March 25, 2009
CITY CONTINUES TO APPROVE DEVELOPMENTS WITHOUT SUFFICIENT WATER RIGHTS
The Yelm City Council heard from this writer last night about the fact that they continue to issue Plat Developments without sufficient water rights. I proposed rescinding the Council resolution imposed against moratoriums and that this City Council start to take a look at a growth moratorium until the city has sufficient water rights to support hooking-up all of the previously approved homes to the city's water supply.
Mayor Pro-tem Isom recoiled at my mention of the moratorium issue [The City Council has had a resolution in-place since April 13, 2005 that a "moratorium" may not be imposed or be on the Council's Agenda again.]. Isom said my statement about a moratorium was a mis-characterization and misinformation and he could see through me [and my motives]. I told him I merely quoted the Council's Minutes of April 13, 2005:
"MOTION BY BOB ISOM, SECONDED BY JOE BAKER THAT NO MORATORIAMS (sic) BE IMPOSED AND THAT THE ISSUE NOT BE BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL AGAIN. CARRIED."
Listen to Mr. Isom in his own words from the April 13, 2005 City Council audio record:
When the issue of approving the John's Meadow Final Plat was brought up for questions last night, there was only one from Council Member Pat Fetterly who asked Staff if the city had enough water to support 40+ homes in this development. Assistant Planner Nisha Box never directly answered the question, rather stated all of the information is in the Staff report. Ms. Fetterly said "Thank you," and the vote on this Plat passed unanimously.
If Council would have read the Staff Report on John's Meadow, they would have noted this:
"The City currently does not hold sufficient water rights to serve all undeveloped lots within its water service area, but has determined that the proposed means of water supply for this final subdivision is adequate..."
"If the City is unable to provide potable water at the time a building permit application is submitted for any structure within this subdivision, the permit will not be issued until such time as evidence of an adequate water supply can be made..."
You can read the Staff report for yourself:
John's Meadows Final Plat Staff Report, scroll to the top of page 3.
My letter read on-the-record to the Council (which you can also read on ProtectYelm.org), Mayor Pro-tem Isom's rebuttal and Mrs. Fetterly's comments can all be heard in-context from the City Council's video file:
Or access via YouTube.
Note:
Mayor Harding said I went over several minutes and to limit comment to three minutes in the future. The Council allows 15 minutes for public comment. Interesting that there was no one in the audience other than those on the agenda, a local newspaper reporter, plus Mr. Hashim to whom I pointed; not one other member of the public was present. Given the empty hall, if I thought necessary, Mr. Hashim would have filled out a public comment card and provided me his time. My comment lasted 4 minutes, 50 seconds.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Write to:
Vicki Cline, Compliance & Enforcement
Water Resources Program
Southwest Regional Office
Dept. of Ecology (Ms. Cline's office oversees Yelm)
VWIN461@ECY.WA.GOV
Tell Ms. Cline that you are writing as a citizen and that you are requesting enforcement of Yelm's continual
plat approvals going beyond the city's current water allocation and you want your letter to be included in the official public record of the City of Yelm's Water Mitigation Plan.
My letter on the record along with the recording of the March 24th public Council exchange will be added to Yelm's Water Mitigation Plan at the State Dept. of Ecology & Dept. of Health requesting enforcement to show how the Yelm City Council continues to defy state water regulations:
Click Here for the City's Water Plan.
If you are a property owner in the City of Yelm like this writer, get ready for a major water rate hike!
THINGS WILL ONLY CHANGE WHEN THE CITIZENS SAY "ENOUGH'!
UPDATE: April 14, 2009
I wrote to Mr. Isom on April 3rd to ask him to:
"identify what you view as the mischaracterization,
and I will gladly publish your views as a correction on the Yelm Community Blog,
since your motion & the Council resolution were not just limited to "we would not entertain the the idea of a moratorium."
I want to insure that I provide the public with accurate information from your viewpoint."
No response has been received to date, which speaks volumes!
They don't care about water or the quality of life here, only dollars. And by the way, since does a city this size get computers for all members, video and big screen Tv's. I am very offended that tax money is spent on items that are not necessary. Yes, we paid for it! Yelm coucil's meetings are a joke. Don Miller needs to retired out. We need a Mayor that hasn't been "placed" in that position, but a strong leader and a voice for the people. Don't mention that there is too much traffic in Yelm, the Mayor will insist it is much better. The Judge needs to be made aware as well as the state agencies. I will submit info as well.
The city is not forthcoming to the Yelm citizens and most are not aware of what this council and mayor are doing and have done. Word needs to get out to the people in and around Yelm in order for them to become aware of these important issues and how it will affect their lives and future in Yelm. New homeowners here have no idea about the water issues and how it will afffect their private wells and the higher costs others will have to pay for city services. This costs and inflated services are at the whim of Harding and council. Higher state officials officials must stop them from ruining this city any more and draining its resources by continuing unrestrained building!
When reading this report from tonight's meeting I immediately had bells going off. This formula of basing the city's future on insufficient data i.e. the concurrency clause which has been applied to the STILL unfunded bypass... is now over 20 years old! Growth though was never halted.
Now that same tried and tried exercise is being thumbed in our faces as the city is applying it to water rights which has been decided in court... and not in the city's favor!
Where is the formula for the state courts/state agencies to intercede on behalf of the citizens? Why doesn't someone representing the above... march to the Yelm City Council and tell them unequivocally on behalf of the citizenry that the city cannot engage again, spending thousands and thousands of dollars, when the truth on the issue has been concluded!
Everyone needs to write to the listed state agencies and the court to inform them of the constant building and demand investigation of this city's leaders! This needs to be on the front page news of the Olympia and Tacoma newspapers, not to mention TV news stations.
It's a wonder that someone does not send the Judge a copy of these actions.
YCT