Ukiah council set to fight Mendocino Crossings project

The Ukiah City Council is poised to go on the record opposing a ballot measure that would allow a shopping center developer to bypass Mendocino County?s planning and environmental review process.

?It?s a serious threat to the city of Ukiah,? City Councilman Phil Baldwin said Wednesday night during a hearing on the issue.

The proposed ?Mendocino Crossings? development ? as much as 800,000 square feet of stores, restaurants and homes ? would be built just north of the city?s boundaries at the defunct Masonite molded door mill.

But neither county nor city officials would have a say in how the project would be built or how its impacts would be handled if it?s approved by voters, officials said.

?The potentially significant adverse impacts will not be studied, the public will not be informed and a thorough and complete list of mitigation measures will not be prepared,? a draft resolution for the City Council states.

The development could have adverse effects on the city?s budget, public safety services and infrastructure, local businesses and the city?s small-town character, city officials said.

The council Wednesday night took public comment on the proposed resolution, but delayed voting because one member raised concerns about the adequacy of the agenda item?s public notice.

The resolution is expected to be back before the council in two weeks.

The ballot initiative is pending approval of its petition signatures, but it is expected to qualify for the November ballot because nearly twice the necessary signatures were collected.

Nearly everyone attending Wednesday night?s meeting opposed the development, which would allow up to 650,000 square feet of commercial development and 150,000 square feet of residential development on 74 acres now zoned industrial.

Project supporter Dave Clark, executive director of Mendocino County Tomorrow, said he did not speak or mobilize others to speak because he considers it a county issue, not a city issue.

Clark said he believes the outpouring of opposition to the development is not what it appears. He described opponents as a vocal minority.

Mendocino County Tomorrow is sponsoring the ballot initiative, but Clark said it?s separate from the developer, Developers Diversified Realty.

However, Developers Diversified is a member of the group and is funding the ballot campaign. It has contributed more than $180,000 to a campaign fund so far, according to election filing reports.

Supporters have said they resorted to a ballot measure because city and county officials had dragged their feet on the development for too long.

You can reach Staff Writer Glenda Anderson at 462-6473

or glenda.anderson@

pressdemocrat.com.