Friday, December 15, 2006

East Magic plowing remains in limbo

County Commission will reconsider new policy Jan. 2


By STEVE BENSON
Express Staff Writer

Cabin dwellers at East Magic Resort will have to wait until after the holidays to find out whether the county will agree to plow a dirt road accessing their enclave.

The Blaine County Commission on Thursday appeared ready to accept a new road and bridge resolution that would have designated a plow route on 3.5 miles of East Magic Road. But the commissioners backed off over liability concerns and will reconsider the resolution Jan. 2.

The issue of plowing East Magic Road, which accesses the east side of Magic Reservoir and about 20 cabins and a seasonal restaurant, came to a head earlier this month. Nate Norris, who owns East Side Magic Resort, sent a letter to the County Commission questioning why the county wouldn't plow part or all of East Magic Road.

The letter, which was signed by more than 20 full- and part-time East Magic residents, accused the county of ignoring their needs because they're not rich.

"If we were wealthy homeowners of rich farmers, they would have no problem plowing our road," Norris said earlier this month.

The county responded that East Magic Road is recreational in nature—the cabins were primarily built as summer fishing retreats—and the county has a policy to not plow roads of that sort.

But on Thursday Dale Shappee, supervisor of the Blaine County Road and Bridge Department, introduced a resolution that would establish a new plow route on East Magic Road from Highway 75 to within a mile of East Magic Resort. Norris would be responsible for plowing the final mile because it is steep and considered dangerous.

The new policy would designate East Magic Road as a Priority 3 road, meaning it will receive second-day plowing after Priority 1 and 2 roads are taken care of. Priority 1 and 2 county roads include Broadford, Baseline, and Indian Creek, to name a few. Other Priority 3 roads include Baseline Extension, upper Warm Springs and West Magic Road.

Shappee said he decided to alter the county's plowing policy to include East Magic Road "because I felt they fit in with some of the other roads we're doing."

Norris said he was happy with the decision.

"I appreciate Dale's work and your work as commissioners," Norris said.

But the commissioners developed some hesitancy to approve the new policy after Bart Lassman, chief of Wood River Fire and Rescue, spoke about the safety hazards East Magic Road presents to his staff.

"I fear for my guys," he said. "There are no guard rails ... you could slide off the edge."

He added that a fire engine would have to make an eight-point turn to navigate some of the bends in the last mile of the road.

"It's bad enough in the summer," he said.

He added that people need to consider the safety risks when they choose where to live.

County Commissioner Tom Bowman agreed.

"That area was never made for year-round habitation," he said. "I'd be much more comfortable to leave it like it is."

Dennis Wright, who was initially supportive of the new policy, said he was concerned about liability issues because someone could see the road plowed in the winter, assume it was safe, and end up in trouble.

Posting some type of sign warning that the road is not actually open to the public could provide a solution, Wright said.

The commissioners will re-examine the issue Jan. 2, 2007, at 11 a.m. in the Old County Courthouse in Hailey.




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