2023-08-14-minutes-public-works-study-session

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KITTITAS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 2023 STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT STUDY SESSION DATE: August 14, 2023 TOPIC: COMPAS and GIS Wetlands Layer Investigation ACTION REQUESTED: Direct Staff LEAD STAFF: Mark R. Cook RECOMMENDATION: Support staff efforts defining technologies improving the County's wetland layer in COMPAS. BRIEFING SUMMARY: • The current wetland layer residing in COMPAS (GIS data layer) is provided for use by Washington State Department of Ecology. • This wetland layer is derived from the National Wetlands Inventory database as maintained by US Fish and Wildlife Service. • This data has inherent inaccuracy in that it is compiled using only interpretation of high -altitude aerial imagery and does not include new technologies or local factors. • Staff desires better understanding of the limitations of the current layer and where better technologies and data might be used to improve wetland identification in Kittitas County. BACKGROUND: An updated wetland layer (supplied by WA Department of Ecology - DOE) was deployed by county IT staff several months ago (IT Director Fessler has confirmed the layer was provided by the state). The current layer results in significant wetlands being assigned to numerous tax parcels throughout the county. Responding to this action, Board of Equalization appeals have increased. DISCUSSION: Public Works (PW) desires a better understanding of the limitations and use of the wetland mapping layer in COMPAS. PW also desires evaluating technologies that might be deployed vetting COMPAS mapping or that can be used to refine and make more accurate wetland identification. To that end, PW is pursuing a Task Order with our environmental consultant (Jacobs). Page 1 of 3 Public Works "Work Session Staff Report", 2023