River beach grooming called illegal mining

MONTE RIO — Boaters and sunbathers paid little attention to a
county “unlawful use” order that was flapping in the breeze at the
Monte Rio beach this week.
The official message stapled to a pole above the Russian River
says the Monte Rio Recreation and Park District was mining gravel
without a permit this spring when bulldozers and gravel trucks
groomed the beach in preparation for summer fun.
Monte Rio Rec and Park directors say they’ve been grooming the
beach the same way for years with the blessing of all the
government agencies including the state Department of Fish and
Game, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the County of
Sonoma.
What’s different this year? Apparently local gravel industry
forces blew the whistle on Bohan and Canelis, the Cazadero gravel
operation that grooms the Monte Rio beach as well as the beach at
Casini Ranch Campground where another notice of violation has been
posted.
“There was an industry complaint,” said Ben Neuman, code
enforcement manager of the county Permit and Resource Management
Department that issued the notices of violations.
Beach grooming and gravel removal activities at Monte Rio and
Casini Campground this year were photographed by observers who took
pictures including aerial photographs and notified county
officials.
The watchdogs also put the pictures online at a website called
“Russian River illegal gravel mining.”
The industry concerns allege “unfair business competition,” said
Neuman.
The county’s “notice and order of unlawful use” that was posted
on the beach last month accuses the Monte Rio Recreation and Park
District of “Grading and excavation of material in excess of 50
cubic yards” as part of a beach grooming project on the Russian
River.
Monte Rio Rec & Park directors say they’re playing by the
rules and the real flap is a larger competitive issue between local
gravel operators.
“This is bigger than the district,” said Monte Rio Rec &
Park District director Steve Baxman. “Something’s going on with the
gravel companies.”
When county inspectors came out in May “They said we were
grading without a permit, moving more material than we’re supposed
to remove,” said Baxman.
“We don’t know how much they took,” when gravel was trucked out
by a Bohan & Canelis crew, said Baxman.
“The question is how much did they take and is it permitted,”
said Baxman. “For us it’s confusing. We’re caught in the
middle.”
The Rec and Park District has appealed the county’s order that
says the district now needs to apply for a mining permit.
“We have a matter of contention. Our lawyer sent them a letter,”
said Baxman. “We’re waiting to see what happens.”
County governmental affairs specialist Jim Leddy said the
complaint surfaced when other gravel companies raised concerns
about how much gravel was being hauled out during the beach
grooming operations and whether it was being sold.
The next step will involve “due process through a hearing” at
the county’s Permit and Resource Management Department (PRMD), said
Leddy. At PRMD “They’ll have to determine what’s going to be the
process for this.”