2025-11-10-minutes-public-works-study-session

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SSA till-fITAS COl N7`� November 10, 2025 Wendy L. Shaw, P.E. Risk Analysis Branch Chief Mitigation Division FEMA Region 10 Kittitas County, Washington BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS District One District Two District Three Cory Wright Laura Osiadacz Brett Wachsmith RE: Extension Request for Flood Risk Review Comment Period Dear Ms. Shaw On Thursday, October 23, 2025, Kittitas County staff met with representatives from FEMA's mapping partner, STAR II, for a Flood Risk Review (FRR) meeting. During this meeting, the STAR II team presented the results of newly restudied areas outside the City of Cle Elum and multiple creeks within the Kittitas Valley area, encompassing both unincorporated Kittitas County and the City of Cle Elum. At the FRR meeting, we were informed that comments from local jurisdictions on the presented materials are due by November 24, 2025. To date, we have not received formal written notification regarding this comment period. During the meeting, and subsequently by email, Kittitas County requested additional technical documentation to facilitate our review and preparation of comments. Specifically, we requested two technical reports and the hydraulic model associated with the Kittitas Valley study area. We have not received the requested materials. This lack of response appears to be associated with the ongoing federal government shutdown. Given that the requested documentation has not been made available and is necessary to conduct a complete and technically sound review, Kittitas County respectfully requests an extension of the comment period to at least thirty (30) days following receipt of the requested materials. Kittitas County fully supports FEMA's stated objective of developing useful, credible data through a fair and transparent process that enables informed decision -making regarding flood risk in our communities. Your correspondence dated March 13, 2024, regarding this study effort, emphasized FEMA's reliance on local "feedback, partnership, and knowledge." Consistent with that principle, our preliminary review of the materials presented indicates that the Kittitas Valley Creek study should include a model run utilizing unsteady modeling techniques, in addition to the quasi -unsteady model employed. We further recommend that predicted flooding extents be compared with observed flood extents from past events to ensure the study's validity. We also request the opportunity to review model outputs in addition to the mapped flood hazard areas presented. Regarding the restudied area in the vicinity of Cle Elum, we specifically request that the "Zone A" Special Flood Hazard Area located north of Airport Road be updated through a Floodplain Refinement process to more accurately align with existing topography. This requested Kittitas County Courthouse • 205 West 51e Avenue, STE 108 -Ellensburg, WA 98926 (509) 962-7508 •FAX (509) 962-7679 www.co.kittitasma.us