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KITTITAS COUNTY <br /> COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES <br /> COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES—BOARD OF COUNTY <br /> COMMISSIONERS <br /> 2023 STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br /> STUDY SESSION DATE: October 9,2023 <br /> TOPIC: Cultural Resource Reports <br /> ACTION REQUESTED: Authorize CDS staff to engage with the Colville Tribe on <br /> revising the Cultural Resources reporting criteria. <br /> LEAD STAFF: <br /> Jamey Ayling, Planning Manager <br /> RECOMMENDATION: <br /> Authorize CDS staff to engage in discussion with affected tribes and DAHP on a compromise <br /> with Cultural Resources Survey requirements. <br /> BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br /> • Currently, the Colville Tribe is requesting cultural resource surveys on nearly all permit <br /> applications. <br /> • Staff desires negotiating inadvertent discovery plans for small projects. <br /> • Alternatively, the tribe can conduct the surveys with the county obtaining access from <br /> permit applicants. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> As part of project review, most planning applications require some level of notification and <br /> request for comments. As projects increase in complexity, the number of comments tend to <br /> increase and become more specific. Recently, within the last six to nine months CDS staff has <br /> noticed a trend with the comments as they relate to cultural resource requirements. Whenever a <br /> notice is sent to the Colville Tribe on a project, we tend to get the same scanned letter in return. <br /> The letter is appreciated and in no way are we trying to downplay the importance of protecting <br /> cultural resources, however,there is a large economic impact to requiring such a study on small <br /> projects where the likelihood of discovering any artifacts is unlikely and could be addressed by <br /> requiring an inadvertent discovery plan be put in place. Staff is unaware of any artifacts that <br /> have been discovered through any of the recent cultural resource surveys that have been <br /> conducted. These studies have proven to be an upfront delay on the project and money spent on <br /> a survey to turn up no results that could have been put into the project to keep costs down and <br /> make housing closer to affordable. <br /> Page 1 of 2 <br /> Community Development Services"Work Session Staff Report",2023 <br />