County, Graton tribe deal on future growth

Sonoma County supervisors and the Graton Indian tribe proposing a Rohnert Park casino are close to an agreement that will prohibit it from building a second casino and puts any other developments under county planning review.

Although the memorandum of understanding has no practical effect on the proposed casino and hotel, the county and Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria are edging closer to accommodations on measures to mitigate effects of the tribe's plans for the 254-acre site adjacent to Rohnert Park.

"It applies to future projects, independent of the current casino and hotel project," said Jeffrey Brax, deputy county counsel. "If they do build that project, they will start making money and spending it on other things. It is intended to get a handle on future development."

Supervisors will discuss the proposed agreement at their regular Tuesday session at 8:45 a.m. Marin County supervisors will also take up the proposal because it prohibits the tribe from establishing a second casino in either county.

Sonoma County officials said the proposed agreement prevents the Graton tribe from again using the federal Graton Rancheria Restoration Act of 2000 to take any more lands into trust without projects on them having to go through the county review process.

The tribe's use of that congressionally approved law allowed it to take the Rohnert Park site without having to go through public or environmental review.

Brax said any subsequent projects proposed by the tribe would be subject to an environmental review process similar to that for non-tribal developments and would be consistent with county land-use regulations. Those projects could be on the current site or anywhere else the tribe might decide to develop, he said.

Brax also said the proposed agreement does not authorize the current casino project next door to Rohnert Park.

County supervisors have repeatedly said they remain opposed to development of the site as a casino, but they have acknowledged there's been little that could be done in opposition because the 2000 federal law mandated federal acceptance of the trust.

You can reach Staff Writer Bleys Rose at 521-5431 or bleys.rose@pressdemocrat.com.