Politics | Trust

Lytton Band to collect signatures for petition on city services

Thursday, October 15, 2015

A view of the Lytton Rancheria's land-into-trust site in Sonoma County, California. Photo from Lytton Residential Development Environmental Assessment

The Lytton Band of Pomo Indians continues to face questions about its land-into-trust plans in California.

The tribe plans housing on 124 acres just outside the town of Windsor. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is in the final stages of reviewing the land-into-trust application for the project.

In order to move forward, the tribe will need water and sewer services at the site. That will require a vote of the people because the land it outside the town's growth boundary.

To get the issue on the ballot sometime in 2016, the tribe has to collect a sufficient number of signatures. Although the exact number is in doubt, the process will free the town of Windsor from conducting a potentially lengthy and troublesome environmental review on the matter.

If the issue does get on the ballot, the tribe hopes its willingness to work with the community sways voters. The tribe has committed to building a pool and aquatic center for the town, a project that could cost between $9 million and $11 million.

Separately, the tribe reached a land-into-trust agreement with Sonoma County in March as part of its push to secure passage of H.R.2538, the Lytton Rancheria Homelands Act, a bill that would place an additional 511 acres in trust.

The bill, however, has been met with hostility in Windsor. No one from the community, or the county, testified at a hearing on the bill before the House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs on June 17.

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Windsor wants Lytton tribe to gather signatures for vote (The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat 10/15)