Chumash and Fess Parker drop plans for resort and luxury homes

By: Associated Press Wire Reports - | Sunday, October 2, 2005 8:55 PM PDT ∞

SANTA YNEZ, Calif. (AP) -- The Chumash Indian tribe and former actor Fess Parker dumped plans to build a resort hotel and luxury homes on 745 acres of the former "Davey Crockett" star's ranch after they failed to agree on the size of the hotel and value of the land. The project was the first of its kind proposed by a California tribe.

Residents in the upscale Santa Barbara County community said they were relieved that the project had been dropped. The proposal, if developed under Indian sovereignty laws, would have enabled Parker and the Chumash to skirt local land-use restrictions on a property that has not yet been designated as Indian land.

The deal would have made use of a Depression-era law intended to compensate impoverished Native Americans for tribal lands confiscated by the government.

It fell apart in recent months as the tribe and Parker were unable to negotiate a final agreement. Parker said Chumash officials wanted a 300-room hotel, while he was hoping for "something more modest," the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.

The tribe considered buying the land outright from Parker but lost interest after estimates the land was worth $55 million.

Parker now says he wants to preserve most of the property as open space.

"We're going to run cattle, maybe plant some alfalfa and maintain it as part of my family's holdings," he said.

But he still hopes to build an 80 Spanish ranch-style resort.

Residents may not go for that plan either.

"Nobody is going to give Fess Parker a break in this community," said Carol Herrera, president of Women's Environmental Watch of Santa Ynez, which opposed the Chumash deal.

The Chumash, also known as the Santa Ynez Band of Mission Indians, operate one of the most profitable gambling enterprises in the state, with the tribe's 154 members getting about $350,000 each year in casino's revenue. Its leaders said they wanted to invest in something beside casinos and that the project would provide much needed homes for about 150 families on the reservation.

Under the proposal, Parker would have finally been able to build on the $6 million, 1,400-acre spread he bought in 1998, whose development has been hampered by zoning laws.

But local residents vehemently objected to the plans for 500 luxury homes, a resort hotel, two championship golf courses and an equestrian center.

"There is a huge sigh of relief," said Herrera, of the deal's failure. "This would have changed our community overnight."

Chumash leaders say they'll pursue other opportunities to expand tribal housing, but for now, the tribe is concentrating on the museum complex. The Bureau of Indian Affairs has endorsed placing the land for that project into trust.

Local activists and the county are appealing the decision.

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