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ll I RECR E AT I ON, <br />PAR K S, OPEN SPACE AND <br />N A T URAL ENVIRONMENT <br />11.1 INTRODUCTION <br />Being centrally located and easily accessed by two interstate highways, Kittitas County has become a <br />recreational destination for many people. Both public and privately-owned land and facilities are utilized <br />throughout the year from snow skiing and hunting in the winter to fishing, hiking, and river floats in the <br />summer. <br />As illustrated in the Land Use Element, approximately 64% of Kittitas County is owned by state and federal <br />agencies. These lands, particularly the Wenatchee and Snoqualmie National Forest, L.T. Murray and <br />Quilomene Wildlife Areas, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) trust lands, offer the public the <br />greatest opportunity for outdoor recreation. In total, Kittitas County has designated 87,478 acres as Public <br />Recreation on the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map. <br />11.1 .1 Advisory Group Recommendations <br />This Element has been updated with the input of the general public through the public participation process <br />that was outlined earlier in this Plan, and from the public input received during the 2016 PROS plan <br />adoption: <br />• Kittitas County does not currently have a Parks Department. The Advisory Group agreed that the County <br />should consider the creation of a Parks Department to support the implementation of this Element and <br />other parks planning efforts throughout the County. <br />• The Advisory Group agreed that Kittitas County should provide support to other entities engaged in <br />parks planning, including Parks and Recreation Districts. <br />• To better protect and preserve recreational opportunities, the Advisory Group recommended that the <br />County consider creating a new land use and zoning district for public lands. <br />• The Advisory Group recommended that Kittitas County create and support a vision and strategic plan for <br />recreation and tourism. <br />Page 131 <br />• The Advisory Group expressed a need for improved mapping of critical areas to facilitate the <br />implementation of the Critical Areas Ordinance. <br />Comprehensive Plan