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Resident urges county to pursue land swap with BLM for Yakima RV Park, citing recreation and salmon-recovery ties
Summary
A resident asked the Board of County Commissioners to consider a land swap between Kittitas County and the Bureau of Land Management for the Yakima RV Park, saying the swap would consolidate public recreational parcels and align with salmon-recovery grant requirements; the board placed the written material into the meeting record.
During the citizen-comments portion of the meeting, Pat Kelleher of 6530 Wilson Creek Road urged the Board of County Commissioners to pursue a land swap between Kittitas County and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the Yakima RV Park parcel, arguing the exchange would consolidate contiguous recreational lands and better align stewardship plans associated with salmon-recovery funding.
Kelleher told the board the RV park had been acquired using a bridge loan and salmon-recovery funds and said a stewardship plan had not yet been completed. She said a swap would block up contiguous lands for Ecology and the Recreation and Conservation Office grants, "eliminating a corner crossing from BLM to Kittitas County lands," and called BLM an "outstanding recreational provider" with existing management and maintenance practices. "My request is for the commission to consider a land swap," Kelleher said.
The board acknowledged Kelleher's written material on the Yakima RV Park and entered it into the meeting record for the Feb. 25 agenda, and Kelleher's remarks were taken under public comment rather than as a board action item. No board action on a land swap was proposed or adopted during this meeting.
Context
Kelleher mentioned the Bighorn parcel and cited prior efforts by WDFW and Recreation and Conservation Office funding to acquire parcels for public access. She said BLM staff had expressed interest in expanding access to adjacent parking areas and described BLM site services that include garbage removal, sanitation and signage. The public comment and the written material were recorded for future agenda consideration on Feb. 25.
Next steps
Kelleher's submission will be included in the record for a future agenda item. The board did not discuss or direct staff to pursue a land swap at this meeting; any action would require a separate agenda item, staff analysis of grant and stewardship restrictions, and formal board motion.
