Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Camp 4

Thu Nov 13, 2014 | 12:00am
<b>PASTORAL LAND: </b> The tribe’s plans to annex the 1,400-acre land known as Camp 4 has been the source of bitterness between tribal leaders and some valley residents because that would open the door to development not governed by rigorous county codes.
Paul Wellman

A Santa Barbara Superior Court judge last week dismissed a lawsuit filed against Chumash leadership by activist group Save the Valley, which alleged that the tribe wrongfully failed to sign its Williamson Act contract for the 1,400-acre Camp 4 property, purchased in 2010. Under Williamson, the tribe receives decreased tax rates. In its lawsuit ​— ​filed in July ​— ​the group asked that the tribe sign the document and pay its legal fees. Judge Timothy Staffel ruled that leaders Sam Cohen and Vincent Armenta ​— ​the two singled out in the suit ​— ​benefit from the sovereign immunity afforded to the tribe and that the group should have included the County of Santa Barbara as a defendant. Armenta, tribal chair, said he “wasn’t surprised” by the dismissal.

More like this

Exit mobile version