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Commissioners review SEDS priorities: Belfair connectors, Romance Hill, Belfair sewer and intersection improvements discussed
Summary
Public works staff presented a slate of candidate projects for the State Economic Development Strategy list — including freight‑corridor connectors in Belfair, the Romance Hill connector, and Belfair sewer upgrades — and commissioners directed staff to finalize SEDS submissions ahead of the May 1 deadline.
County public-works staff walked commissioners through candidate projects for the State Economic Development Strategy (SEDS) list and asked for direction before the May 1 submission deadline.
Highlighted projects included two proposed freight‑corridor connectors near the Belfair rail yard (Logyard Road East/West), the Romance Hill connector (design completed), intersection improvements in the Belfair Planned Action environmental review, and Belfair wastewater‑system upgrades including spray-field expansion. Staff also flagged a separate Washington State DOT fish‑barrier removal project that is likely to affect utilities and could require county expenditures to relocate sewer and other infrastructure.
Commissioners discussed policy principles: several said developer-funded improvements should remain the default for private subdivisions and that the county should weigh public contributions where the government must pay for limited‑access connectors, roundabouts or other infrastructure that enables broader economic development. Commissioners supported placing freight‑oriented connectors and the Romance Hill connector on the SEDS list, keeping Belfair sewer on the list to highlight growth‑related needs, and including the DOT fish‑barrier/utility‑relocation issue to draw legislative attention to potential community impacts and construction costs.
Staff also recommended deferring inclusion of the Belfair transfer station and Belfair shop projects until the county completes facility-planning tasks and can provide the detail needed for a SEDS application. Commissioners asked staff to use the scoring criteria provided by the EDC, to finalize project narratives and cost estimates where available, and to submit the SEDS packet before the May 1 deadline.
Public works staff said they will follow up with commissioners, the EDC and county administrator on project write-ups and scoring; Tanesa (county grants/staff) offered to help with application preparation.
