FOAC Eyes New Site But Needs To Sell Yosemite Road Property First

Tuolumne, CA — After the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors approved a Conditional Use Permit last May for the Friends of the Animal Community (FOAC) to build a new facility at a property on Yosemite Road, the project was derailed by a lawsuit filed by some concerned neighbors.

It was a contentious debate when approved with a 3-1 vote (Supervisor Anaiah Kirk was opposed and Kathleen Haff was absent).

FOAC’s President and founder, Darlene Mathews, notes that Tuolumne County was later sued for issuing a Conditional Use Permit by a group who cited alleged violations of the California Environmental Quality Act (names listed as filing the lawsuit are Andrew Aldrich, Michelle Holtzinger and Nathaniel Minick). The county requires project applicants to defend lawsuits in court, which Mathews says would have put an undesirable burden on FOAC donors.

In an interview with Mathews and FOAC Vice President Maureen Miller, they believed that they could have won the lawsuit, but it likely would have been drawn out over an extended period, and required tens of thousands of dollars.

There was also a neighborhood uprising against the project, with signs in opposition placed around the area.

The group is changing course and has now reached a tentative agreement to purchase the former Tuolumne Veterinary Hospital property that was operated by the late Dr. Alan Rubinstein at 15107 Tuolumne Road.

However, Mathews notes, “We have made an offer, but it is contingent on the sale of our property (on Yosemite Road).”

Miller adds that the new site is already zoned as heavy industrial, and allows kennels without a conditional use permit.

The Yosemite Road project was initially purchased thanks to a large donor gift and FOAC is hoping someone comes forward soon to purchase the property.

Mathews notes that there is a strong demand for animal adoption services in Tuolumne County as last year they found homes for over 1,000 pets out of their undersized location on Mono Way.

The Yosemite Road property is currently listed for $449,000. It is Five acres, with a manufactured home, and was previously a horse property. The agreed-upon price of the Tuolumne Veterinary Hospital location was not disclosed as the sale is not finalized.

More information about FOAC can be found here.