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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12142004 - C53 t t -s * r CONTRA TES. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ISORS :. COSTA * a $ FROM: Jahn Sweeten County Administrator COUNTY 4 DATE: December 14,2004 SUBJECT: REVISED CSAC PULLY ON TRIBAL LAND DEVELOPMENT AND ACTIVITY UPDATE SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S)& BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION(S): 1. ENDORSE the CSAC revised policy document regarding development on tribal lands as adopted by the CSAC Board of Directors on November 181, 2004. 2. ACCEPT the report on Indian ging activities. BACKGROUND/REASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDATION(S): The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors endorsed the original CSAC policy document regarding compact negotiations for Indian gaming adopted by the CSAC Board of Directors on February 6, 2003. The policy recommended that Tribal-State Compacts be amended to require environmental review and mitigation impacts'of casino projects, clear guidelines for county jurisdiction over health and safety issues, payment by tribes of their fair share of the cost of local government services and the reaching of enforceable agreements by the tribes and counties on these matters. At that time, the issue of Indian gaming was largely one affecting rural areas and lands that historically were Indian reservations. Since then, the Indian gaming issue has expanded into other development on Indian land as well as acquisition of new tribal land in urban areas. Recognizing this shift, the CSAC Indian working Group directed the County Counsels' Association's Native American Tribal Lands Committee to draft an additional policy for consideration by the CSAC Board of Directors that addresses these issues, emphasizing the need for both counties and tribal governments to carry out their governmental responsibilities in a manner that respects the governmental responsibilities of the other. (Revised policy attached) The CSAC Board approved the revised policy on November 181, 2004. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATI10h BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED O R VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS(ABSENT TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact: Sara Ho#frnarn,335-1090 ATTESTE - cc: CAO JOHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF Indian Gaming Workgroup(via CAO) THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CSAC(via CAO) AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BACKGROUND/REASON(S)FOR RECOMMENDATIONS (cont'd): Endorsement of the revised CSAC Indian Gaming Policy would be consistent with the Board of Supervisors past actions. Update on Indian Gaming Activities The Ad Hoc Indian Gaming Committee of the Board of Supervisors met on November 9,, 2004. At the time, it heard a status report on the various casino proposals as well as reviewed a Strategic Action Plan(attached). Scotts Valley Band of the Pomo Indians — The Scoping Report for the EIS for the Scotts Valley Band's land trust acquisition proposal has been completed as of December 6, 2004. Upon receipt, staff will distribute it to the Indian Gaming Workgroup for review. Lytton Rancheria— As of the first of December, a representative from the National Indian Gaming Commission informed County staff that the Scoping Report for the Lytton Rancheria EIS was approximately "one month" from completion. Also, apparently the State Legislature will not be considering the proposed Tribal-State Compact until after the first of the year. December 6, 2004 TO: CSAC Board of Directors Members, CSAC Housing,Land Use,and Transportation Committee Members, CSAC Indian Gaining Working Group County Counsels FROM: DeAnn Baker, CSAC Legislative Representative SUBJECT: Revised CSAC Indian Gaming Policy As you may know,the CSAC Board of Directors adopted the Revised CSAC Indian Gaming Policy on November 18,2004 and a copy is attached for your information. The attached revised policy reflects the discussion of the Indian Gaming Working Group and the subsequent additional policy which was adopted to address recent legislation at the federal level as well as the increased use of reservation shopping. Also attached is the original CSAC Indian Gaming Policy which was adopted M* February 2003 and is still in affect. If you have any questions or comments about the adopted policy on Indian Gaining please contact DeAnn Baker at CSAC (916.327.7500 ext. 509 or dbaker(&,counties.org). CSAC Revised Policy Document Regarding Development on Tribal Lands Adopted by CSAC Board of Directors November 18, 2004 Background On February 6, 2003,CSAC adopted a policy which urged the State of California to renegotiate the 1999 Tribal-State Compacts which govern casino-style gambling for approximately 65 tribes. CSAC expressed concern that the rapid expansion of Indian ging since 1999 created a number of impacts beyond the boundaries of tribal lands, and that the 1999 compacts failed to adequately address these impacts. The adopted CSAC policy specifically recommended that the compacts be amended to require environmental review and mitigation of the impacts of casino projects, clear guidelines for county jurisdiction over health and safety issues,payment by tribes of their fair share of the cost of local government services,and the reaching of enforceable agreements between tribes and counties on these matters. In late February, 2003,Governor Davis invoked the environmental issues re- opener clause of the 1999 compacts and appointed a three member team, led by former California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso,to renegotiate existing compacts and to negotiate with tribes who were seeking a compact for the first time. CSAC representatives had several meetings with the Governor's negotiating team and was pleased to support the ratification by the Legislature in 2003 of two new compacts that contained most of the provisions recommended by CSAC. During the last days of his ad inistration,however, Governor Davis terminated the renegotiation process for amendments to the 1999 compacts. Soon after taking office, Governor