Ramtha leader to fight Yelm growth

JZ Knight, the leader of the Ramtha School of Enlightenment, is asking the City Council tonight to reverse approvals that would add 568 new homes within city limits.

Knight, represented by Seattle attorney Keith Moxon, says an Oct. 9 ruling by hearing examiner Stephen Casseaux Jr. was in error because it fails to show that adequate water rights are available to serve the new homes.

"The city of Yelm is continuing to issue approvals for new development, despite the fact that its water demand already exceeds its approved water rights," Moxon said.

He said the future water availability was not certain and must be authorized by the state Department of Ecology.

But Casseaux says in his decision that Yelm "has shown that it is actively pursuing the acquisition of additional water rights, and that it has a reasonable expectancy of acquiring such rights."

In five decisions, Casseaux granted preliminary plat approval for Tahoma Terra Phase II, Divisions 5 & 6, Windshadow I, Windshadow II, Wyndstone and Berry Valley I.

Tonight's hearing will be a public meeting, but the City Council will not hear additional public testimony. The council is expected to announce a decision based on the existing records.

The developments are within a few miles of Knight's 80-acre school complex, established in 1988 along Yelm Highway north of 93rd Avenue. Knight, who has more than 6,000 students around the world, is the self-proclaimed channeler of the ancient male warrior spirit Ramtha.

In 2004, Ramtha school officials were among the groups of city residents opposed to the establishment of a 75,000-seat NASCAR racetrack within city limits. More than 800 people attended a community forum on the issue that August. The next month, International Speedway Corp. announced it had eliminated Thurston County from the field of possible sites.

Keri Brenner covers Thurston County for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5435 or kbrenner@theolympian.com.