagine traveling by wagon from Bakersfield, up the harrowing Sheep Trail, through Cummings Valley and the joy of reaching the Banducci Ranch where you can rest, spend the night, get some supplies, and repair a damaged wagon wheel in the blacksmith shop.  Some of the small buildings that provided those services are still there to be visited on the  first stop of the bus tour.

The second stop will be on top of Indian Hill where the bedrock mortars of the “Indian Kitchen” can be seen along with gorgeous views of Brite Valley and the beautiful historic Rocking Horse Ranch (called Oak Creek Farm by its present owners).

A third stop and a short hike will take participants to the 1870's marble quarry where native Americans found it easy to develop acorn grinding holes in the relatively soft marble.  Large blocks of marble were shipped to San Francisco after the railroad reached Tehachapi.

Commentary along the route will be provided by narrators in a  full-sized air conditioned bus.  The tours are open to all at a cost of $15 per person with pre-payment required.  Send checks to CVPA, P.O. Box 1020, Tehachapi, CA 93581.   Indicate preference  for the 9:00 AM or noon tour, and give phone number in case changes are necessary.

The tours will leave  from the Stallion Springs Realty parking lot on Stallion Springs Drive across  from the Woodward West Action Sports Camp.  Tours of the sports camp will be available to interested bus tour participants upon their return.                        Chuck McCollough    822-3478

Time again to remove the unsightly litter from our Cummings Valley roadsides.  Please come out to help!  Pick up safety vests and trash bags at the Cummings Valley School at 8:00 AM or after.  Lunch  will be provided at Winnie Graham’s barn located on the dirt extension of Pellisier Rd. south of Banducci.  Let’s keep Cummings Valley beautiful!

The second meeting of the Tehachapi Ag Futures Alliance is on May 8, and will continue to build consensus among a wide spectrum of interests throughout the Tehachapi area for the need to preserve our agriculture.