March 27, 2014!

County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors! 575 Administration Drive, Room 100 A! Santa Rosa, CA 95403!

! Re: Ratna Ling 4/8/2014"! ! ! ! !

To: The Board of Supervisors: Honorable Susan Gorin, Honorable David Rabbitt, Honorable Shirlee Zane, Honorable Mike McGuire, and the Honorable Efren Carrillo On April 8, 2014 a matter comes before you for approval that you, as county employees, elected officials and residents need to consider very carefully. Ratna Ling Retreat Center has an application which is asking for a huge change to the Ratna Lings Use Permit UPE 04-0032, its zoning (RRD240), and to Sonoma Countys General Plan. ! Sonoma County has failed to regulate the industrial activity of this organization.!

! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?! ! ! ! !

Ratna Ling is no more a retreat center than Bernie Madoff was an investment advisor The main purpose for Ratna Ling is to publish books and pamphlets and distribute them worldwide.! Here, on Seaview Ridge is Dharma Publishing, the world-publishing center of the Tibetan Nyngma Meditation Center.! World Publishing Center let me repeat, the World Publishing Center.! Volumes and volumes of material are produced and shipped from this business.!

This world-publishing center operates and is under the aegis of a Religious ownership. This center pays no taxes, has volunteer workers who get no worldly benets other than $5.00 a day, food and a place to stay. !

Ratna Ling is associated with Odiyan, a Buddhist Temple with many golden crowned structures, a fenced, gated, secured acreage surrounded by concertina wire and cameras. ! I have often wondered what in the world is going on there? Even Vatican City has places open to the public. !

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Unless you have signed up for one of their rare classes or workshops, and those are at Ratna Ling, one cannot go and take a look around.! The PRMD has consistently with seemingly no regard for county policy, approved anything Ratna Ling wants.! The PRMD is under the impression that Ratna Ling is similar to a noncommercial club or lodge. HUH? It is a huge publishing company that is utilizing our severely rutted back roads and volunteer re protection services, yet pays no taxes.!

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We are asking all of those in authority to take another real look at what is happening at Ratna Ling. ! Make sure, very sure that Ratna Ling is in compliance with the Sonoma County General Plan.! If you take the time to look and learn, I am sure you will deny PLP08-0021, the expansion of printing facilities at Ratna Ling Retreat, Cazadero, CA! No one is exempt from the law and zoning regulations. Please uphold and enforce our zoning protections by denying this application.! Thank you,! Don and Suzanne Lindsey! 22400 and 22325 Timber Cove Rd.! Cazadero, CA 95450