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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMeeting Minutes • 1/3 JEFFERSON COUNTY REQUEST TO VACATE A PORTION OF OLD HADLOCK ROAD REQUEST The proposal is to vacate a portion of Old Hadlock Road at its intersection with Chimacum Road, South of Lopeman Road and West of Elkins Road. The reason for the proposed vacation is elimination of a dangerous intersection with Chimacum Road. An improved intersection is proposed to be constructed. It has also been proposed in a previous request that the portion of Old Hadlock Road lying north of this intersection and south of Lopeman Road be vacated. The Board of County Commissioners has not yet made a decision on this request. Notice of and request for comments on the proposed vacation was made to appropriate agencies and adjacent property owners by mail on November 10, 1992. Response by property owners appears under 'TESTIMONY". Response by agencies appears under "AGENCY RESPONSES". A public hearing on the proposed vacation to be conducted by the Jefferson County Hearing Examiner is scheduled for January 5, 1993, at 11:00 a.m. in the Jefferson County Courthouse. Notices of Hearing: Notice made by mail to Adjacent Property Owners: November 24, 1992 Legal notice publication: December 23 and December 30, 1992 (Pt. Townsend Leader) Posting of site with notices by Department of Public Works: November 23, 1992. TESTIMONY APOs Elsie and Leon Lopeman do not object to the request. APO Wayne Moran submitted a petition in objection to the vacation. The petition bore 10 signatures in addition to Mr. Moran's. A petition was submitted bearing the signatures of the owners of three businesses on Old Hadlock Road. The signatories opposed the vacation of any portion of the road, and felt that closure of any part of Old Hadlock Road could be detrimental to the businesses. AGENCY RESPONSES 1. The Jefferson County Parks Advisory.Board tabled making a recommendation until its January 6 meeting. 2. The Jefferson County Sheriff stated that since his previous letter expressing no concerns about the closure, he has received several comments from the constituency that the road is used as a safe route for walkers and bicyclists. It is also used to and from Hadlock, by children and adults, to the Little League County Park, because of the high volume of traffic on CHimacum Road. Also residences along Old Hadlock Road and side roads use this road to the Hadlock Post Office. 3. Puget Sound Power and Light Co. stated that it has an overhead electrical system within a portion of the proposed vacation. However, since an easement exists for the system, the utility has no objection to the request. 4. U.S. West Telephone, Port Townsend Utilities Department, P.U.D. #1, and Fire Protection District #1 made no response to the request. 5. The Jefferson County Assessor had no objection to the vacation request. The Assessor's estimate of the value of the indicated portion is $3,000 (approximately 0 74 • • 2/3 12,00 s.f. @ $.50/s.f. @ 50%). 6. The Jefferson County Engineer had the following comments: The section of Old Hadlock Road to be vacated is located parallel and adjacent to Chimacum Road, starting at the North end at Pomwell Road and running South for 606 feet along the Old Hadlock Road. The section of road is located in the Southwest quarter of the Northeast quarter of Section 11, T29N, R1W, W.M. This is not a platted street, but has been in use for about 100 years. If this section of road is vacated the Hayden Development Company will dedicate land at the end of the proposed vacation to Jefferson County. The dedication of land would be for road right of way so a new intersection may be constructed. By vacation of this section of road, part of a dangerous intersection may be corrected and improved. Vacation of this section of road has been planned by the County for 5 years to improve the intersection of Old Hadlock Road, Chimacum Road, and Elkins Road. Jefferson County plans to improve the intersection during the spring and early summer of 1993. Recommend that the proposed portion of Old Hadlock Road be vacated by the County upon the following condition: Statutory Warranty Deeds granting the rights of way for construction of a new intersection to Jefferson County be fully executed and filed with the Jefferson County Auditor prior to finalizing this vacation. 7. The Jefferson County Planning and Building Department had the following comments on the requested road vacation: 1. The area of the proposed vacation is designated as Commercial by the Tri- Area Community Development Plan. 2. The Jefferson County Emergency Zoning Ordinance Map designates the properties to the north, east, south, and west as general commercial. 3. The request complies with the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan and the Tri-Area Community Development Plan. 4. The following policies apply to the request: a) Commercial Development Policy 2 states " . . . Commercial enterprises should be arranged and developed on blocks of land so that signs, accesses, and traffic congestion can be kept to a minimum; so that security can be provided; and so that adjacent property values can be maintained or enhanced." The vacation of this portion of Old Hadlock Road would result in the consolidation of this parcel which is currently separated by the right-of-way, into one block which could better facilitate future commercial development. b) Transportation Development Policy 2 states 'Transportation and circulation facilities should be located, designed, and installed to meet reasonable foreseeable future needs." This property will eventually be developed as commercial. The circulation and transportation requirements of commercial activity at this site could be better served with fewer potential access points onto the existing streets. c) Transportation Development Policy 13 states, in part (i) " . . . prior to • a vacation decision, an examination should be made of its probable effect on overall area circulation in the neighborhood..."; (ii) "The effectiveness of fire, medical, law enforcement,.or other emergency services should not be impaired..."; (iii) "Roads should not be vacated 0 • • 3/3 Access to the adjoining parcels will not be altered because the property which could be affected by the vacation also has frontage on an east/west county road. The Jefferson County Park, Recreation, and Open Space Plan designated the major county road to the east of the property as a bike route. The requested road right-of-way vacation area is west of the designated bike route. The requested road vacation is not a route which provides access to any body of water. The Planning and Building Department recommends approval of this requested vacation.