Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Road Closure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Thurston County approves 10-year partial closure of Sexton Drive NW to address illegal dumping
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing a temporary partial closure (10 years) of a dead-end portion of Sexton Drive NW after hearing that staff collected more than 8,800 pounds of illegally dumped debris there since 2023; a locked gate with keybox and emergency access will be used and pedestrian access will remain.
Thurston County commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a resolution authorizing a temporary partial closure of a dead-end segment of Sexton Drive Northwest for 10 years, a measure county staff said is intended to reduce recurring illegal dumping and unauthorized RV parking.
"Since 2023, over 8,800 pounds of litter and illegally dumped debris have been collected in this area," Karen Reese, Thurston County Public Works director, told the board during the hearing. Reese said the proposed closure would place a locked gate at the road segment with a lockbox to allow access for property owners and emergency services; the Washington State Department of Transportation driveway would serve as an emergency turnaround.
Alexandra James, conservation director for Capital Land Trust, testified in support and described the trust's nearby 32-acre property with sections of Snyder Creek and mature forest. "Since acquiring the property, our staff and volunteers have encountered dangerous situations while visiting the property and have observed unwanted, often illegal uses," James said, citing trespass, encampments, drug use, vehicle abandonment and dumping that have required the trust to spend "several thousand dollars" on safety measures and cleanups.
Commissioners asked how the gate would function and whether it would simply shift dumping to nearby sites or deter pedestrian access. Reese said keys would be provided to property owners and emergency responders and conceded a gate cannot prevent pedestrians from walking around it, but it would restrict vehicle access and reduce many forms of illegal dumping.
One written comment had inquired about pedestrian access after closure; Reese said pedestrian access would remain available. The motion to approve the resolution was moved, seconded and passed during the meeting; the transcript records the board's voice approval but does not list a roll-call tally. A commissioner noted that all four property owners and the Thurston County Sheriff's Office support the closure.
The resolution authorizes the county to close the portion of Sexton Drive Northwest beginning approximately 455 feet north of the intersection with Steamboat Island Road Northwest and ending at the dead end for a period of 10 years, subject to the county's processes under RCW 36.87.050. Staff said the road's status will be re-evaluated at the end of the 10-year term or sooner if development warrants.
Next steps: County staff will implement the gate and lockbox system, coordinate emergency‑access procedures with the Sheriff's Office and property owners, and monitor the site's condition during the closure period.
