Community Meeting Summary

The Butte County General Plan 2030 Community Workshop for the Feather Falls, Forbestown, and Clipper Mills communities was held on May 2, 2007. This meeting is one of 20 community meetings scheduled to take place in all of the unincorporated parts of Butte County.  The meetings are designed to take input directly from community members about their area’s assets, issues, and community vision for consideration of land use changes by the General Plan 2030 process.

About 30 people attended the Feather Falls, Forbestown and Clipper Mills meeting. Also in attendance were 2 members of Butte County's Citizens Advisory Committee (Bruce McClintock and Mike Evans). Butte County Department of Development Services staff Dan Breedon and Chuck Thistlethwaite gave an overview of the Butte County General Plan 2030 process as an introduction to the evening. For the next 90 minutes, they facilitated a discussion about the area's assets, issues, and areas for potential future change. The following summarizes the assets and issues discussed at this meeting.  

Assets

This community meeting combined the three mountain communities of Feather Falls, Forbestown, and Clipper Mills.  Those present were interested in improving county services but also expressed a willingness to solve community concerns through the knowledgeable people who reside in their communities, and by reinforcing local groups such as volunteer fire departments and the Fire Safe Council.  The rural lifestyle was clearly valued in the list of assets, which included the many recreational opportunities available, the local schools, the timber industry’s contribution to the local economy, local wildlife, the natural beauty of Feather Falls and the region as a whole, open space, the value of general stores and other commercial uses, and the local history and culture of the area.

Issues

Community members discussed several broad areas that needed improvement, mainly focusing on circulation and access, recreation and wildlife, and governmental services and regulation.

Both private and public roads including Craig Access, Forbestown, Ponderosa Way, and Lumpkin Roads were identified as needing improvement and maintenance to enhance public safety, fire protection, and improve circulation throughout the region.  In some cases, better coordination between various governmental agencies and private land owners was identified as a need concerning these roads.

Area recreational opportunities and Lake Oroville received some discussion. Enhancement to existing recreational amenities like the Feather Falls trailhead was mentioned as being necessary. Many felt that Lake Oroville’s recreational aspects were underrepresented and this was due, in part, from the lack of amenities promised by the Department of Water Resources during the construction of the Oroville Dam.  While the Enterprise Boat Ramp was identified as an area for additional improvement, many felt that an Indian Casino or housing development would be inappropriate for the area.  Community members identified area wildlife as worthy of protection and management.  Updated information on deer migration routes was considered appropriate. 

The community members also discussed various areas of regulation and governmental services.  Law enforcement was identified as having slow response times and poor visibility amongst the communities, and litter was voiced as a problem on County roads. Community members felt that regulations could be changed to address a variety of issues, from the allowance of overnight boating on Lake Oroville, to the encouragement of cell tower development in rural areas to enhance emergency response and public safety.  Some landowners additionally felt that more implementation of Timber Preserve Zoning (TPZ) was needed in areas devoted to private timber management.

Vision

Community member’s vision for these mountain areas concentrated on cooperative programs that would address public safety in the areas of brush removal along roads and fuel reduction on private lands.  Strategies to work together, along with local community groups like the Fire Safe Council and other volunteer groups would be encouraged.  Reciprocal agreements between local volunteer fire departments would be maintained and reinforced.  It was identified that many communities need areas for community events such as a park or meeting place (such as the old Sierra Pacific Village Site in Feather Falls), and that some growth around existing community centers was appropriate at a 5 acre minimum parcel size to minimize the influence of urban development and uses, which would be inappropriate.

Several community members also mentioned that creative approaches to development was appropriate in mountain areas, and that Butte County’s thriving rice industry provided an opportunity to capitalize on rice straw/bale construction. 

The information obtained from this meeting will be provided to the Butte County 2030 Citizens Advisory Committee, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Supervisors.  The information will be used to help create the Butte County General Plan 2030 land use alternatives that will be discussed in Workshop Series #2, which begins with a Public Workshop on May 17, 2007 at 6:00 to 9:00 pm at the Oroville Municipal Auditorium.  This Public Workshop will follow with additional meetings with the Citizens Advisory Committee, Planning Commission, and Board of Supervisors.

FEATHER FALLS / FORBESTOWN / CLIPPER MILLS

Assets-Issues-Vision

Assets List

1. People who reside in these communities
2. Local general stores and commercial services
3. Volunteer Fire Department and reciprocal agreements between (Robinson Mill V.F.D and Feather Falls V.F.D.)
4. Rice and straw bale construction opportunities
5. Wonderful schools
6. Resident Sheriff in Berry Creek
7. Wildlife habitat and corridors
8. Feather Falls (50K visitors annually)
9. Timber industry and contribution to local economy
10. Enterprise Boat Ramp
11. Dark skies
12. Rural lifestyles
13. Open Space
14. Recreation –gateway to golden trout fishing, camping, hiking
15. South Feather Water and Power (Forbestown)
16. Roadside springs (protect and enhance)
17. Forbestown Museum

Issues List

1. Craig Access Road –jurisdictional problems between the Department of Water Resources and the Department of Public Works –maintenance needed
2. County roads (Forbestown Road, Lumpkin Road) to all communities need repair maintenance/brush removal, and erosion control along cut-banks.  Pedestrian improvements and space needs to be provided e along these roads where appropriate
3. Law enforcement has slow response time
4. Litter is a problem on County roads
5. Enterprise Road needs brush control and removal
6. Improvements are needed along Ponderosa Way to enhance fire protection
7. Regulations on Lake Oroville should provide for overnight boating for appropriate areas
8. Timber Preserve Zones (TPZ) need to be implemented on private landholdings where appropriate
9. Lake Oroville –Failed promises from Department of Water Resources regarding recreational amenities
10. County and Sierra Pacific Industries needs to cooperate on road improvements
11. Lack of local input on County issues especially influencing rural lifestyles
12. Traffic signs –“Stop” sign placed on Lumpkin Road for a right turn onto Forbestown Road.  The prior sign was a “Yield” sign.  The community received no prior notice concerning this change and it has caused traffic problems
13. Gun safety –visitors need to respect gun laws around county and private roads and residences
14. Wildlife areas/habitats/corridors need to be respected and maintained
15. Rogue bears caught in other parts of the County being released in area
16. Deer migration information out of date
17. Cell Towers –additional towers are needed to provide for public safety
18. Protection of water resources
19. Enterprise Boat Ramp development
20. Indian Casino or Housing Development in area
21. Better noticing from County on meetings –Provide notices/mailings to general stores
22. Gray water reclamation opportunities

Vision

1. Cooperative Program for fuel reduction and brush removal in conjunction with Fire Safe Council, identify and maintain three staging areas for storage and quick removal of brush and fuel and explore opportunities for selling biomass and/or cogeneration
2. Explore opportunities for adaptive re-use of the old village site owned by Sierra Pacific Industries in Feather Falls as Public Park or other community amenity
3. Focus any rural growth and future development around existing community centers at no less than a 5-acre parcel size

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