PORT ANGELES — Clallam County may turn to the Internet to sell its surplus property.
The three county commissioners will hold a public hearing at 10:30 a.m. today before deciding whether or not to declare its excess overhead — mostly vehicles and equipment — as surplus.
A second public hearing will be held July 6 to adopt change in policy to post surplus items on the county website, www.clallam.net.
Public hearings are held in the commissioners’ board room (160) in the main level of the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
If approved, the county would initially post eight to 10 items on the Internet for two weeks at a time. Information about the item, such as vehicle mileage, would be accompanied by a photograph on the posting.
“We’re just kind of testing the waters,” Clallam County Treasurer Judy Scott said.
“This is the first time out. . . . We hope it’s going to expand the market.”
Currently, surplus property must be viewed in person. The idea is to cut overhead costs.
“We’ll see how it works,” Commissioner Mike Doherty said during Monday’s commissioner work session.
The public hearing on surplus property will precede another hearing on the continuation of interim zoning rules for the Carlsborg Urban Growth Area.
A state hearing’s board in 2008 ruled that Carlsborg was invalid and non-compliant with the Growth Management Act, in part because it did not have an adequate sewer plan.
Interim zoning rules will allow the county to continue to develop a $15 million sewer and wastewater treatment facility in Carlsborg, which the Clallam County Public Utility District will manage when it opens in late 2012 or early 2013.
Before the hearings, the board today will consider three resolutions authorizing a grant application to the Recreation and Conservation Office to develop the Dungeness Landing pier, a Sekiu wildlife viewing area and to acquire property along the Clallam Bay shoreline.
Commissioners Doherty, Steve Tharinger and Mike Chapman also will set a July 20 public hearing for a proposed road improvement district to upgrade Striped Peak Road.
Under the proposal, property owners within the district would pay the estimated $664,500 over 15 years to reconstruct and pave a 2,180-foot segment of private road from the end of county jurisdiction to Ocean Cove Lane.
The road would be widened to 24 feet and paved with 2 inches of asphalt. A turnaround for fire trucks and service vehicles would be added near Ocean Cove Lane.
Ross Tyler, Clallam County engineer, said 57 percent of the residents in the proposed district — and 70 percent of the property owners along the road — are in favor of the proposal.
“For us it’s all about safety,” said Dan Phillips, a resident who spoke in favor of the proposed road district during Monday’s work session.
“That’s the fundamental objective here.”
Phillips said the steep, narrow road is “basically an accident waiting to happen.”
Talks of improving Striped Peak Road have dated back about 15 years.
Also at today’s business meeting, the board will consider a request for staff hours to assist with Tribal Journeys 2010, the multi-tribal canoe voyage centered this year at Neah Bay.
The Makah tribe has requested three county staffers — two from environmental health and one from public health — to assist during the July 19 to 25 event, said Iva Burks, county health and human services director.
If the agreement is approved, each staffer will contribute 40 hours to Tribal Journeys.
The Makah expects 9,000 guests to visit Neah Bay during the event.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
