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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: May 11, 2026 <br />TOPIC: Cle Elum Ridge <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direction to Staff <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Arden Thomas <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff to finalize proposed letter and provide it to the BOCC office for signature and <br />distribution. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• The Nature Conservancy is working on securing a long-term public landowner for <br />the approximately 9,700 acres of within the Cle Elum Ridge Vicinity. <br />• On July 14, 2025 representatives from the Nature Conservancy (TNC), <br />Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Yakama Nation, and Mountains to <br />Sound Greenway briefed the Board on two potential ownership options. <br />• Subsequently, DNR provided written notification that DNR will own and manage <br />the northern 2/3`d of the property and the southern 1/3 will be owned and managed <br />by the Nature Conservancy and other partners as a Community Forest. <br />• A concern with the Cle Elum Ridge project is the continued transfer of private <br />land to public, especially of "green zone" property, which can be served by a <br />mitigation bank for legal water availability. <br />• Kittitas County staff has conducted an initial assessment to identify DNR-held <br />parcels within green zone areas. It may be possible to petition the DNR to make <br />these parcels available for private purchase. <br />• Only an initial analysis has been conducted and additional work is needed to <br />verify DNR support and finalize the analysis. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The Nature Conservancy is working on securing a long-term public landowner for the <br />approximately 9,700 acres of within the Cle Elum Ridge Vicinity. Kittitas County has <br />consistently raised concerns regarding the cumulative impacts associated with continued <br />transfers of private land into public ownership. County concerns have included impacts to <br />the County tax base, the financial burden associated with recreation -related infrastructure <br />and public services, and the limited supply of privately owned "green zone" lands that <br />may support future development with mitigation -based water availability solutions. <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />Public Works "Work Session Staff Report", May 11, 2026 <br />