Schwarzenegger appointed former Court of Appeal Justice Daniel Kolkey to be his negotiator with tribes and to seek amendments to the 1999 compacts that would address issues of concern to the State,tribes, and local governments. Even though tribes with existing compacts were under no obligation to renegotiate, several tribes reached agreement with the Governor on amendments to the 1999 compacts. These agreements lift limits on the number of slot machines,require tribes to make substantial payments to the State, and incorporate most of the provisions sought by CSAC. Significantly,these new compacts require each tribe to negotiate with the appropriate county government on the impacts of casino projects,and impose binding"baseball style"arbitration on the tribe and county if they cannot agree on the terms of a mutually beneficial binding agreement. Again, CSAC was pleased to support ratification of these compacts by the Legislature. The vroblems with the 1999 compacts remain largely unresolved,however,since '0' %.W W most existing compacts have not been renegotiated. These compacts allow tribes to develop two casinos,expand existing casinos within certain limits,and do not restrict casino development to areas within a tribe's current trust land or legally recognized aboriginal territory. In addition,issues are be 4. to emerge with non-gaming tribal development projects. In some counties, land developers are seeking partnerships with tribes in order to avoid local land use controls and to build projects which would not otherwise be allowed under the local land use regulations. Some tribes are seeking to acquire land outside their current trust land or their legally recognized aboriginal territory and to have that land placed into federal trust and beyond the reach of a county's land use jurisdiction. CSAC believes that existing law fails to address the off-reservation impacts of tribal land development,particularly in those instances when local land use and health and safety regulations are not being fully observed by tribes in their commercial endeavors. The purpose of the following Policy provisions is to supplement CSAC's February 2003 adopted policy through an emphasis for counties and tribal governments to each carry out their governmental responsibilities in a manner that respects the governmental responsibilities of the other. Polio 1. CSAC supports cooperative and respectful government-to-government relations that recognize the interdependent role of tribes,counties and other local governments to be responsive to the needs and concerns of all members of their respective communities. 2. CSAC recognizes and respects the tribal right of self-governance to provide for the welfare of its tribal members and to preserve traditional tribal culture and heritage. In similar fashion, CSAC recognizes and respects the counties" legal responsibility to provide for the health, safety,environment,infrastructure, and general welfare of all members of their communities. I CSAC also supports Governor Schwarzenegger's efforts to continue to negotiate amendments to the 1999 Tribal-State Compacts to add provisions that address issues of concern to the State,tribes,and local governments. CSAC reaffirms its support for the local government protections in those Compact amendments that have been agreed to by the State and tribes in 2004. 4. CSAC reiterates its support of the need for enforceable agreements between tribes and local governments concerning the mitigation of off-reservation impacts of development on tribal land. CSAC opposes any federal or state limi including the provision of public safety,health,environmental, infrastructure, and general welfare services throughout their communities. 6. CSAC supports federal legislation to provide that lands are not to be placed into trust and removed from the land use jurisdiction of local governments without the consent of the State and the affected county. 7. CSAC opposes the practice commonly referred to as"reservation shopping" where a tribe seeks to place land into trust outside its aboriginal territory over the objection of the affected county. 8. CSAC does not oppose the use by a tribe of non-tribal land for development provided the tribe ftdly complies with state and local government laws and regulations applicable to all other development, including full compliance with environmental laws,health and safety laws, and mitigation of all impacts of that development on the affected county. 3 Original CSAC Policy Document Regarding Compact Negotiations for Indian Gaming Adopted by the CSAC Board of Directors February 6, 2003 In the spirit of developing and continuing government-to-government relationships between federal, tribal, state, and local governments, CSAC specifically requests that the State request negotiations with tribal governments pursuant to section 10.8.3, subsection (b) of the Tribal-State Compact, and that it pursue all other available options for improving existing and future Compact language. CSAC recognizes that Indian Gaming in California is governed by a unique structure that combines federal, state, and tribal law. While the impacts of Indian gaming fall primarily on local corrununities and governments, Indian policy is largely directed and controlled at the federal level by Congress. The Indian Ging Regulatory Act of 1988 is the federal statute that governs Indian gaming. The Act requires compacts between states and tribes to govern the conduct and scope of casino-style gambling by tribes. Those compacts may allocate jurisdiction between tribes and the state. The Governor of the State of California entered into the first Compacts with California tribes desiring or already conducting casino-style gambling in September 1999. Since that time tribal gaming has rapidly expanded and created a myriad of significant economic, social, environmental,health, safety, and other impacts. CSAC believes the current Compact fails to adequately address these impacts and/or to provide meaningful and enforceable mechanisms to prevent or mitigateIMP acts. The overriding purpose of the principles presented below is to harmonize existing policies that promote tribal self-reliance with policies that promote fairness and equity and that protect the health, safety, environment, and general welfare of all residents of the State of California and the United States. Towards that end, CSAC urges the State to der the following principles when it renegotiates gotiates the Tribal-State Compact: I A Tribal Government constructing or expanding a casino or other related businesses that impact off-reservation2 land Will seek review and approval of the local jurisdiction to construct off-reservation improvements consistent with state law and local ordinances *including the California Environmental Quality Act with the tribal government acting as the lead agency and with judicial review in the California courts. 