Event center fight heats up
Loud noise, lack of permit may sink site
UPPER LAKE >> Despite gathering war clouds in the Mideast, residents in the Upper Lake-LucerneNice corridor gestured a nod to a proposed events venue in Lake County that could turn out be a financial boost for these sometime underserved communities, on April 17.
Diverted initially with abandoned buildings serving as black-market substance exchanges, and a lack of law enforcement to intervene, the WRTH town hall eventually focused its gaze on the Rancho Novoa development, an exciting economic stimulus but at what cost?
A campground and special event venue with lucrative potential for weddings, could serve family gatherings and much more. This 28-acre property is sufficient to support the above uses, which will occupy about 2 acres of the site. The applicant is proposing two 20' x 10' restroom buildings, a 20' x 20' office, 10 campsites, a parking lot containing 40 spaces, and a 20' x 80' storage building. The project would be built in three phases.
As most of the parcel remains pristine, about 2 acres is dedicated to the special event venue. A vibrant site where like-minded can celebrate under an open sky, surrounded by natural beauty. Whether a couple wants to exchange vows, dance the night away, or elevate memories with loved ones, Juan Novoa and wife Amy presented themselves to the WRTH audience as the business savvy partners who can steer the Novoa investment to profitability.
But things got a bit confrontational when a public commentator asked about holding a concert until 4 a.m. on the property. “No, I have not,”
he replied. “That's misinformation. The last was a scheduled event, my niece's wedding. The weather's better, trucks are coming in as I'm building a new house. As for my niece's wedding, everybody parked inside, and the event ended by 10 o'clock.”
Concerning fire mitigation plans, Novoa assured the audience he is working with Lake County. “There's been a lot of tension because of this project, and it has a lot of focus on it,” he said. Another concern is whether an environmental study was done on the property. “Yes, there is actually a report published.,” he said “But it is not available to the public because we don't have the final permit.”
Yet several couples expressed concern with the project and implied Novoa seemed to rush through a project to the annoyance of a few expressly opposed. Upper Blue Lake resident Angie Carter read the recent county published (March 29) 116-page proposal. Fire Trucks will not be able to enter on the west side of the Rancho Novoa she said. “It's because turns are too sharp coming round from the other side and that's a big problem for emergency vehicles.” The report also said there are plans to make that road one-way in the future. “But that is a huge undertaking with those hills and that will never happen in my lifetime,” Carter said. She also spoke to Fire Chief Mike Ciancio about the fire danger on that hillside, and he said he would not favor a one-way route until reconstruction of the hillside can widen the road to 18 feet. Such a project would be dangerous on a slope of 70% and considerable expense.
Another issue raised by several attendees at the WRTH meeting was noise. As noted above, there was September's wedding of Novoa's niece accompanied by a brass band. But Carter also cited a party two years ago that went to the early morning. She recalled she and her husband Craig purchased The Narrows five years ago, a campground just a couple of hundred yards across from the entrance of Ranch Novoa. The Narrows rents cabins, Yurts and RV Hook ups and Angie said they recently said they received notice from customers they hosted last September who stayed during the earlier wedding telling the Carters they cannot return this September if there will be more loud music spilling over from the Novoa site.
Another matter of contention is the site map of Rancho Novoa, not drawn to scale and their parking lot does not allow enough space for emergency vehicles for a turn-around since its only 200 by 300 feet. As well, the set-back line is supposed to be 50 feet from the property line but was not done and according to Cal Fire Section 42-90, the fire break line needs to be 50 feet from the property line. But Novoa contends he has kept pace with online criticism of his project such as grading and environmental studies. “Everything we've done was with a permit,” he said. “We've done environmental studies, had Nativea Americans and environmentalists come out. Every permit is published and can be looked up through the Lake County website.”
Carter has outreached to the Novoa's. “We welcome the Rancho Novoa as neighbors that contributes to the peace and tranquility of Blue Lake yet does not take away from others” she said.