It’s official. Reggae on the River is going home to French’s Camp, the bend in the Eel where it all began. Last week the Humboldt County Planning Commission signed off on a new Environmental Impact Report submitted by the Mateel Community Center and approved the nonprofit’s plan for a concert the first weekend in August — with some new twists.
The commission unanimously approved a concert for five years, with authorization to sell 6,000 tickets this year and an option to increase sales by 2,500 tickets in the future. The permit also allows 2,000 staffers and performers.
“We’ve been working on this for years,” said Mateel General Manager Justin Crellin, relieved to have passed this major hurdle.
The Mateel folks had to submit a new EIR to get permission to once again hold the concert at French’s Camp, home of Reggae on the River for more than two decades. Concert organizers crafted a revised system for those entering the concert site. “The biggest change is the Highway Patrol dictated no foot traffic across 101,” said Crellin.
Vehicles will be inspected on the way in, and any that are leaking fluids will have to park on absorbent padding to make sure no toxics enter the river, said Michael Richardson, the county planner assigned to the project. The Mateel will also have to increase onsite water storage and monitor water pulled from an onsite well.
A few years ago, a “Reggae War” over who controlled the concert tore apart the southern Humboldt community. But the only opposition at last’s week’s hearing came from neighboring businesses worried that reducing pedestrian traffic would hurt their businesses.
Reggae on the River started in 1983 as a fundraiser for the Mateel Community Center. For over two decades, its home was French’s Camp, property owned by the Arthur family just south of Richardson Grove State Park. In 2006, the show expanded onto the Dimmick Ranch, right across the river, which allowed for higher attendance — but didn’t generate increased revenue.
A dispute between the Mateel and the festival operators, People Productions, over proceeds from that year snowballed into a battle over ownership of the concert permit.
The planning commission ultimately ruled that the permit went with the property owner, Tom Dimmick, who was working with People Productions. As a result, the Mateel cancelled Reggae on the River 2007 and Dimmick partnered with People Productions on a reggae concert called Reggae Rising.
Reggae on the River did not disappear however. Starting in 2008 the Mateel held a downsized festival downriver at Benbow Lake State Recreation Area, which did not allow onsite camping. Crellin hopes the return to French’s Camp will bring back old fans who missed camping right at the festival. “Things are looking good” for this year’s fest, he said. “We’re about 75 percent done booking the show and all set to announce an on-sale date.”
The new Reggae permit includes a kill clause inspired by the previous battle for control of the concert. “If the project is stolen out from under them by the property owner, the use permit expires,” Richardson said. Crellin said he’s not worried about that happening.
The Mateel organizers were relieved when producers of the Gaia Festival announced that their fest is taking 2012 off. That show, which recently has been held on the first weekend in August near Laytonville, would have meant competition both for audience and volunteers.
There is, however, another potential competitor nearer to home. The new EIR mentions the possible impact of two simultaneous concerts, one at French’s Camp and another across the river at Dimmick Ranch. While the scenario might seem unlikely since Tom Dimmick has filed for bankruptcy and is fending off creditors, Richardson has heard from someone looking into buying Dimmick Ranch.
J.J. Hanley, a potential buyer from the Bay Area, told the Journal that he and some partners are interested in the ranch and its “definite potential as a concert facility.”
According to Richardson, any buyer who wanted to use the Dimmick permit would face a hearing before the planning commission, and the reception may not be welcoming. The commission would need to sign off before a new owner could use the permit, which allows for a weekend-long show the first weekend in August and another one-day show in September.
This article appears in The Gun Issue.
Its going an X party! YEAH!!!
Wow, it’s only going to be 2700 meth freaks dancing like africans.
Poopin’ in jah river mon, sellin the crack mon,…..Jah Rasta mon!
apparently you folks dont know what your talking about. if there is “meth” there its not widely viewed in a receptive manor. open your hearts and you mind will follow
Loser wannabee hippies/dread don’t care about the proper use of land and river. Shttng pissing garbage left EVERYWHERE. It’s a FACT that the shows nowadays SUCK, and the fans just like to do meth and ecstasy. It’s BULLSHT.
Good work to the Mateel. It is high time the planning commission got some backbone and used their clout to support the nonprofit.
One correction to the article please. The reporter writes “The planning commission ultimately ruled that the permit went with the property owner, Tom Dimmick, who was working with People Productions. As a result, the Mateel cancelled Reggae on the River 2007 and Dimmick partnered with People Productions on a reggae concert called Reggae Rising.”
The “result” thing is wrong. The Production Company announced they quit at the annual membership meeting. The Mateel continued on and hired a new producer based on that information. When the Mateel announced it wouldn’t just roll over and die, so to speak, the production company and Mr. Dimmick announced their plans (already in the works) to hijack the Mateel events calling it Reggae Rising. Thus the acrimony and lawsuits began and thus the planning commission sided with the property owner (Mr. Dimmick) rather than just making it an event permit (owned by the Mateel for years and years and years).
Let’s get past history but not rewrite it. The local journalists covering this thing botched it so badly before it made it very hard for the Mateel and it has taken years to claw back their property (although the Board wisely kept the name). So let’s not repeat history either.
Cheers to the Mateel!