2018-10-08-minutes-public-works-study-session

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September 11, 2018 Kittitas County Comments on Priest Rapids Hydroelectric Project FERC Project No. 2114, Recreation Resources Management Plan, April 2017. We note with concern that there is no consideration of current enhancement requirements for the Vantage Boat Ramp. The ramp is identified in the report as being the second highest utilized recreational facility managed by Public Utility District No. 2 of Grant County, Ephrata, Washington. Insufficient parking availability and use stress on the restroom facility plague the Vantage Boat Ramp. 2. We note with concern that there are no proposed operations and maintenance improvements at Vantage Boat Ramp specific to increasing maintenance demands at the restroom facility and parking area. 3. We note with concern that there is no requested amendment to License Article 418 regarding necessary improvements to the Vantage Boat Ramp facility. 4. It is common for weekend Seattle recreational users to inundate the Vantage Boat Ramp during the summer months. The available parking is soon exceeded and the County road network is overwhelmed with roadside parking. Ramp users park on undeveloped County land bordering the ramp on dry grasses. Increasingly, the County is engaged in fire -fighting activities in and around the unincorporated area of Vantage. Parking on high fire risk areas greatly concerns or fire/life/safety service providers. Repeatedly, when the County discusses the topic with PUD No. 2 the response is: "It is not in the project area". The attractive nuisance created by the ramp is overwhelming the County's law enforcement resources attempting to manage illegal area parking. The area is posted "no parking" but pressure is such that users routinely disregard the postings. While the County originally built the restroom facility — owing to a lack of PUD No. 2 effort, increasing demands on the restrooms is causing a funding crisis for the County relative to ongoing maintenance and operations. In spring of this year, vandalism to all of the restroom plumbing caused the County to close the facility. Repairs are anticipated to reach $30,000. Funding for repairs is uncertain. Replacement with stainless steel vandal proof fixtures appears to be our new reality. We appeal to FERC for assistance managing increasing demands on the Vantage Boat Ramp from PUD No. 2's successful implementation of its recreational plan. The County is not resourced in meeting the increasing demands placed on the restroom facility and area parking.