2025-02-10-minutes-public-works-study-session

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KITTITAS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT STUDY SESSION DATE: February 10, 2025 TOPIC: Public Works Fees Update ACTION REQUESTED: Direct Staff to Prepare Enabling Documents and Schedule a Public Hearing LEAD STAFF: Joshua Fredrickson RECOMMENDATION: Direct staff to prepare enabling documents and schedule a public hearing regarding Staff s proposed permit fee schedule update. BRIEFING SUMMARY: • Public Works fees are adopted by the Board of County Commissioners pursuant Kittitas County Code chapter 4.16 • Fees are adopted by resolution • Public Works fees were adopted May 18, 2021, and amended May 3, 2022, and January 16, 2024 • Current schedule does not include a Franchise Renewal or Road Use Agreement fee. • Update to the Water Banking fee will also be considered. BACKGROUND: Public Works permit fees are established by resolution as codified in KCC 4.16. The Board of County Commissioners adopted the current amendment to the fee schedule by resolution on January 16, 2024 (Exhibit A). The current Board directed fee model is to achieve full cost recovery for permit activities, with discretion to set fees at 25 percent cost recovery. Additional permit fees have been identified for consideration, including a Franchise Renewal fee and a Road Use Agreement fee. DISCUSSION: Public Works receives Franchise Applications for non-exclusive use of County rights -of - way. Franchise agreements have a set term and then expire. Public Works has received requests from franchisee agreement holders to amend existing franchise agreements with the County. An amendment to a franchise requires similar efforts as a new franchise agreement. PW proposes to modify the listed title from "Franchise Fee" to "New Franchise or Amended Franchise Fee". Pagel of 2 Public Works "Work Session Staff Report" 2025