New Site

After a draft Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), the County Commissioners purchased the US 97/Old Highway 10 site for the new transfer station. Details about the site can be found in the Final Site Selection Report. A Phase I ESA identifies potential or existing contamination liabilities; it did not identify any major concerns.

The County Commissioners have selected the US 97/Old Highway 10 site and have entered into a purchase and sales agreement with the landowner.

Our Final Site Selection Report is now available. View the Final Site Selection Report.

The county has added a new site, named the US 97/Old Highway 10 site, to the list of sites currently being considered for the new Ellensburg Transfer Station. This site was selected for further consideration due to its large size, accessibility, ability to meet zoning requirements, and location within the Urban Growth Area. The list of sites currently being considered now includes the Tjossem Road site, Cement Plant site, and US 97/Old Highway 10 site.

The US 97/Old Highway 10 site was originally screened out of consideration due to the presence of a small strip of flood plain on the site. Based on a preliminary evaluation, the technical team is confident that the site can be engineered to avoid issues with the flood plain.

After hearing from the public and conducting additional technical work and further research into Federal Airport Administration rules and the Airport Master Plan, the project team has removed the Airport Site from further consideration.

During our June outreach process, we heard from a number of Kittitas County residents who came out to our in-person open house or left their feedback on this website. Based on this feedback, we made several additions to our siting criteria. These criteria in turn helped to inform the site screening process, in which over 60 sites were narrowed down to three. Click the drop-down menus below to learn more about the updated siting criteria, the site screening process, the three current potential sites and the associated preliminary costs.

Identify potential areas for the new transfer station that show promise for meeting basic requirements, including 100-year floodplains, wetlands, available acreage, etc.

Use technical requirements including minimum land acreage, and community values, identify potential sites for consideration. County staff will use a Geographic Information System (GIS) to develop an overall map showing potential sites, land ownership, zoning, and floodplain information.

Finalize initial screening criteria, which may include: floodplains, wetlands, county zoning, and regulatory requirements (local, state, and federal). Potential sites identified will be evaluated and screened in accordance with the selected initial screening criteria.

Finalize secondary screening criteria and establish performance measures. Use the screening criteria and performance measures to prepare an initial ranking of the potential sites that passed the initial screening. A brief description will be developed for each site, initial and secondary siting criteria, and selected performance measure.

Develop conceptual layouts and cost estimates of three shortlisted sites for the transfer building, composting area, scalehouse, household hazardous waste building, and recycling drop-off area.

Finalize ranking of potential sites using the initial and secondary site screening results, conceptual layouts, and cost estimates. Develop a report summarizing results of site selection tasks and the project team's recommendation. View our Final Site Selection Report.

Present Site Selection Report to the County Commissioner's office. Commissioner's office reviews the report and makes the final site selection decision.

Aerial view of the potential US 97/Old Highway 10 site

Conceptual layout of the potential US 97/Old Highway 10 site

Aerial view of the potential cement plant site.

Conceptual layout of the potential cement plant site.

Aerial view of the potential Tjossem Road site.

Conceptual layout of the potential Tjossem Road site.

Aerial view of the potential airport site (removed from consideration November 2017).

Conceptual layout of the potential airport site (removed from consideration November 2017).

Cost estimates for each of the three current potential sites