April 14, 2010
CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO DRILL TEST WELL ON 'CITY-OWNED' LAND IN TAHOMA TERRA
Yelm Public Safety Building & City Council Chambers
The Yelm City Council voted unanimously to spend $615,223 to drill SW Well #2 as a production well last night.
The only question prior to a motion to move forward on this project was from Council member John Thompson who said he understood the "benefits of doing it there (in the Tahoma Terra development) is because Yelm actually owned that property, not Tahoma Terra."
Mrs. Badger replied,
"The property is slated to be dedicated as part of the master plan process...so in the Conceptual Master Plan approval...it is a future city park, which will be dedicated to the city. We also, in addition to that, have approval from the property owner to conduct the drilling activity. But ultimately, yes, it is owned by the city. "
Prior to that in her introduction, Mrs. Badger stated this well was part of the draft Water System Plan and current rate (water billings) structure in effect. She told Council "Until you get a well-driller in there and do the work, you don't know for sure" what water will be there.
Interestingly, there were no questions about spending 2/3 of a million dollars and no water is found there.
HMMM!
If the city owns the land then, why would they need an agreement to build there?
A search of County records show no city owned land in the Tahoma Terra phases.
Hello?
- The 2008 Mitigation Plan was never approved and no longer stands because the City of Yelm withdrew their MDNS on August 14, 2009.
The city said, "You will be notified when the City re-issues a threshold determination in this matter."
There has been no further determination by the City in this matter.
- The draft Water System Plan (WSP) has no legs because it also has never been approved & so many things have changed since it was publicly released.
- The unfinished phases of Tahoma Terra were supposed to go to auction last week.
From the March 13th Olympian:
"A foreclosure sale is scheduled April 9 for the unfinished phases of the Tahoma Terra master planned community in Yelm."
That is where is well is located.
CLICK HERE
Scroll to page 30. See well W-2 in red.
- Is the city going to buy some (or did buy some without telling the public) of the Tahoma Terra parcels?
They have been going into Executive Session alot, as they did last night, and hiding behind RCW 42.30.110(1) "to discuss possible real estate acquisition."
THIS ALL HAS THE SMELL OF SOMETHING FISHY AT YELM CITY HALL,
HOWEVER THE PUBLIC HAS NO INTEREST & EVERYONE THINKS ALL IS OK,
SO THE CITY & CITIZENS ARE HAPPY - IGNORANCE IS BLISS !
Steve,
Were you at the meeting
last night?
Sounds like someone else is involved in running the City!!
yes, as you can see on the city's video of the session -
http://www.avcaptureall.com/#mode[recorded]&session[5ddbf8da-20d8-4cd9-b2e7-5c55bfd771d4]
According to Thurston County, the 160 acre parcel #21723300000, where proposed well #2 is located, is still owned by "Thurston Highlands Assoc LLC". So, evidently, Ms. Badger has mis-spoken when she said that the city owned the property. While it may be true that according to the Conceptual Master Plan it "will be dedicated to the city", it has not been so dedicated, and still remains under the ownership of THA, LLC. And depending upon how the bankruptcy and foreclosure proceedings evolve, the entire idea of the MPC called Thurston Highlands may no longer be happening.
Or is the city actually planning on buying the land, rather than having it dedicated to them? Is that what may be happening "behind closed doors"? If so, then there's going to be ANOTHER chunk of change going to that, too. Let's see...160 acres at about $10,000 per acre...
And is that why the water rates have been - and will continue to - rise so significantly...? After all, if you're going to be building infrastructure, you need the land to build it on...