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Thurston County to vacate unopened 19th‑century right‑of‑way in West Olympia; hearings examiner found authority lost
Summary
Staff requested approval to vacate an unopened strip of right‑of‑way near French Road and 20th Avenue in West Olympia; the hearings examiner concluded the county lost authority under RCW to open the right‑of‑way after 5 years following dedication in 1869.
Thurston County staff asked the Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 28 to approve a resolution vacating a portion of unopened right‑of‑way in West Olympia near the intersection of French Road and 20th Avenue.
Matt Huntsman, Thurston County engineer, said a public hearing was held Nov. 14, 2024, with no public comment. He said the hearings examiner considered the statutory criteria and determined two points: the right‑of‑way was never opened or used for public travel, and the county lost authority to open it “pursuant to RCW 36 80 7 0 9 0 because the unopened right of way was dedicated to Thurston County on Oct. 16, 1869 and was not opened and improved upon within 5 years,” Huntsman said.
Nut graf: Because the hearings examiner concluded the county had lost statutory authority to open the strip of right‑of‑way, staff presented a routine resolution to formally vacate that portion of the plat in West Olympia.
Commissioners had no questions and staff indicated there had been no public comments during the prior hearing. Huntsman told the board the item included a vicinity map in the agenda packet and that the right‑of‑way has not been needed since 1869.
Ending: The board moved on after confirming there were no outstanding public concerns; staff will bring the formal resolution to the board docket for action.
