A10
News
wallowa.com
April 1, 2015
Ranch partition upheld
By Steve Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
Wallowa County Commis-
sioners denied the appeal of
the Lenahan family to stop
the partitioning of the Hayes
ranch in Joseph. The Lenah-
ans appealed a Feb. 24 county
planning commission deci-
sion allowing the partitioning
of the ranch.
The Hayes ranch and
Eastern Oregon Property
Development want to create
two two-acre parcels on the
property, which the planning
commission said was allowed
under the auspices of Measure
49 and county law.
Commissioner Mike Hay-
ward abstained from hearing
the proceedings because of a
FRQÀLFW RI LQWHUHVW 7KLV OHIW
commissioners Susan Roberts
and Paul Castilleja to hear the
appeal.
Lenahan attorney Elaine
Albrich opened the proceed-
ings saying her appeal per-
tained to three issues: owner-
ship of property, access roads,
and the orientation of the par-
cels. Albrich said that although
she mentioned these to the plan-
ning commission at the Feb 24
Wallowa County Chieftain
WATER: Permit
would allow selling
of water that can’t be
stored behind dam
Continued from Page A1
WDLQÀRZVLQWR:DOORZD/DNH
push the level of the dam be-
Marc Stauffer, chairman of yond its allowed maximum
the Enterprise Planning Com- capacity.
mission and president of the
At a time when water for
Wallowa County Chamber of agricultural purposes is at
Commerce, raised other is- a premium throughout the
western states, not receiving
sues.
Others submitting com- any monetary return for that
Steve Tool/Chieftain
ments were Chad Nash, of “dumped” lake water works
Hayes ranch attorney Rahn Hostetter (standing at left) addresses Wallowa County Enterprise; Garrett Lowe, of against the owners of the pri-
commissioners during an appeal by the Lenahan family of Joseph to overturn the planning Wallowa; Robert Hipple, of vately-owned Wallowa Lake
commission’s decision to allow the partition of the ranch.
Enterprise; and City of Joseph Dam, a group Waters de-
scribes as a “bunch of honest
Attorney Wyatt Baum.
The Wallowa’s Future farmers.”
meeting, she thought the plan-
Albrich argued that the two close to allow maintenance to
Improvements on tunnels,
ning commission did not base access roads to the property im- the Cove Ditch (an irrigation Foundation (WFF), represent-
its decision on the rule of law pacted more than the four acres ditch), did not maximize the ed by President Robert Read- JDWHV DQG HYHQ ÀXPHV OHDY-
but on insubstantial evidence.
comprising the two parcels, use of farm land and could ing and associated with John ing Wallowa Lake Dam have
According to Albrich, an and were therefore illegal un- cause erosion or poor water /HQDKDQVXEPLWWHG¿YHSDJHV been made in the not-too-dis-
of response to the application tant past, but funds to improve
inventory of the Hayes estate der Measure 49. She also ques- quality in the ditch.
does not include real estate as- tioned the need for two access
Enterprise attorney Rahn GHWDLOLQJ ZKDW WKDW QRQSUR¿W safety to store more water be-
sets. Albrich said that as the roads, which she said further Hostetter represented the appli- sees as shortcomings in the yond the current 72 percent of
capacity state mandate have
applicant was unable to pro- impacted the use of farm land.
cants. Hostetter argued it was application.
Publicly listed as a Jo- been lacking.
vide a complete chain of title
Albrich said the unlawful up to a circuit court, not the
J. R. Cook, director of
providing documentation of the impact from the roads required commissioners, to determine seph-based charitable orga-
property, the planning commis- that either the planning com- whether the estate inventory nization, WFF had $269,877 the Northeast Oregon Water
sion should not have found the mission decision be negated or actually listed the property. He in total net assets in 2011, ac- Association, a group with a
Hayes estate was vested with the roads re-oriented to min- also said the Oregon Depart- FRUGLQJWRWKH1RQ3UR¿W)DFWV vital interest in attaining wa-
title, which should legally pre- imize impact. She also said ment of Land Conservation com website. At one point in ter for agricultural growers in
vent development.
the state requires the roads be and Development had already its public response opposing the Umatilla Basin, says he’s
accessed by an existing public awarded the homes to the ap- ADC’s permit request, WFF well aware of the permit re-
access way, and neither road plicants and no one appealed, states: “In short, there is no quest made to Oregon Water
Bunny books,
TXDOL¿HG
and nothing changed in the law assessment (economic, social, Resources Department by the
ecological, or otherwise) of ADC about one year ago, but
7KH
¿QDO
DUJXPHQW$OEULFK
since then.
cute stickers,
made concerned the orienta-
“It’s not that complex and in how the removal of 4,200 acre has had no recent contact with
fun activity books
tion of the two parcels, which any event, it’s not an issue be- feet from the Wallowa basin the owners of Wallowa Lake
and chocolate!
she said were positioned too fore you because it’s already will impact the binomy. Thus, Dam.
According to Waters, no
been decided by DLCD and it cannot be concluded that the
Everything you need to fill
application results in the max- public disclosure will be
unappealed by anyone.”
those Easter baskets!
Hostetter similarly dis- imum economic development made as to the estimated value
ENTERPRISE
of the 4,200 acre-feet of water
missed the other claims say- of the waters involved ...”
