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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: April 14, 2025 <br />TOPIC: Springwood Update <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direction to Staff <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Arden Thomas <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff to work on making surplus hay storage available for temporary use via lease <br />and provide direction regarding potential identified capital improvements. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Public Works staff are working with the other Springwood landowners and the <br />Department of Ecology on a grant agreement. Interlocal agreements with the other <br />landowners will also be necessary. <br />• Current essential operation and maintenance needs are within the budget <br />presented to the Board of County Commissioners on November 11, 2024. <br />• This operational budget did not contemplate capital upgrades, which will be <br />necessary to fully realize the long-term value of Springwood Ranch. <br />• A proposal has been developed for three key irrigation and field improvements. <br />• These proposed upgrades will generate additional income from the agricultural <br />lease. While the extra income during the current agricultural lease period will not <br />cover the upfront costs, these investments support long-term agricultural uses. <br />• Additional benefits include improved wildfire and weed management, and better <br />utilization of available irrigation water. <br />• Another issue that has been identified is the condition of a barn on the property. <br />While a cost estimate is not yet available, addressing this is a high priority due to <br />safety concerns. <br />• Staff have received interest in leasing unused hay storage barns on the ranch. The <br />current agricultural tenant does not require these barns and is open to leasing them <br />to others, provided the tenant approves the measures taken to secure the barns <br />from cattle. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />A portion of Springwood Ranch was transferred to Kittitas County on October 31, 2024. <br />Additional portions were transferred to the Yakama Nation, the Washington Department <br />of Fish and Wildlife, and the Kittitas Reclamation District. The County is working on a <br />grant agreement to offset interim operational costs incurred by Kittitas County and the <br />Page 1 of 4 <br />Public Works "Work Session Staff Report", 2025 <br />