Mining theTruth

Frank Schiavone has an opinion piece in today's Daily Bulletin in which he delves into the problems facing local open space proponents. Claremont's issues with Vulcan Materials Co. get a mention.

Schiavone notes the fact that the land Vulcan wants to mine in Northeast Claremont is a scarce type of habitat called Riversidean Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub (RAFSS). For more information on this, see the Claremonters Against Strip Mining (CASM) site.

Schiavone also points out the competing interests involved in land use issues: builders, state agencies, local agencies, citizen groups. He says, "A psychologist might diagnose the state with multiple personality disorders."

He's right, but Schiavone also ignores Claremont's two-facedness in the mining issue. Call it Pedroza Syndrome. One the one hand, the city has argued that some of the RAFSS bordering the proposed mining (the Padua Sports Park site) has no value and should be developed (contrary to a California Dept. of Fish & Game opinion). On the other hand, the same Planning Dept. is arguing that RAFSS is important, so Vulcan shouldn't touch the land.

Similarly, the city's planners have argued against the mining saying in the past that the area was zoned as open space and that it would adversely affect residents nearby. Yet, when the Stone Canyon Preserve's 125 houses went in a couple years ago, the city (under then-City Manager Glenn Southard) allowed developer Centex Homes to run an aggregate mining operation on-site north of Mt. Baldy Rd.

You think Vulcan and their attorneys haven't noticed either of these contradictions? Just another case of the Claremont two-step catching up with them. Let's hope Vulcan doesn't bury the city.