EDUCATION
Stauffer’s series of con- in the event of its release from
ing that his clients have re-
Across from the courthouse in Enterprise
FOUNDATION peatedly tried since 2007 to cerns include the possible vul- Wallowa Lake Dam and sub-
107 E. Main • 541.426.3351
11th Annual
appease the Lenahans, even nerability of Wallowa County sequent withdrawal from the
always open at www.bookloftoregon.com • bookloft@eoni.com
reducing the size of their par- during the early months of the Columbia River by growers
FHOV IURP ¿YH WR WZR DFUHV proposed April 1 through Oct. in the Umatilla Basin. Cook,
to avoid the appeals. “If we 15 water release period when however, calculates that such
Raymond Seal is the son of Lisa and
changed it again, do you think ORFDOÀRRGLQJFRXOGEHFRPHD water could compute into
Ryan Seal of Joseph. Raymond is a
many millions of dollars of
the Lenahans will say, ‘OK, problem.
4.0 student who takes advantage of
revenue were such a release of
Larry
Waters,
president
of
good.’
There
is
no
location
we
April 10, 2015
upper division courses such as
additional irrigation water in-
the
Silver
Lake
Water
Ditch
could
propose
that
wouldn’t
get
Auction
&
pre-calculus and advanced biology.
directly infused into Oregon’s
Company
—
the
oldest
ditch
appealed
here
and
on
to
LUBA
Prime
Rib
Dinner
Raymond is actively involved in
(Land Use Board of Appeals).” company in the county — and economy via farmers, proces-
at the Cloverleaf Hall.
FCCLA where is currently the state
He said he doubted anything his an ADC board member sug- sors, and even grocery outlets.
president, FFA where he holds the
Doors open at 5pm
A frequently asked ques-
clients did at this point would gests that much could change
office of District Secretary, he is a
Dinner at 6pm
member of the National Honor Society,
if the permit is approved and tion is: If circumstances were
appease the Lenahans.
No-host bar provided by
and is also a three sport athlete.
Hostetter went on citing excess water behind Wal- right, would Umatilla Basin
El Bajio
The staff and administration would like
provisions
of Measures 37 lowa Lake Dam is sold. “If growers be willing to upgrade
Tickets $45/couple
to congratulate Raymond on this honor
and 49 attempting to prove his we get the dam refurbished Wallowa Lake Dam in return
$25/single
Raymond Seal and would like to say thank you for
points. Albrich’s response es- (with funding from such sales for future water from Wal-
•Handmade Quilt
Joseph Charter School
being such an outstanding part of
sentially reiterated her earlier of water), it would help the lowa Lake?
by
Shirley
Snook
our school.
Cook, actively involved
whole county,” Waters says.
arguments.
•Ruger American Compact
The problem, as presented in other water-generating
Both commissioners said
243 Caliber gun
by Cameronʼs Ace Hardware
they had ample time to review by Waters, is that for safe- projects in the Umatilla Ba-
•European Elk Mount Bronze
the issue and after having plan- ty purposes aging Wallowa sin, including pipelines, is
by Valley Bronze
ning director Harold Black clar- Lake Dam cannot store more very precise in his response.
All proceeds
ify a few questions, put the issue than 72 percent of its capac- “We would only agree to take
benefit Enterprise Schools’ arts
to a vote. Roberts and Castille- ity, and there are unknown excess water, not any water
The Student of the Week is chosen for
and music programs
academic achievement and community
ja voted to allow the partition. amounts of excess water that that is needed locally,” he
To donate auction items
involvement. Students are selected
or purchase tickets
The appellants have 21 are “dumped” into the river at says. “We will not let this
by the administrators of
contact Sandy at
times of the year when moun- turn into a gold rush.” Then
days to appeal the decision.
their respective schools.
541-426-3812
Cook turns to the business
side of the equation. Speak-
ing for the businessmen he
represents, Cook says such
an arrangement could only
ZRUNLQD³FDVKÀRZIRUZD-
ter” agreement that would
Wallowa County Humane Society
guarantee the availability of
hopes you will send your tax-deductible
water to the Umatilla Basin
on a long-range, or perma-
donation so we can receive up to $2500!
nent basis.
pledged by an anonymous donor to help us get to $5000!
But before such a possi-
Admission $4.00 for adults,
bility
even can be aired, the
Donate with the click of a mouse through Paypal on our website:
children under 12 are admited for free.
dissenting arguments made
wallowacountyhumanesociety.org.
$1.00 off admission when entering with a firearm to sell or trade
by six entities questioning the
or send checks to: WCHS, PO Box 565
ALL STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS WILL BE APPLIED
wisdom behind ADC’s permit
Enterprise, OR 97828.
Security will be provided. Concessions will be available.
application must be addressed
and either that application or
501C3 tax deductible
For more information or to make reservations
another future application be
(tables are $35.00 per each 8 foot table)
approved by the Oregon Wa-
Call Russ Smith at 541-786-4270
ter Resources Department.
T HE B OOKLOFT
t S udent
We Love
Our Kids
k
e
e
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f th
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THINKING OF SELLING YOUR
REAL ESTATE IN WALLOWA COUNTY?
Name: _____________________________________________
Property Address: ____________________________________
Contact Info: Tel _____________________________________
Email: _____________________________________________
Linda Warnock, Broker
Joseph, OR • 541-398-1192
Sale
Ends 01/31/2014
3/31/2015
Sale
ends
Sale
ends
01/31/2013
® Company.
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©2012 True
by True
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©2013
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Company. All rights reserved.
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