The Riverside County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution today criticizing an environmental study by an Indian tribe on the impact of a proposed casino-hotel complex that critics say will increase traffic problems and disrupt public services.

“I strongly respect the sovereignty of all tribes in Riverside County, but this environmental study is extremely flawed,” board Chairman Jeff Stone said.

Leaders of the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians have said drafting the environmental impact report should meet the public’s concerns.

The resolution, approved by a 4-0 vote, states there are numerous gaps in the tribe’s plans for building a 729,500-square-foot casino-hotel and entertainment complex.

The tribe recently completed a draft environmental impact report slated for review by the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs. The county asked for additional time to comment on the report’s findings, but the bureau denied the request.

The tribe is proposing to relocate its current casino to property along Soboba Road, near Lake Park Drive, where it also wants to erect a five-story, 300-room hotel, along with a convention center, special events arena, restaurants, retail shops and a fitness center.

In August, the city of San Jacinto voted to oppose the tribe’s plans, but like the county, the city has no control in the matter, which ultimately will be decided by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

A group called Save Our Communities, comprised of residents living within the 535-acre development zone, have appealed for state intervention. The residents complain their neighborhoods would become dislocated pockets, or “islands,” cut off from emergency services and other municipal support.

“We object very strongly to the project.” Jenise Leslie, whose property lies on the perimeter of the construction zone, told the board today.

According to Leslie, the tribe has been working on a project 100 feet from her residence, causing “day to day … sleep deprivation” and other frustration.

“We see the impact of what is going on and what is proposed,” she said.

According to the board resolution, the Soboba tribe’s draft environmental study, which runs several thousand pages, fails to address “a large range of deficiencies,” beginning with traffic mitigation measures associated with the proposed casino-hotel complex.

The resolution states that sheriff’s patrol vehicles and fire department personnel could find it difficult to service the communities in and around the complex. There could also be difficulties with wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal, creating a potential public health hazard.

The resolution lastly cited concerns about a lack of attention given to the area’s “geological conditions,” and what might happen during a major earthquake.

Tags: hemet, San Jacinto, soboba band of luiseno indians, SWRNN

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Read more: http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2009-09-15/news/soboba-casino-plan-prompts-objections-from-county-officials-neighbors#ixzz0RHhboWVW