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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS—BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: April 24, 2017 <br />TOPIC: Road Variance Committee <br />ACTION REQUESTED: None Required <br />LEAD STAFF: Mark R. Cook <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Support proposed staff action. <br />BREIFING SUMMARY: <br />• Staff briefed the Board on Road Variance Committee issues on March 27, 2017 <br />• Board directed staff return with a proposal <br />• Staff proposes retaining current structure with re -focused variance criteria and <br />will fill the vacant public position on the Committee <br />BACKGROUND: <br />On March 27, 2017, staff advised the Board of ongoing issues associated with the Road <br />Variance Committee. Numerous "recusals" and infrequent attendance from the three <br />citizens on the committee diminish decision making. Increasingly, variance is being <br />granted for economic considerations contrary to the core values of the committee. Staff <br />is also being subjected to reductions of access requirements during an era when we are <br />trying to partner with local fire districts eliminating non-compliant access roadways. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />Staff understands and values citizen check on its variance powers. What should not <br />happen is allowance of the applicant to dismiss viable mitigations in favor of economic <br />hardship appeals. Continued relief from road grade standards is adversely impacting fire <br />life safety. Public Works is concerned that the fire protection community will view <br />increasing numbers of variance to roadway surface and grade in an unfavorable light. <br />We propose sending a letter to the third citizen on the committee thanking them for their <br />service and acknowledging their infrequent attendance as the basis for dismissal from the <br />committee. We will then fill the vacant position. We also will revisit any charter <br />documents for the committee, suggest revisions and return to the Board presenting our <br />proposed revisions. We will monitor citizen attendance and record the number of <br />recusals in a one year period. At the conclusion of the year, we will return and report <br />back to the Board the amount of absence and recusals. Public Works may elect to re- <br />engage the Board of future revisions at that time. <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUN"rY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />