Letter to JolinCity of Yelm
Community Development Department
105 Yelm Avenue West
P.O. Box 479
Yelm, WA 98597
June 12, 2007
Brenda Jolin
3537 Crestview Drive West
University Place, WA 98466
Dear Brenda:
This is in response to the documentation relating to water rights you offered to the
Community Development Department in support of your recent request to circulate an
annexation petition to annex property you purchased on Grove Road.
Subsequent to the April 10th City Council meeting, at which time it rejected your request
to circulate an annexation petition, the Council adopted Resolution 472 which clarifies
its policy regarding residential annexations.
The certificate of ground water right you provided is an excellent example of the reason
the Council adopted Resolution Number 472. Specifically, while it would appear that
the certificate would provide sufficient water rights to serve the future development of
the property at urban densities, two questions must be answered to successfully
transfer the water to the City for use in its domestic water system.
• That the water has been used for beneficial use within the past five years.
• That the conversion of water permitted for used during the summer months for
irrigation purposes to year round use for potable water purposes does not have a
negative impact on in-stream flows within Yelm Creek or the Nisqually River.
The City has investigated the Casavant water rights in the past and believes it is
unlikely that the first test can be met, since there is no evidence that the Casavant water
rights have been put to beneficial use within the past 5 years.
Assuming, however, that beneficial use of the water rights could be shown, meeting the
second test is both expensive and time-intensive. While the expense of a transfer of
water rights would be your responsibility, it would still place a significant burden on City
staff, for the transfer of a water right that would serve a single property owner.
The Council considered the time and effort for a water rights transfer when it adopted
Resolution Number 472 and decided to prioritize the City's efforts on obtaining sufficient
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water rights to serve the entire City and its Urban Growth Area, an application that is
underway currently.
Based on the Council's adoption of Resolution Number 472, the City will not authorize
your request to circulate a petition to annex at this time.
Sincerely, f.u=~ ,_,~~
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j/Jjf/'jJ' s~ l
Gri~t Beck, ir~ctor
Comlvaunity Development Department
June 12, 2007 Page 2 of 2