Laserfiche WebLink
KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: November 12, 2024 <br />TOPIC: Springwood Ranch <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direct Staff for ongoing operations of County property <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Joshua Fredrickson <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff for the operation of County property known as Springwood Ranch. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Trust for Public Land, a non-profit organization, acquired real property within the <br />County known as Springwood Ranch. <br />■ Washington State Legislature provided funding for this property in exchange for <br />conveying the property. <br />• Kittitas County accepted title for a portion of the overall Springwood Ranch <br />property. <br />• Ongoing maintenance and operations will be required. <br />• Over the next two years, we project that Springwood Ranch operations will run a <br />deficit. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The Trust for Public Land, a non-profit organization, acquired real property in Kittitas <br />County commonly known as Springwood Ranch. The Washington State Legislature <br />provided funding for this property in exchange for conveying the property for public <br />benefit purposes. This included conveying property to Kittitas County, the Washington <br />State Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Yakima Nation and Kittitas Reclamation <br />District. The public benefit for the portion conveyed to Kittitas County is associated with <br />maintaining existing agricultural uses or future uses allowed under current zoning that <br />provide a public use benefit. <br />Final property transfer occurred October 31, 2024. This transfer of property included <br />Kittitas County accepting title from the Trust for Public Lands. Current use of the <br />property includes a grazing lease and two caretakers provide contracted services. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />Kittitas County staff expects that the County -owned lands will continue to be managed <br />for agricultural purposes into the foreseeable future. All four property owners are <br />requesting grant funding to help cover interim expenses. However, even with grant <br />Pagel of 2 <br />Public Works "Work Session Staff Report", 2024 <br />