But I don't think there's any way you can destroy this site without an EIR," said Sam Coen, attorney for the Chumash. Coen reminded the commission that the two cemeteries north of the property had already been destroyed by development, encouraging the commission to request an Environmental Impact Report.

Sam Cohen, government affairs and legal officer for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash, said there is no possibility of a casino on the property. The tribe wants to protect a swath of land that includes the Burro Flats Painted Cave, which is decorated with some of the best-preserved Native American pictographs in California. "If the tribe owns the land, we'll be in the best position to protect sacred sites," Cohen said Although decades of security have helped preserve the cave's painted images, Cohen said, the tribe fears the effects of possible cleanup measures, including one he described as "scraping the site clean."

Sam Cohen, Tribal Administrator for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians represented the tribe and affirmed the tribe could not support the plan moving forward into the EIR stage and are specifically opposed to item number nine. Cohen asserted that both the incorporated cities of Buellton and Solvang have urban development boundaries and spheres of influence that represent areas of future annexations. "We cannot believe it's the policy of this Board to oppose all future annexations by Buellton and Solvang," he stated and concluded the Board would have to adhere to zoning consistency by opposing all future annexations by Santa Barbara and Goleta as well. Steve Pappas adds another distinguishable difference, "It is interesting to note that Sam Cohen and Andy Caldwell fail to mention the fact that land that is annexed by a tribal entity via the Fee-to-Trust process becomes exempt from property tax and other taxes." "That's a very big distinction and one that Mr. Cohen and Mr. Caldwell conveniently don't address."

Sam Cohen - Tribal Attorney, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Speaker:

The law provides that Indian reservations-land held in "trust" for Indian tribes, which will be the status of the airport industrial park once the Tribe's application is approved-automatically become a HUB Zone, according to Sam Cohen, staff counsel for the Tule River Tribal Council. Seeking trust status for the airport industrial park has been considered for some time, but is not intended to lead toward establishment of a casino at that location, Cohen noted. "At public meetings some people have suggested that the Tribe build the casino at the airport," Cohen said. The Tribe has submitted its application to have the land put into trust to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and has met with Longley to discuss the matter, Cohen said.