City Approves Sewer Services for New Rancheria Community Center

By: Erin  Gallup-Main, Journal Staff Writer
11:27 PM PST

The Auburn City Council  approved a plan Monday night to provide the United Auburn Indian Community  sewer services for its new community center.

"I'm pleased to hear the success of this item," said Vice Mayor  Alice Dowdin. "This is going to be a wonderful project for the  community. I'm pleased the neighbors were able to work with the tribe and  community."

The community center is planned for land on the rancheria, which is located  off Indian Hill Road, in South Auburn.

Will Wong, director of Auburn's Community Development, said the request was  very unusual since the 20,000-square-foot center will be built on Placer County property completely surrounded by the city. Initially, Grand Oaks  subdivision neighbors had a list of concerns, but those were worked out with tribal leaders. Jack Farless, a resident of Grand Oaks, said he was pleased  with the result of the negotiations.

"I live below the project," Farless said. "We were all  concerned until they agreed to a 25-foot setback from the original 10-foot  plan."

He said also said an 8-foot-high stucco fence would replace the neighborhood  fences and the tribe would provide their own drainage system.

Wong said the sewer system for the  classroom, office and meeting space for tribal members would be built to  handle any future connections from the rancheria.

"We negotiated some reasonable conditions for approval," Wong said.  "We think it will be good for the tribe to have a city sewer septic  system."

In other business, the council unanimously agreed to allow Hinderliter, de  Llamas and Associates to examine Auburn's tax records. Dowdin commended City  Manager Bob Richardson for having the foresight to request the service.

"I think this is wise," Dowdin said. "The Board of  Equalization does make mistakes. Once they gave our sales tax to the county  and it took two years to find out where it was."