Proposed Truck Stop

    This project would be located on the west side of I-5, along Sugar Pine Road. It would encompass 17.61 acres and is designed to handle 600 trucks and 1200 cars every day, including 97 overnight truck parking spaces. It directly borders Hammond Ranch and would greatly increase wildfire danger, lower property values, increase homeowner insurance and create many other negative impacts for Hammond landowners.

• 4-6-19   The Hammond Landowners’ Associations lawsuit against Loves to prevent the construction of a large truck-stop bordering Hammond Ranch properties is proceeding. The Administrative Record has been finalized and certified and more court hearings are pending.  In the most recent action, Loves is requesting modifications to the approved conditional use permit, sign permit, and architectural review. These changes include the relocation of the vehicle maintenance building, removal of one of the fast food restaurants, changes to building sizes, changes to signs, and an increase from 17.6 acres to 18.25 acres in project size.  The City of Weed has scheduled a Planning Commission hearing for April 17, 2019 to consider these changes. We are seeking documentation of the specifics of these changes and will challenge them.  Hammond Ranch opposes this project based on many procedural, safety, and environmental reasons. Most important, the state has designated this location as a Tier3- Extreme Fire-Threat Area and the increased fire risk that 3,000 to 5,000 nonresidents will bring to our area daily is unacceptable and unconscionable.  
• 7-5-19      HLA's lawsuit against the Loves Truck Stop project continues. Our attorney submitted a 41 page Opening Brief to the court and we are waiting for Love's reply. Our arguments focused on shortcomings in the EIR and procedural errors by the city of Weed and Loves. Emphasis was on the increased fire danger the truck stop will bring to the westside area, and a lack of analysis for placing the project on the East side of I-5 where the needed infrastructure already exists. A decision is possible as early as the end of July. 

IF YOU WISH TO VIEW THE EIR AND CEQA (CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT) DOCUMENTS SEE:   https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/2017092076/3 

• 9-30-19      Oral arguments were presented to Judge Dixon on July 19. The Judge said she wanted a transcript of the hearing and gave the court reporter until August 30 to deliver the transcript. We do not know exactly when the transcript was delivered, but the Judge has 90 days to make a decision from that point.   Our lawyer, Don Mooney, has not heard anything as of 9/20, so the Judge is apparently still deliberating. We hope there will be decision before our general membership meeting on 11/2 so that we can discuss the decision with our members.
• 12-26-19   After deliberation, Judge Karen Dixon ruled against Hammond Landowners Association.  While HLA is disappointed by the Court's decision, our efforts to protect our environment, educate the public and protect the property and lives of local residents will continue.  Our options moving forward are currently under consideration and decisions will me made in the next few weeks.
• 4-15-2020   As reported in the January newsletter, the court ruled against Hammond Landowners Association in our lawsuit against Love’s Corporation.  After consultations with our attorneys, a Notice of Appeal was filed on January 27 with the Appeals Court in Sacramento. On March 16, the Court determined the case is not suitable for mediation. That means that the appeal will now move forward.    The attorneys have informed us that the appeals process should last at least one year, and possibly several years.   Your HLA Board remains committed to protect the lives and property of local residents.   The negative impact that 3,000 to 5,000 travelers, 600 trucks, and 100,000 gallons of transferred fuel every day could inflict are not acceptable.   The dry winter has enhanced the danger of wildfires this year, and thousands of travelers in our area heightens that risk.
• 10-15-2020   Our attorneys submitted our opening brief to the Appeals Court in Sacramento on September 24. We will now wait for Love's attorneys to respond. Our position is that the EIR and CEQA noise, pollution, and fire analyses were incomplete and not specific to this South Weed site. Our main concern for Hammond Ranch is the increased potential for wildfire. This project will bring 3,000 to 5,000 travelers every day to our high-risk fire area. It will also transfer an estimated 100,000 gallons of diesel and gasoline from fuel trucks to holding tanks and then to trucks and cars daily.    We already know the intense fire risk that our area has due to drought, dry vegetation, high temperatures, and wind. This project greatly increases the chance of creating a spark that would threaten both Hammond Ranch and the City of Weed. The fire in Talent and Phoenix has shown us once again how quickly disaster can strike.
• 1-15-2021   The Loves Lawsuit is now in the Appeals Court in Sacramento. Our attorneys have filed the Opening Brief and Love's attorneys have filed their Opposition Brief. Our attorneys are now preparing their Reply. Then we wait for the Court to schedule Oral arguments. This could take years, as we all saw in the Dale Creek lawsuit. 

                                             For more information contact: erichziller@yahoo.com