Title
Consider a recommendation from the Legislative Committee to support a proposal to change the name of Confederate Corners, an unincorporated community southwest of the City of Salinas, to Campesino Corners or other name(s) proposed by the community; and to convey the Board’s recommendation to the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors consider a recommendation from the Legislative Committee to support a proposal to change the name of Confederate Corners, an unincorporated community southwest of the City of Salinas, to Campesino Corners or other name(s) proposed by the community; and to convey the Board’s recommendation to the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
SUMMARY:
A proposal was submitted to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) on September 22, 2017, by Mr. Aaron Alvero of Stanford, CA, to change the name of Confederate Corners, an unincorporated community southwest of Salinas in Monterey County, to Campesino Corners. Mr. Alvero believes the existing name should be changed to one that would better reflect the history of the Salinas Valley. Campesino is a Spanish word that means “farmer” which he believes would promote the importance of campesinos in Monterey County. Mr. Alvero’s proposal to the BGN and a map of the area can be found in EXHIBIT A.
The BGN is responsible for standardizing geographic names used by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government. The BGN has requested that the Board weigh in with a “Geographic Name Proposal Recommendation” (EXHIBIT B) which recommends that the BGN take one of the following actions related to the proposal:
1) Approve the proposed name;
2) Reject the proposed name;
3) Take action as specified; or
4) Have BGN render a decision without the Board’s recommendation.
This proposal is scheduled to be heard by the California Committee on Geographic Names in January 2018, for recommendation to the BGN. Therefore, BGN has requested a response from the County before January.
On October 11, 2017, the Legislative Committee discussed this proposal and recommended that the Board consider support for the proposed name change from Confederate Corners to Campesino Corners - or - for other name(s) proposed by the community. The Committee received public comment (two in support and one opposed) to the name change, and directed staff to work with Supervisor Parker’s Office on public outreach related to this issue since the location is within the boundaries of the 4th Supervisorial District.
DISCUSSION:
The Clerk of the Board received seven (7) letters/emails on this issue. Three (3) of the respondents also participated in the survey described below. Of the remaining four (4) respondents: three (3) support leaving the name unchanged; and one (1) supports changing the name to Springtown. These responses are included in EXHIBIT C.
Supervisor Parker’s office has conducted extensive community outreach on the proposed name change, sending approximately 50 letters to landowners and businesses operating in the area around the intersection of Hitchcock Road and Highway 68. Supervisor Parker also issued an online community survey, and encouraged community input via her website, newsletter, Facebook and Twitter accounts. The survey was open from October 18, 2017, to November 8, 2017, and received 541 responses. Survey responses by Supervisorial District were as follows: 23% District 1; 13% District 2; 12% District 3; 21% District 4; 23% District 5; and 8% out of County. The majority of survey respondents, 42%, support leaving the name unchanged; 25% would like the name removed; 13% support the proposal to change the name to Campesino Corners; 3% support changing the name to Springtown; 3% support changing the name to Hitchcock Corner; and various responses were provided by the remainder of respondents.
According to BGN staff, removing the name is not an option per the following BGN Policy:
Principle VI. Preservation of Names and Features
Once a feature is named for Federal use, it cannot be unnamed; the name can only be changed. The former name is recorded as a variant. Once a feature is recorded for Federal use, the record cannot be eliminated. If the feature no longer exists and/or no longer serves the function by which it was named, the feature and name are rendered historical in Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Examples are names of a submerged island, a melted glacier, a leveled summit, or an altered building function, such as a former school building that no longer serves an education function.
Related to concerns that the name “Confederate Corners” shows up on Google Maps, BGN staff clarified that Google does not work directly with the USGS, but most likely is pulling the name from a USGS map. Consequently, if a name change proposal is accepted by the BGN and changed in the Geographic Names Information System, it will likely show up differently on Google Maps.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The CAO-IGLA Division prepared this report per the direction of the Legislative Committee on this issue, and also worked extensively with Supervisor Parker’s Office
FINANCING:
Actions related to this report will have no effect on the General Fund.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives - N/A
Economic Development
Administration
Health & Human Services
Infrastructure
Public Safety
Prepared by: Annette D’Adamo, Management Analyst III
Approved by: Nicholas E. Chiulos, Assistant CAO
Date: November 20, 2017
Attachments:
EXHIBIT A - Campesino Corners Proposal
EXHIBIT B - BGN Geographic Name Proposal Recommendation
EXHIBIT C - Correspondence