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County has accepted ongoing risk at this location. The applicant did have legal access at <br />another location. <br />The current variance process is increasingly subject to decision making not supportive of <br />Public Works standards. Individuals who have purchased lots in steep terrain are <br />unwilling to spend the money on improved access necessary supporting fire/life/safety <br />access. Maintaining safe access is a burden for Public Works and should not create a <br />burden for the fire or law enforcement community. <br />Public Works prefers amending KCC 12.01.130. We desire altering the variance process <br />in the following manner: <br />• Applicant's prepare their variance request <br />• Applicant meets with County Road Engineer presenting their request <br />• County Road Engineer evaluates the request and issues a determination <br />• Unfavorable decisions may then be requested for reconsideration by the Public <br />Works Director <br />• The Director may gather additional information as appropriate and issues a final <br />departmental determination <br />• The Director's decision may then be appealed to Board of County Commissioners <br />Public Works believes that this revised process better serves the public interest in that the <br />variance considerations are based on engineering science and judgement - not based <br />economics or social considerations. Relief from standards based on non -engineering <br />rationale is best managed by elected officials. Accepting risk assigned to the department <br />from a citizen committee seems unreasonable given the amount of pending requests <br />coming from steep terrain development. <br />Upon request, staff will return to the Board with a redline mark up of KCC 12.01 .130 for <br />Board consideration. <br />FISCAL IMPACTS: <br />None. <br />ATTACILMENTS: <br />Exhibit 1: Current Variance Code (KCC 12.01.13 0) <br />Page 2 of 3 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />