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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: November 8, 2022 <br />TOPIC: Public Access of Kittitas County Lands <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direction to Staff <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Mark Cook <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct Staff to Propose Revisions to Kittitas County Code Chapter 9.50 Parks to address <br />firearms use and hunting and to allow for the adoption and use of property -specific <br />stewardship plans. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Kittitas County has been purchasing property for floodplain management <br />purposes. Properties may also be held for advanced mitigation purposes. <br />• Kittitas County Code Chapter 9.50 Parks governs the use of Kittitas County park <br />areas, which are defined as any areas under the ownership, management, or <br />control of Kittitas County. <br />• Kittitas County Code Chapter 9.50 gives the director of public works the <br />responsibility to set park hours and allows for area closures by signs or barricades. <br />• Currently there is no code language regarding hunting on County owned lands. <br />• The source of funding used for property acquisition can limit or expand the <br />potential uses of these properties. <br />• Property improvements and maintenance are often necessary to support public <br />access and use. <br />• Staff recommend that Kittitas County Code Chapter 9.50 be revised to further <br />clarify the term "park area", address firearms use and hunting on County property <br />and allow for the adoption of site-specific management plans which further <br />defines allowable uses. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The amount of open space owned and managed by the Kittitas County Public Works has <br />increased in recent years due to property acquisitions for floodplain management <br />purposes. Public Works land holdings may include mitigation sites in the future. Kittitas <br />County Code Chapter 9.50 Parks governs the use of Kittitas County park areas, which are <br />defined as any area under the ownership, management, or control of Kittitas County. <br />Staff concludes that properties recently acquired for floodplain management purposes are <br />regulated by Chapter 9.50. <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />