A California Superior Court has ruled for the Redding Rancheria in its lawsuit against the city of Redding.
Shasta Superior Court Judge Tamara Wood ruled that the city broke the law when it sold land near where the tribe plans to relocate its Win-River casino to Shasta Land Holdings LLC.
The tribe had sued the city and land company in 2020 after the sale, alleging that it would block access to its casino property, the Strawberry Fields.
According to the tribe, the court found that the sale, “violated state laws and city practices related to abandoning a public road, declaring the road as excess property, and evaluating its actions under California’s environmental quality laws.”
Judge Wood gave the tribe until June 3 to suggest a remedy after which the city and land company must present their remedies.
The tribe released this statement: “While the Redding Rancheria is pleased with the ruling, the Redding Rancheria is also disappointed in the facts underlying this entire transaction and the lack of overall transparency.” It added, “This conduct was reminiscent of the historic mistreatment of tribes by federal, state, and local governments. Moving forward, the tribe and city must work together on a government-to-government basis for the good of the community.”
In the ruling, Judge Wood pointed out that it took only 11 days for the city to approve the sale. “In moving with such haste and without notices to interested parties,” she wrote, “the City failed to follow their own processes, procedures and the relevant law.”
Redding City Attorney Barry DeWalt declined to comment, saying that the case was still pending.
