What started out as an idea for an annual pumpkin patch on family-owned property has progressed, in the last few months, into a battle with neighbors and communication problems with the Chico City Council.
Chelsey Garner, co-owner of Garner Ranch, began her venture two months ago with a proposal to turn land formally used for growing hay, sunflowers and other agricultural crops into a pumpkin patch and corn maze for the month of October. The permit application-- Use Permit 09-09 Garner Ranch Pumpkin Patch-- was discussed at an Aug. 11 meeting.
Included in the meeting notes were many concerned e-mails from neighbors surrounding the residential area of Sycamore Drive, something Garner was aware of prior to attending the meeting.
“We had spoken to different neighbors, they had come to talk with us,” Garner said. “It got out that the neighbors were upset about it, it was the first we’d heard and that they were having a meeting about it. That’s when I contacted the original person who had coordinated it, it was at their house, and we asked we could invite ourselves to come along to speak to everybody.”
Many concerns involved traffic on the small country road, aesthetic concerns, noise, smell and security. The Garner family had a second meeting with neighbors after being approved by the Zoning Administrator, she said.
Due to the nature of the Garner’s land, the Zoning Administrator recommended that the project be categorically exempt from environmental review and advised an approval.
When asked about addressing neighborhood concerns, Bob Summerville, Senior Planner-- and zoning administrator for initial approval-- cited experts.
A traffic engineer was brought in to assess possible problems in regards to the width and location of 211 Sycamore Drive, Summerville said.
“The council deemed it wouldn’t be a concern,” he said.
After discussing traffic, street compatibility, parking and other concerns, the pumpkin patch was approved with 23 conditions to follow. The conditions included that the Garner’s provide on-site parking for customers and placement of portable toilets.
Residents Genevieve Herseth and Sandra Bailey led an appeal Oct. 6, backed by many neighbors, to the farm’s permit citing many of the same complaints. The appeal was denied by the council and the permit was upheld.
In addition to complaints from neighbors, there have also been allegations that the Garner Ranch dishonored their permit by allowing helicopter rides hosted by Air Shasta.
“She was authorized for a pumpkin patch and corn maze,” Summerville said. “She was holding helicopter rides.”
After being told not to have helicopter rides at the ranch, the Garner’s continued to perform them, according to other documents from the neighbors, obtained from agenda notes.
Summerville also alludes to other problems including a parking problem during a time where the parking lot was muddy, he said. Cars were parked on the side of the road on Sycamore Drive.
Miscommunication between the council and the ranch as the source of problems and denies allegations, Garner said.
“I stand behind everything I say, so when I sat at the city council meeting and they said no helicopter rides that meant no helicopter rides,” she said.
The attraction left her property on Oct. 4, two days prior to the appeal meeting, Garner said.
There has also been tension regarding bus rides for customers, which drive around the perimeter of the 54-acre ranch.
The bus ride attraction was not included in the use permit and therefore cannot be used at the pumpkin patch, according to the City.
“The bus rides were running on Oct. 3 and 4,” Garner said. “We’d never heard a single complaint specifically regarding the bus rides from the neighbors or from the city of Chico so we continued with the bus rides as we always had been.”
The Garner’s were advised to apply earlier as well as clarify more when they reapply for next year’s pumpkin patch, Summerville said.
“If they do their homework really well and tighten up their program they might get approved,” he said.
Christina Rafael can be reached at
crafael@theorion.com
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