2017-09-13-minutes-continued-public-hearings-from-september-5

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09/13/2017 MINUTES 1 COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON COMMISSIONERS AUDITORIUM SPECIAL MEETING WEDNESDAY 3:00 P.M. SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 Board members present: Chairman Paul Jewell; Vice-Chairman Laura Osiadacz; and Commissioner Obie O’Brien. Others: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Mark Cook, Public Works Director; Lucas Huck, Engineer; and approximately 10 members of the public. PUBLIC HEARING CARROLL ROAD SPEED LIMIT PUBLIC WORKS At 3:00 p.m. CHAIRMAN JEWELL opened a Public Hearing continued from September 5, 2017 to consider a potential speed limit reduction on Carroll Road and to Amend Section 10.08.020 of the Kittitas County Code. LUCAS HUCK, ENGINEER provided a Staff Report relating to the request to reduce the posted speed limit from 50 MPH to 35 MPH along Carroll Road from Badger Pocket Road to Prater Road. He described the factors and studies that are conducted when determining safe and reasonable speed limits. He said solely from a Transportation Engineering perspective, they are suggesting to retain the current posted speed limit of 50 MPH; posting additional warning signs at known crossing locations; deploy signage restricting the use of un- muffled compression brakes; and re-evaluating the size and placement of advisory speed limit signs in the vicinity of Murray Road. The Board asked questions and for clarification of Staff relating to the proposal. THOSE PRESENT & TESTIFYING: COURTNEY WEGNER submitted letters into the record from others in support of the speed reduction as well as information she had collected with traffic counts, times, and company trucks. She said over the years the traffic has increased significantly with truck traffic. She explained how the trucks go incredibly fast along Carroll Road and their exhaust breaks are extremely loud. BRYAN WILLIAMS said he has property adjacent to the proposal and encouraged the Board to at least make it a no-passing zone if they decide to reduce the speed limit to 35 MPH. MR. FAUST spoke in support of the proposed speed limit reduction. RAY WEGNER expressed concerns with the current speed and said unless you live in the area the statistics doesn’t show what is really happening. He said things have changed due to a significant increase in the amount of homes in the area and encouraged the Board to approve reducing the speed limit. JESSICA MARKUS questioned what the process was of speed studies; requirements of tarped loads versus non-tarped loads;