Petition drive a success

Yuba Highlands opponents have enough signatures of registered voters to bring the proposed foothills project before Yuba County supervisors for reconsideration, a county election official said Wednesday.

Supervisors will reconsider the Yuba Highlands plan during their 9:30 a.m. meeting Tuesday. The board can either overturn its previous 3-2 approval or put it on the February ballot.

More than 3,000 signatures were turned into the Yuba County Elections Department in early August opposing the project. Opponents needed 1,415 signatures of registered voters in the county to get the issue back on the supervisors’ agenda.

County Clerk-Recorder Terry Hansen confirmed that enough valid signatures were verified for the issue to be reconsidered.

“A lot has happened to influence one of the three board members to change his mind,” said Supervisor Hal Stocker, who opposed the project. “I hope the board will pay a little more attention to the voters than to the developer.”

Yuba Highlands representatives could not be reached for comment.

Yuba Highlands is a proposed 5,000-home development in the foothills, bordering Beale Air Force Base and the Spenceville Wildlife area. The board approved the project in July.

Opponents listed poor urban planning, encroachment on Beale Air Force Base and pollution of Spenceville Wildlife Area as reasons against the project.

Two lawsuits have also been filed against the project.

Appeal-Democrat reporter Andrea Koskey can be reached at 749-4709 or at akoskey@appealdemocrat.com