SEQUIM — The Sequim School District and a landowner need to work out access issues to property the district owns before the Sequim City Council will approve street abandonments sought by the landowner, councilors said Monday.
The school district is not opposing vacation of rights of way for Willow Street and two alleys on a piece of land on the northeast corner of the Fifth Avenue and Fir Street intersection.
There is concern, however, that a remaining 30-foot right of way that would provide access from Fifth Avenue to a neighboring piece of school district land would not provide an adequate road — especially if the district uses that property to build a new transportation center, where the traffic would include school buses.
School Board President Dave Blake said the remaining road easement on the property should be 60 feet wide.
Chris Price, a member of the family that owns the land, said that isn’t necessary. His investigation found that a 30-foot road provides enough navigable room for a school bus, he said.
City Public Works Director Jim Bay agreed.
“The area on Fir Street [that buses currently use] is well under 30 feet, and buses have been going in and out of there for years,” Bay said.