Comments for Lake County Planning Commission – Public Hearing on MAHA Developments Middletown Site:

“Good afternoon Planning Commissioners, and thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Rev. Julia Bono, and I represent the Rainbow Church of Living Light in Middletown. I also speak today on behalf of many concerned Middletown residents who have reached out to us in recent months, united in their deep love for our town and their growing alarm about the large proposed Guenoc Valley Project worker co-housing development planned for Santa Clara Rd in central Middletown.
As you may know, Middletown is a small, resilient and diverse community. We have endured serious hardships together, including the devastating Valley Fire, and we continue to rebuild our small town of largely single family homes with care and intention. At our Church, we believe we have a moral and spiritual responsibility to serve and protect the surrounding land, water and the community of people who call this place home.
After extensive dialogue with local residents, our collective position is clear: the proposed Middletown Worker Co-Housing Site on Santa Clara Rd within walking distance to downtown Middletown is just not appropriate for this town’s scale, infrastructure or cultural character. The intended site lies on rural zoned land in a high flood risk zone and is surrounded by fire-prone terrain. It also poses possible adverse environmental effects on adjacent Dry Creek. Yet we have seen no adequate fire evacuation planning, no clear Middletown infrastructure expansion strategy or funding offers, no environmental study of the likely impact on Dry Creek, and little meaningful engagement with our residential community most affected.

Let me be clear: we are not opposed to the Guenoc Valley development. We are opposed to development that disregards the will, investments and well-being of the Middletowners who were living here first. There are over 16,000 acres available at the Guenoc Valley Project Site just a few miles away from Middletown which is far better suited for high-density worker housing and can be more responsibly funded and managed by the project.
While we were also concerned over the water well near the junction of highway 29 and Butts Canyon Rd that would likely have drained Middletown’s aquifer and caused hardship to its resident flora and our Church’s exhibition food forest in order to pipe water to the Guenoc project, we now understand and appreciate that that water facility has been donated for Middletown’s Callayomi Water’s use instead, which we approve of.
We have already submitted multiple letters to Kevin Case of Maha, Laura Hall of the Planning Department and others expressing our collective concerns on behalf of Middletown residents and asking pertinent questions with no substantial reply other than a very pleasant call with Kevin yesterday, so we are here today again requesting a written response and a formal amendment of existing plans stating that the Middletown Worker Co-housing Site will be removed from the project and resituated either to the Guenoc Valley Project site or to some more suitable out-of-town site. We initially gave a response deadline of June 1st, but that has now passed without any meaningful written reply that we can show to other community members. If this matter is not addressed promptly and transparently in writing, we need to let you know that we are gathering forces and may need to pursue legal remedies.
Still, we remain very hopeful for an amicable resolution after discussing the matter with Kevin yesterday. We urge the Planning Commission to act now with wisdom and integrity to honor the concerned voices of Middletown residents and to guide this project away from stressing our small town and toward a path of responsible land, environmental and community stewardship.
Thank you for your time and consideration.”
Rev. Julia Bono
The Rainbow Church of Living Light

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