HomeMy WebLinkAbout051721_ra01 JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Mark McCauley,Interim County Administrator/Central Services Director
DATE: May 17,2021
SUBJECT: Public Hearing: to hear public testimony regarding the County leasing land at the
Jefferson County Fairgrounds located at 4907 Landes Street in Port Townsend,
Washington
STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless approached
Jefferson County in 2020 inquiring whether the County would be interested in leasing a small portion for
the Jefferson County Fairgrounds where Verizon could place a cellular communications tower. The new
tower would improve cellular access,reception and speed to those users accessing communications
through that tower. The Board of County Commissioners has voiced support for improved internet
access. This tower would contribute to that objective. They propose to lease less than a thousand square
feet on a multi-acre parcel. They will also need utility easements for the tower to become operable. The
description of the property is at Exhibit A and the description of the proposed leased premises are at
Exhibit B.
ANALYSIS: We are amenable to leasing a portion of the property, as is the Jefferson County Fair
Association. The minimal footprint required by the tower will only marginally impact the operation of the
fairgrounds.
RCW 36.34.160 governs the leasing of county property. Prior to leasing county property,the county must
give notice of its intention to make such lease by publishing a notice in a legal newspaper at least once a
week for the term of three weeks. The hearing notice was approved by the Board on April 26,2021 and
was published in the County's legal newspaper three times on April 28, May 5, and May 12. The notice
announced the day and hour that the Board would meet to consider entering into a lease.
The hearing notice invited persons opposed to the lease to make those objections known to the Board and
invited other to submit lease requests as well.
FISCAL IMPACT: This request, in and of itself,has no fiscal impact.
RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of County Commissioners approve leasing certain county
property to Verizon for a cellular communications tower. If approved, staff will bring the proposed lease
to the Board for approval in a subsequent Board meeting.
REVIEWED BY:
Mark McCaul - , Interim County Admin. trator Date
EXHIBIT "A"
DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY
All of Blocks 4, 5,6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 21,22,23 and 24 of Bracken's Addition to the City of Port Townsend,as
per plat recorded in Volume 2 of Plats,page 89, records of Jefferson County, Washington;
TOGETHER WITH those portions of vacated Hill Street,45th Street and 47`h Street vacated under Ordinance No.
1799 and recorded March 8, 1978 under Auditor's File No. 2483 10 that would attach by Operation of Law.
Situate in the County of Jefferson, State of Washington.
5
WAl JEFFERSON FAIRGROUNDS
4848.8054-5980.v._14848 80S-I_5980,v-3
EXHIBIT"B"
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREMISES
(See Attached)
6
WAI JEFFERSON FAIRGROUNDS
4848-8054-5980,v. 14848-8054-5980.v.-3
EXHIBIT"B"
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREMISES
(See Attached)
6
WAI JEFFERSON FAIRGROUNDS
-18-A-805--5980 v 1.1848-805-4-5980 v:3