PORT ANGELES — Clallam County Commissioner Bill Peach has renewed efforts to upgrade Striped Peak Road for residents who are concerned for their safety.
He recommended Monday that the county take ownership of the private road, bring it up to county standards and draft a new policy for road improvement districts.
“There is a safety problem that exists out there,” Peach said in the commissioners’ work session.
With a notorious blind corner, Striped Peak Road near Freshwater Bay is too steep and narrow to accommodate volumes of residential, commercial and recreational traffic, neighbors say.
The road 10 miles west of Port Angeles provides access to state Department of Natural Resources forest trust lands and outdoor recreation.
“The road is inherently dangerous,” area resident Dan Phillips told commissioners Monday.
“I think there’s a widespread consensus on that.”
Six years ago, a majority of property owners supported a road improvement district to pay for a $664,500 project to pave and widen a half-mile section of lower Striped Peak Road.
Property owners within the district would have paid $13,561 over 20 years for the upgrades.
Lawsuits
Lawsuits filed in 2010 and 2012 challenged the validity of the district’s formation, stalling county efforts.
The litigants in both cases argued that they would receive no special benefit from being part of the road improvement district, or RID.
“I recommend we look at the issue that got us into this pickle, and that is the policy for the road improvement district,” Peach said.
Commissioners rescinded the junior taxing district last November, saying they would look for other ways to fund the upgrades.
“This is a legislative issue, but I’d like to have good conversation in front of the public about why should we consider proceeding with this,” Peach said Monday.
Near misses
Phillips said there have been numerous reports of “near misses” on Striped Peak Road, including one that nearly killed him last Aug. 3.
A log truck coming down the mountain failed to negotiate the blind corner, lost control and nearly collided with the vehicle Phillips was in, he said.
Had a neighbor’s driveway not been where it was, Phillips said he “would have died.”
Before Clallam County can spend tax money on the improvements, it must first take ownership of Striped Peak Road.
That would require a formal public hearing and the transfer of a 60-foot easement that the state Department of Natural Resources owns on the lower road.
“It can’t be on the TIP (Transportation Improvement Program) until we make it a county road,” County Engineer Ross Tyler told commissioners.
“We can’t make it a county road until we have the public discussion on doing that.”
Peach recommended a two-track strategy for Clallam County: take ownership of Striped Peak Road and revise its policy for road improvement districts.
Clallam County requires a simple majority of affected property owners to apply for district status.
Peach suggested a Spokane County model in which all property owners must support the RID and pay for a special benefit analysis to determine assessments.
“That’s different than where we are today,” Peach said.
“That’s quite a swing, but that assures us that we don’t have a legal problem.”
Draft policy
Board Chairman Mike Chapman asked Peach to work with staff on a draft RID policy.
Any new policy would be vetted in a public hearing.
Commissioner Mark Ozias asked Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols to examine the county’s liability for the current state of Striped Peak Road.
Phillips told commissioners that Striped Peak Road would not be affected by a new RID policy.
Add toad to system?
He urged the board to add the road to the county system and include its improvements in the funded portion of the six-year transportation plan.
“That’s what I would like to do,” Peach said.
“I would also like to create as much visibility as we can from the public on this issue.”
Peach added: “The fact is we’re going to be focusing on it.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
