For adjoining property owners: Policy change would allow motorized access on trails

A policy change which would allow use of motorized vehicles by adjacent property owners on the state’s long distance trails has been scheduled to go before the state’s Parks and Recreation Commission at the Jan. 20 meeting. The proposal would apply in this area to the John Wayne Trail on the former Milwaukee right-of-way across the north part of Whitman County and the Columbia Plateau Trail on the former SP&S right-of-way through the Lamont area and bordering the west side of the county down to Hooper.

A draft of the proposal policy and fee schedule has been prepared and is available for review.

Nikki Fields, trails coordinator, said the policy change has been proposed for use of trail segments by people who have property along the trail. She said the state has received numerous contracts, particularly from property owners who have land on each side of the trail requesting motorized access to reduce travel time between parcels.

Fields said the permit system would be limited to adjoining property owners and would not be issued for travel along the trails. The object would be to provide access without detracting from recreational use of the trails.

Fields said they have scheduled a public hearing on the proposal at Ellensburg Dec. 4. She said the state has received several requests for this type of access from property owners in the Ellensburg and Kittitas area,

She added that a hearing could be scheduled in this area if she receives comments from local property owners.

Fields said the commission has compiled a list of property owners between Malden and the state line as the result of the trail planning project which was concluded last year, and notices of the proposal will be sent to them. They are now working on compiling a list of adjoining property owners from Malden west to the county line and will provide notices to them.

Among a listing of general principles in the policy draft is a requirement for permit holders to repair any damage to the trails as soon as feasible. Leaving damage unrepaired could lead to revocation of a permit.

Motorized use by landowners will not be considered in areas of the trail which have high recreational use.

Vehicles used on the trails would be required to be small enough to permit safe passing for recreational use although the use could delay passage up to 10 minutes with a limit of six such occurrences a day during daylight hours, according to the draft proposal.

The proposed fee schedule for the motorized permits includes a $200 application fee and hourly processing fees. Annual use permits are listed on a per mile basis for use of the actual trail or use on easements parallel on the trail.

Proposed rates range from $3,000 per mile on developed trails to $500 for seasonal use only.