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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: September 25, 2023 <br />TOPIC: Pheasant Lane <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direct staff <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Joshua Fredrickson <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff to provide access permits for residential uses on unopened right-of-way. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Unopened county right-of-way continues being used for residential access. <br />• Pheasant Lane extends from a bend in Reecer Creek Road north for <br />approximately 2.62 miles. <br />• Pheasant Lane provides access to numerous residences and undeveloped lots <br />• Public Hearing on August 18, 2020, and continued September 1, 2020, considered <br />establishment of unopened Pheasant Lane county right-of-way. The decision to <br />not establish Pheasant Lane onto the public road network resulted from the public <br />hearing. <br />Pheasant Lane continues to be unopened county right-of-way for approximately <br />2.62 miles. <br />• Interest from property owners seeking to develop residential housing in the area <br />increases demand to the unopened county right-of-way. <br />• Public Works currently has a request to use Pheasant Lane for another residential <br />home builder. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Unopened rights -of -way exists throughout Kittitas County. Public Works has seen an <br />increase in demand for access permits to parcels utilizing unopened right-of-way for <br />development. Pheasant Lane, located off of Reecer Creek Road, is a current example of <br />such right-of-way. Public access to public lands as well as access for development brings <br />an inherent confusion related to utilization of the unopened right-of-way. Increased use of <br />unopened rights -of -way results in higher demand for maintenance and ongoing confusion <br />of maintenance responsibility. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />Development interests to construct residences utilizing access through unopened right-of- <br />way continues to increase. The inherent confusion over public access occurs when <br />individuals look to utilize unopened right-of-way for home access. Road improvements <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />Public Works "Work Session Staff Report" 2023 <br />