Once again, as it has been for the tenth year in a row, the Countywide Burn Ban will not be observed in Spring Valley, because the County made our private campground into a Public Campground in 1996, due to the County”s requirement that land owned by the County must be open to the public.
The 203-acre campground was transferred to the County at that time, and was offered to the property owners, but the County wanted it, and illegally made it open to the public. The land is still leased to the property owners due to a 99-year lease. The reason open campfires are allowed is because of the rule that campers have the right to build fires to warm themselves and cook food in public campgrounds.
Despite the Urgency Ordinance being in force due to the water shortage resulting from the County overbuilding the subdivision by about 100 more homes than the water system can safely supply, once again, about 400 homes and 1000 lives are at stake because of the County”s foolish policies in Spring Valley. This is the driest year in the 12 years I have lived here, and I have asked the County to close the campground for the entire duration of the Burn Ban, with no results.
This is just another example of the total incompetence of the Board of Supervisors with regard to Spring Valley. They seem to want to cause as much chaos here as possible. Are they doing this to force us to accept paying $800,000 each for two sand filters, necessary to expand the capacity of the water system, when only about six or seven years ago, we paid $185,000 each for two identical sand filters?
I would like to see the campground closed during the Burn Ban this year, after all, it is the same Board of Supervisors that have imposed the Urgency Ordinance because of the “danger” due to lack of water to fight fires. This is the driest year in 12 years, is that “dangerous” enough, or not?
Don Scott
Clearlake Oaks