2. A Tribal Government operating a casino or other related businesses will mitigate all off-reservation impacts caused by that business. In order to ensure consistent regulation, public participation, and maximum environmental protection, Tribes will promulgate and publish 2 As used here the term"reservation"means Indian Country generally as defined under federal law, and includes all tribal land held in trust by the federal government. 18 U.S.C. § 1151. 4 environmental protection laws that are at least as stringent as those of the surrounding local co, iunity and comply with the California Environmental Quality Act with the tribal government acting as the lead agency and with judicial review in the California courts. 3. A Tribal Government operating a casino or other related businesses will be subject to the authority of a local jurisdiction over health and safety issues including, but not limited to, water service, sewer service, fire inspection and protection, rescue/ambulance service, food inspection, and law enforcement, and reach written agreement on such points. 4. A Tribal Government operating a casino or other related businesses will pay to the local jurisdiction the Tribe's fair share of appropriate costs for local government services. These services *include, but are not limited to, water,, sewer, fire inspection and protection, rescue/ambulance, food inspection, health and social services, law enforcement, roads, transit, flood control, and other public infrastructure. Means of reimbursement for these services include, but are not limited to, payments equivalent to property tax, sales tax, transient occupancy tax, benefit assessments, appropriate fees for services, development fees, and other similar types of costs typically paid by non-Indian businesses. 5. The Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund, created by section 5 of the Tribal-State Compact Will not be the exclusive source of mitigation, but will ensure that counties are guaranteed funds to mitigate off-reservation impacts caused by tribal gaming. 6. To fully implement the principles announced in this document and other existing principles in the Tribal-State compact, Tribes Will meet and reach a judicially enforceable agreement with local jurisdictions on these issues before a new compact or an extended compact becomes effective. 7. The Governor should establish and follow appropriate criteria to guide the discretion of the Governor and the Legislature when considering whether to consent to tribal gaming on lands acquired in trust after October 17, 1988 and governed by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. 25 U.S.0 § 2719. The Governor should also establish and follow appropriate criteria/guidelines to guide his participation in future compact negotiations. 5 11109104 DRAFT Strategic Action Plan Indian Casino Proposals Information Gathering El Gather samples of — Relevant laws and regulations Municipal Services Agreements Impact analyses State-Tribal Compacts Local policies Talk to department counterparts in other jurisdictions — Learn about their experiences and their advice on approach, process, scope, cost,, etc. ❑ Newspaper articles — Monitor the media for newspaper articles and distribute them to the Workgroup and interested parties El Briefing sessions — Attend information and other briefing sessions on the issue of Indian gaming (such as the CSAC Annual Meeting) — Attend community meetings on specific casino proposals Public Information Prepare a briefing paper on Indian casinos in general and on the status of casino proposals in Contra Costa County ❑ Respond to requests for information on Indian casino proposals U 'W i Coordination and Liaison 0 Maintain ongoing liaison with other agencies/parties interested in specific casino proposals(including but not limited to Brookside Hospital, City of San Pablo, City of Richmond'. City of Orinda, and the Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Care Committee) ❑ Coordinate within Contra Costa County agencies ❑ Use Board of Supervisors standing committees for referrals. J 11/09/04 DRAFT Public Policy Endorse the CSAC policy on development on tribal landoard action, (B May 2004) and support its implementation ❑ Participate with the County Counsels' Association in reviewing California State Association of Counties(CSAC)policy on Indian Gaming ❑ Participate in CSAC and Urban Counties Caucus activities regarding Indian gaming g g g g ❑ Monitor Stare policy and positions on Indian gamin in general and Contra Costa County g g casino proposals, specifically ❑ Inform our state and federal legislative delegations of our interest in Indian gaming issues g g g Adopt a policyPosition on ballot initiatives regarding Indian gaming(the Board adopted an opposition position to both Propositions 68 and 70) Indian Casino Proposals Comment on the scope of the Environmental I pmpact Statements(EIS)for Indian casino proposals in Contra Costa County, as appropriate(Scotts Valley Band and Lytton Rancheria) ❑ Monitor the development of the EISs and comment on them as appropriate durin the g process ❑ Disseminate information regarding the EISs as information becomes available g g ❑ Participate in meetings regarding the EISs as appropriate ❑ Maintain liaison with Indian casinoro sal s appropriate P Po P sponsors as ❑ Continue to be guided by State policy with regard to Indian casino proposals El Take such actions as necessary to represent community interests and to meet service demands with regard to Indian casino proposals =Action completed ❑ =Action on-going or not yet completed