Save Our Sheds Update and Information on the Referendum Process

The following is an editorial written by RHS member Dani Loebs. The opinions expressed are her own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Rocklin Historical Society.

Dear Rocklin History Supporters:

Tonight the City Council unanimously voted to "proceed with the demolition of the remaining sheds in order to render the site safe. Salvage whatever wood we can, pending the results of the demolition."

It is important to understand that this may not be the end of this process. When I asked, the city attorney was not sure if this type of resolution was applicable to the referendum process, but he said that it probably was and Mayor Magnuson agreed. We will need confirmation on that. Assuming it is applicable, please read on to learn more about the referendum process.

About a century ago, some great men and women here in California worked very hard to amend our state constitution to grant additional rights of grassroots democratic process. Most of us are aware of the initiative process at both the state and local level. However, far fewer are aware of the referendum process available to us at the local level.

The referendum powers that we have at the city level here in Rocklin grant us the right to force the city council to have their controversial and unpopular decision be ratified by the voters of Rocklin. What's more, the city council has the option to repeal their unpopular decision and avoid the measure being sent to the voters at all. The latter is the ideal outcome, but both are good.

Since Rocklin is a general law city, the laws governing the local referendum process are within the CA Elections Code. The important sections of the Elections Code are 9235, 9237-9243, 9114-9115, and 9210. You can find the table of contents to the Elections Code here:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calawquery?codesection=elec&codebody=&hits=20

The last report of registration for Rocklin is 30,752 registrants.
You can find it here:
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-11/
And specifically here:
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-11/politicalsub.pdf

So what this means is that a successful petition for referendum will require 10% of the registrants' signatures. That would be 3,076 needed signatures. It is best to gather about 12% to insure that more than 10% remain after the invalid signatures are removed by the officials when they verify the petitions. So somewhere in the vicinity of 3600-3700 is likely the goal. (That can be verified with the City Clerk, the County Elections office and the individuals that led the successful Clover Valley signature-gathering process a few years ago.)

The number of signatures sounds high, but the Clover Valley folks were able to collect about that amount of signatures in just 20 days! The law allows us 30 days. I was not involved with the Clover Valley fight personally, but we can also speak with them to get the nuts and bolts info on the process.

Lastly, if you read through the sections of the code I referenced above, you will notice that there are significant delays created by the process. First there is the regular 30 days of any ordinance or resolution. Then there is the time the city/county officials are granted to verify that a sufficient number of signatures have been submitted. That can take 30-60 business days. Then if the Rocklin city council decides to repeal their original decision, that requires them to not readdress the issue for at least one year. If they opt to send the referendum to the ballot, then it will take another couple of months before the special election. As you can see, there are many strategic delays involved in the process.

We've got nothing to lose. Will the Historical Society be willing to collect signatures for a referendum? Who will volunteer to talk to the City Clerk tomorrow? I'd do it if I didn't have to work, but we need someone as soon as possible to ask about starting the paperwork! I would be happy to help in any way that I can if the Historical Society decides to move forward with the signature gathering (and assuming that the referendum process applies to the type of resolution adopted by the city council tonight).

This may not be over yet!

All the best,
Dani Loebs

Save Our Sheds! City Council Meeting Agenda Threatens Demolition of Historic Landmarks

Big Gun Sheds to be Lost

This year a number of considerations have come to light suggesting that we re-look at the plan that would result in removal of the Big Gun buildings: Citizen polls show that the community wants our historic structures included in downtown; professional opinions indicate that the Big Gun buildings can be rehabilitated.  And, we now realize that removal of the buildings prematurely,  will limit the options available to potential developers -  effectively eliminating consideration by those that would incorporate the heritage structures in their project.  From both practical and heritage standpoints the advantages of allowing  the structures  to remain in place for a period of time appear significant. 

At the Sep 13 council meeting,  Skip Gebel, President of The  Rocklin Historical Society, addressed the Council and formally requested that the City delay plans to remove the Big Gun Buildings. (To allow the community time to reconsider the fate of the Historic Quarry Sheds  in light of recent information indicating that rehabilitation of the structures and  their use in a commercial setting may be desirable and practical.) Council members received  packets of information including:  John Chase’s artist rendering of  rehabilitated Big Gun Sheds as the common area  of a Quarry Village; a 13 point justification for recommending  delaying removal of the sheds;  a petition/poll in support of a one year delay signed by 310 persons.  Vice Mayor Storey, Council Members Hill, Ruslin and Yuill were present.  Eight  presentations were made by Citizens in support of the request for a delay.  Vice Mayor Storey brought up an additional concern.  Rather than referring the issues to the Citizens’ Redevelopment Advisory Committee or City Staff for consideration and  guidance, the request for a delay was denied on the spot and direction given to proceed immediately per the plan to remove the Sheds.

Unbelievably, we are clearly on the path to losing the only surviving structures representing the very essence of our community’s heritage – sacrificed by rigid adherence to scrape and wait planning of the past.   Led by our City, that by California Law is charged with stewardship of our heritage, we will be destroying what is arguably Rocklin’s  most valuable cultural asset.

I am convinced that the City of Rocklin and the Community at large can pull together, as we have in the past, and, somehow avoid this tragedy.  

Gene Johnson

Chairman, Rocklin Historical Society Big Gun Committee

Tel 916-624-2378

e-mail marg.n.gene.rocklin@starstream.net

What you can do to help:

Attend the City Council Meeting Tonight (Tuesday 9/27) at 6pm in the Council Chambers and show your support for Saving Our Sheds.

The Historical Society will be making a presentation to the Council at the meeting and needs a large showing of support.  If you cannot attend, share this with those who can.