Circle the wagons

Tuesday, June 08, 2004

Remember Fess Parker? He's the one in the coonskin hat better known to boomers as "Davy Crockett." He's quite a real estate developer these days. And at 79, some of the folks in California are leery of his new partners, the Indians, and the rain dance they are getting ready to perform on local land-use laws.

According to the Wall Street Journal, seems that Parker sold the Indians 745 acres in a pricey Santa Barbara neighborhood to go with their existing casino. In return, he reaped a 49 percent stake in a planned hotel, golf course and 500 luxury homes to be constructed.

Now, we aren't the kind of folks to push regulation or oppose growth. But hidden in the weeds of this deal is the government's privileged status for Indians. And the only reason we mention this whole flap in the first place is the affection Oregonians have for Indian casinos and disdain for our own land-use planning laws.

For big-time land developers, if this deal goes through, dodging city-county councils and local zoning boards could be as easy as calling their local Indian tribe. Maybe it's not time to circle the wagons yet. But things from California have a tendency to drift north. (wcg)

Hillsboro Argus Editorial