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Skamania County commissioners approve start of variance process for Kusky St. Jean private road
Summary
Commissioners voted to advance a private-road variance request for Kusky St. Jean Road east of Stevenson, allowing staff to continue the review and seek input from emergency services and WSDOT; the vote begins a variance process but does not grant final road-standard waivers.
Skamania County commissioners voted Tuesday to begin the variance process for a short section of Kusky St. Jean Road east of Stevenson, permitting staff to continue engineering review and solicit emergency-services input rather than requiring full road upgrades now.
The vote initiates a county review of a private-road variance request so a 6.4-acre parcel can be subdivided into three parcels without widening the existing roadway where a creek and the state highway constrain expansion, county planning staff told the board.
Planning staff said engineers have widened and graveled the area where Kusky St. Jean connects to the two parcels but that the site cannot be widened to meet full turnaround standards for fire apparatus because of terrain and the adjacent creek. Staff recommended proceeding with the variance process while noting that final approval would require a later inspection and coordination with emergency responders.
In discussion, a former fire chief who spoke during the agenda item urged the county to ensure a fire apparatus can safely access and turn around in the area and suggested involving fire chiefs in on-site checks. “We would actually go ... drive a fire truck and make sure we can turn around,” the former fire chief said, adding that failing to plan for apparatus access could affect fire insurance ratings for homeowners.
County staff said they will request the fire marshal or the local fire chief drive the roadway and review turnaround proposals before issuing a final decision, and that WSDOT had already reviewed stopping-distance and sight-line data included in the applicant’s engineering packet and raised no objection to the speed data. The staff presentation emphasized that this action is to begin the variance process and is not the county’s final variance approval.
The board moved and seconded to add the item to the agenda and then approved the motion to begin the variance process; the board recorded a voice vote and the motion carried.
The discussion also touched on longer-term changes to county road standards. Planning staff said the county is reviewing road standards and intends to involve the fire marshal and emergency-services council as part of any code updates so future private-road variations include clearer procedures for emergency access.
The board’s decision allows staff to continue work with the applicant and with local emergency responders; a final variance determination and any related conditions will be made after those reviews and any necessary on-site inspections.
Votes at a glance: The board approved a motion to begin processing the private-road variance request for Kusky St. Jean; the motion passed by voice vote (tally not specified in the transcript).
