The portent of Syar
on the web at: https://sodacanyonroad.org/forum.php?p=1211
Bill Hocker | Mar 25, 2016

NVR 3/24/16: Marathon Syar expansion hearing to resume April 26

Stop Syar Expansion had a brilliant presentation of its many issues with the expansion of the mining operations over the next 35 years.

But it was the Supervisors' demeanor that had my attention during the long day. It was obvious that there was an intention to try to wrap up the appeal hearing in one day, despite the fact that the appellant presentations were scheduled to take up almost 9 hours. As the meeting approached 5:00 pm, a normal time to continue the hearing for another day, Chairman Pedroza, obviously anxious not to have to spend another day listening to resident angst, took the pulse of the board: "I don't have any appointments until tomorrow morning" Sup. Luce offered. I didn't sense that a lot of concentrated decision making would be needed after the appeal presentations were done.

SInce the FIrst Supervisor review of the the APAC recommendations in early December 2015 (in which Dario Sattui pressed his employees into pro-development service before the board) the wine barons behind the development of Napa county are beginning to become impatient with the collection of residents demanding that the county live up to its ideals, and getting between them and their profits.

Freshman Supervisor Pedroza's ascention to chairman of the board this year is more than just numerical rotation into the position. It seems to herald a change in philosophy. Chair Dillion sought community understanding (some might say pacification) through an open political process. Chair Pedroza wants to push the development agenda, championed by his predecessor, back into its proper trajectory. (In its last review of the remaining APAC recommendations on Mar. 1st, the Board retooled and eviscerated the recommendations - behind the scenes as far as I could tell - to the benefit of the wine industry.)

Once it was realized that the Syar proceeding would go into another day, Mr. Pedroza with some insistence, sought out the next supervisor's meeting for a continuation. The sense of impatience was palpable as he was forced to put it off for a month.

The planning commission met the next day to consider the development agreement that Caymus owner Chuck Wagner had worked out with the planning department. The numerical rotation this year has brought Mr. Basayne, with roots in the tourism industry, into the chair position in place of grape grower and vintner Heather Phillips. A new sense of impatience about resident concerns has taken over the deliberations of the planning commission as well. Mr. Scott, responding to complaints at the Caymus hearing that the complexity of the development agreement and permit history required more time to evaluate, pushed back against the tendency in the last year to put off decisions for another day. Caymus was then moved on to the Supes for approval, 4-0 (reluctantly by Com. Cottrell). At the end of the meeting, during free discussion between the commission and Dir. Morrison, Mr. Scott returned to the subject, asking how many projects were in the planning pipeline and again expressing concern over the amount of time spent gaining approvals. Mr. Scott is very tactful and has proven himself capable of making independent (and courageous) decisions, but one sensed that his concern here was a reflection of the Supervisor he represents.

Since the beginning of the year, in decisions at the planning commission and the BOS, the emphasis has been on getting on with the development. Stags Leap, Dakota Shy, Bouchaine, SMR were each approved on their first hearing before the commission. The BOS denied the appeal on Bell and upheld the appeal on Girard, both developer wins.

The Chair of the Board is just one vote equal to the other 4. But there does seem to be a deference given to the chair that lets their view be the default starting point for debate, and hence sets the tone of the discussion. And I think it influences the outcome. Mr. Pedroza is clearly a developers' favorite. The amount of money he has received for his campaign from development interests is 3 times the amount raised by any other candidate. The amount of money he has received from developers that currently have projects sure to come before the board for approval in the next year, including Syar, borders on quid pro quo.

The Syar decision is a portent of the power of development interests in the county. Stop Syar Expansion has made a strong case that the mining company is creating potential environmental hazards. One look at the mushroom cloud of dust rising above the operation and wafting outward is enough to concede that a more thorough investigation of the effects of that dust is needed before Syar increases its operations. The mitigation at Napa Pipe requiring air filtration in housing units specifically because of Syar-created dust should give everyone pause. Is this new development-centered board willing to ignore those concerns and approve the expansion on Apr 26th? If the link is made between Syar pollution and actual health impacts, will the county, having known about the potential impacts when reviewing Napa Pipe and this expansion, be held responsible. Time will tell.


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