A view of the Lytton Rancheria's land-into-trust site in Sonoma County, California. Photo from Lytton Residential Development Environmental Assessment

The Lytton Band of Pomo Indians is working to address concerns about its housing and development plans but some opponents are still unhappy.

The tribe is willing to scale back plans for a hotel and consider limits on future land-into-trust applications. Some opponents, though, are angry that the town of Windsor has been working with the tribe.

“If people want you to fight this, it’s your obligation to follow through," one resident told town leaders on Monday at a meeting described by The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat as contentious.

At issue is a land-into-trust application that's in the final stages of approval at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Plans call for housing on the 124-acre site.

The tribe is also working on future applications. Developments could include a hotel, winery and other economic projects.

As part of an agreement reached in March, Sonoma County supports the tribe's plan covering about 511 acres. That land is included in H.R.2538, the Lytton Rancheria Homelands Act, a bill that received a favorable hearing on Capitol Hill in June.

As part of the deal, the tribe agreed to pay $6.1 million to the county to address one-time impacts. The tribe will also make payments in lieu of property taxes and hotel taxes for 22 years.

Separately, the tribe has offered to build a swimming pool for Windsor to the tune of $9 million to $11 million. That offer is linked to voter approval of utility service to the 124-acre housing site.

Get the Story:
Contentious meeting over Lytton tribe’s development plans near Windsor (The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat 9/22)
Windsor’s Indian hotel could shrink (The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat 9/18)

Committee Notice:
Legislative Hearing on H.R. 1157, H.R. 2386, H.R. 2538 (June 17, 2015)

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Lytton Band faces local opposition to land development projects (08/26)
Lytton Band faces opposition to land-into-trust bill in Congress (07/16)
Lawmakers slam county for poor dealings with Chumash Tribe (06/18)
Witness list for House hearing on tribal and Alaska Native bills (06/17)
House subcommittee sets hearing on tribal and Alaska Native bills (06/15)
Lytton Band plans big developments after reaching agreement (03/11)
Lytton Band enters into land-into-trust agreement with county (03/10)
Lytton Band asks voters to approve utility service to housing site (01/16)
BIA still working on Lytton Band's land-into-trust application (11/07)
Lytton Band offers more to community for land-into-trust bid (11/4)
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Lytton Band donates $1M to bolster land-into-trust application (07/21)
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