By: Libi Uremovic, January 21, 2014 | Original Article at Patch.com
The City of Beaumont is attempting to acquire more bond debt by developing what they are calling ‘Parcel Map No. 32775’ on the Agenda, but this land has already been parceled into three areas: Area 19B, Area 19E & Area 19F.
Page 2 of the Staff Report states:
“From the standpoint of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) the existing Oak Valley 218 Specific Plan and Oak Valley Environmental Impact Report (EIR) remain current and will be relied on in the purposed actions associated with this proposal and no additional environmental analysis is required.
Incorrect: California Public Resources Code Division 13 Article 2 Section 21157.6 clearly states:
(a)
The master environmental impact report shall not be used for the
purposes of this chapter if either of the following has occurred:
(1)
The certification of the master environmental impact report occurred
more than five years prior to the filing of
an application for the subsequent project.
The master environmental impact report for this area is over ten (10) years old. The date of the Special Tax Liens for all of Area 19 including Areas 19 B, E, & F were filed in 2004.
Section (b) (1) even prevents an old report from being reviewed unless there are no “…substantial changes have occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the master environmental impact report was certified …”
Since Areas 19 B, E, & F were incorporated into the General Plan the City of Beaumont and entire Inland Empire has over-developed property which was a major factor in the economy collapse of 2008. Overdeveloping the land in the high-desert area of California has resulted in depreciated property
values, water shortages, and massive government debt.
The Staff Report states the property is a total of 296.41 acres, but does not list the number of houses. All of the Notice of Special Tax Liens for the three Areas are the same format, just different numbers entered. Pages A-5 state the number of houses planned for each Area as follows:
Area 19B: 515 Dwelling Units
Area 19E: 416 Dwelling Units
Area 19F: 577 Dwelling Units
The City of Beaumont can not sustain another 1508 houses. The housing market is already flooded, there is not an adequate supply of water, and the City is not financially stable.
The Notice of Special Tax Liens illustrates the disconnect between the actions of the City and the intent of the law.
Page A-7 Item 2 states: “Commencing Fiscal Year 2005-2006 and for each subsequent Fiscal Year, the City Council shall levy a Special Tax for Services on all Taxable Property within IA No. 19B until the amount of Special Tax for Services equals the Special Tax Requirement for Services …”
Page A-8 states: “CFD Public facilities” means $40,000,000 expressed in 2004 dollars..
Who says you can’t buy love?