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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />WORK SESSION DATE: December 14, 20'15 <br />TOPIC: Public Works Pits and Quarries <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direct Staff Restrict Public Access <br />LEAD STAFF: Mark R. Cook <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff restricts public access to all Public Works pits and quarries. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Public Works owns and utilizes a series of pits and quarries (12) throughout the <br />county. These facilities are used as storage sites by our maintenance division <br />(rock, over burden, ditch spoils and logs). The facilities are also used <br />occasionally for producing various crushed rock products used constructing or <br />maintaining county roads. The pits and quarries are also used a composting <br />sites for animals killed by county traffic. <br />A few of the County's pits have been utilized by recreationalist such as Hansen <br />Pit. The pit harbors various fish species that many county residents target for <br />recreation. The pit is also used by area hikers and their canines. <br />In 2011, the County and the City of Ellensburg entered into an interlocal <br />agreement developing a master plan for the Hansen Pit site. The status of <br />developing the site into a City/County trail facility is unknown at this time. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />In late fall of this year, maintenance received several complaints from area hikers <br />(Hansen Pit) regarding dumped animal remains and our own composting traffic <br />kills. I visited the site and noted a large amount of broken glass (beer bottles) <br />and determined that sufficient hazards existed to direct maintenance sign the pit <br />closed to trespassing. After several weeks, I received one complaint from a local <br />businessman angry that the site had been posted. <br />The Hanson Pit facility is accessed via a private road over BNSF Railway. There <br />is no public license allowing public access over the railroad. The facility is gated <br />and locked. While the county has a prohibition against dumping in undesignated <br />areas (KCC 8.20), signing the facility for no dumping does not address the risk <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />