BEC vs. Butte County, et. al Lawsuit Settled

Butte County and Dan Korhdt settled the lawsuit filed by BEC and Caryn Jones

January 26, 2000

Butte County and Dan Korhdt settled the lawsuit filed by Butte Environmental Council and Caryn Jones Tuesday January 25, 2000 without going to court. The settlement revokes the Dan Korhdt grading permits issued prior to proper environmental review, requires legal environmental review with a pre-grading baseline prior to a project on the property, and pays the petitioners attorney’s fees. "We are happy the County recognized the need to rectify the wrong that occurred with the illegal permits and grading. We cannot allow the law to be broken or dismantled in Butte County if we are to have a healthy place for people to live and work," said BEC Executive Director Barbara Vlamis.

Background

The lawsuit was filed in Butte County Superior Court on December 8, 1999 to require the Board of Supervisors to rescind their action that permitted continued grading without adequate environmental review and permits for the Ridgeway Development in Kelly Ridge. Despite explicit advice from Butte County Counsel’s office, that indicated the grading was in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act and in violation of Butte County Code requirements, the Board of Supervisors on a 3-2 affirmative vote by Beeler, Davis, and Josiassen, directed County staff to permit Ridgeway Development to conduct additional grading in clear violation of the law. The lawsuit sought to suspend all activity under the project approvals until adequate environmental review had occurred. BEC maintained that acts like this by County leaders, supporting lawlessness and bullying, only diminishes their efforts to attract new clean businesses with high-paying jobs here.

Posted January 2000