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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />2024 STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: January 8, 2024 <br />TOPIC: Lick Creek Private Bridges <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direct Staff <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Mark R. Cook <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff cease permitting efforts. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Public Works (PW) continues to expend resources towards permitting two private <br />bridges at Lick Creek. <br />• One of the private private owners is refusing to fully fund acquisition of one of <br />the private bridges. <br />• Title research has verified replacement of one of the bridges requires <br />authorization of both owners. <br />• Public Works has insisted on a "Hold Harmless and Indemnification" release for <br />using county provided abutment designs and permits. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />During construction of the Lick Creek Bridge project, two neighboring property owners <br />threatened to sue the county for perceived increased flood risk. Proposing a resolution to <br />the conflict, the Board of County Commissioners directed PW work with the property <br />owners to develop a solution. The property owners agreed to pay for two private bridges <br />and PW agreed to design bridge abutments and obtain project permits. The abutment <br />designs are complete and permitting efforts are ongoing. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />PW continues paying for project permitting while one of the property owners has stated <br />that he will not pay the full cost of the bridge acquisition. He has also stated that he will <br />not sign any release of liability allowing the neighbor to use their shared driveway <br />supporting one of the bridge locations. It appears that we are at a standstill. Our options <br />appear to be to continue spending money on permits that we may not be able to use or <br />suspend permitting efforts. <br />There are no adverse impacts, thus far, resulting from the project. The risk associated <br />with contentious land cover loss from fires (five years ago) is reducing with time as we <br />get farther from the fire event. The forest is revegetating. <br />Page 1 of 6 <br />Public Works "Work Session Staff Report", 2024 <br />