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Friends of Topnish Creek objects to county spending and files code enforcement complaint over calf ranch water use
Summary
Jean Mendoza, executive director of Friends of Topnish Creek, urged Yakima County commissioners to support a code-enforcement complaint alleging a calf ranch is withdrawing more water than permitted, and criticized a recent $2,000 county allocation to fund an anti-grizzly-bear letter.
During the public-comment period at the April 28 Yakima County Board of Commissioners work session, Jean Mendoza, executive director of Friends of Topnish Creek, told commissioners the group had filed a complaint with the county planning department's division of code enforcement alleging a Lower Yakima Valley calf ranch is withdrawing more water from falling aquifers than its permit authorizes.
"The calf ranch is taking water that should be reserved for the city of Mabton, for neighboring farmers and for replenishment of in-stream flows in the Yakima River," Mendoza said, characterizing the complaint as important for local water users and stream flows.
Mendoza also expressed concern about a recent county allocation of $2,000 to pay someone to write a letter protesting the proposed reintroduction of grizzly bears to the North Cascades. "Yakima County is always strapped for cash," Mendoza said, and suggested many local citizens would have written such a letter for a lower amount.
Mendoza told commissioners Friends of Topnish Creek was excluded from an initial conference between Yakima County and the calf ranch and asked the board to instruct staff to follow county code so interested parties are not unreasonably excluded from future conferences. Mendoza cited "Yakima County code section 21.03 0.05" in making that point.
The clerk asked Mendoza to submit any formal request in writing to the Clerk of the Board so it could be routed to commissioners and staff for follow up.
Ending: Commissioners did not take action during the public-comment period; the clerk directed Mendoza to submit a written request for the board to consider. Any subsequent staff or enforcement actions would be recorded separately by the planning department or in future county minutes.
