The profile of an Indian is on Temecula's city seal to honor American Indian history in Southwest County. "Temecula" is from a Luiseno word that roughly translates to, "Where the sun shines through the mist."

American Indian ancestral artifacts are strewn throughout this region and most developers are respectful of the desire to protect these precious pieces of the past ---- not because they enjoy the expense and delays that come with preserving archeological resources, but because it is the law as part of the California Environmental Quality Act.

Before grading land and forever destroying bits of history, a qualified archeologist must be hired to assess potential impacts and mitigation measures before proceeding with the project. In September 2004, John Choate, president of the Procinctu Group that is building a paramilitary training facility in Homeland, told the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians that he planned to build "a house and a couple other structures on the property" according to documents filed with the county.

In a letter of reply, the Pechanga requested notification if a different project was proposed. According to a September letter from Choate's cultural resources consultant, Jean A. Keller, this was not done.

In a list of the consultant's recommendations, No. 5 states, "Collect the broken metate (33-15009) and all artifacts currently used as yard decorations ... and maintain in a secure facility until arrangements for curation or donation to a local Native American tribe are finalized."

This paragraph is crossed out with "No!" handwritten underneath. The consultant and Choate signed the letter. I seriously doubt that the consultant rejected her own recommendation with an exclamation point.

It is amazing that the county has fast-tracked the building of a private military training camp in Homeland, while it has taken years for a water park in Temecula to get through the approval process because of the variance in land use.

County supervisors cavalierly pushed the environmental act and other regulations aside in order to approve a privatized facility for law enforcement and military personnel that will include simulated combat and live-fire operations in the tranquil area of Homeland, formerly zoned for residential and agricultural use.

How can such a drastic change in zoning and land use just get rushed through the process? Why should a private law-and-order facility get to bend all the rules?

It is unconscionable that the local bands of American Indians were not notified sooner that Choate intends to build 30 structures instead of the original three. These oversights probably happen all the time when projects are rushed through the county's planning and approval process. I wonder how many conditions of approval will be ignored once the military exercises begin?

It may take years to build a water park in Temecula, but the public is notified and has their say in the approval process in the way a government of the people is supposed to operate.

Riverside County has gone rogue when it comes to approving virtually any development project presented. Zoning, public safety and Indian artifacts are all bumps in the road made smooth by shortsighted politicians.

Paul Jacobs of Temecula is a regular columnist for The Californian. E-mail him at TemeculaPaul@aol.com.