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DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY
& ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: April 12, 2018
TO: Environmental Review Committee (ERC)
FROM: Clark H. Close, Senior Planner
SUBJECT: Southport Office Helipad (LUA18-000115) – Request for
Reconsideration for SEPA Determination of Non-
Significance Mitigated (DNS-M)
The Environmental Review Committee (ERC) reviewed the above mentioned conditional
use permit application and issued a SEPA Determination of Non-Significance Mitigated
(DNS-M) on March 12, 2018 with five (5) mitigation measures:
1. The Southport Office Helipad operator shall limit engine and rotor-system
running times to the minimum necessary for safe operations and consistency
with helicopter and engine manufacturer recommendations.
2. The operator of the Southport Office Helipad shall employ Helicopter Association
International’s Fly Neighborly Program.
3. Helipad operating hours shall be restricted to the hours between seven o’clock
(7:00) a.m. and eight o’clock (8:00) p.m., Monday through Friday. Operating
hours on Saturdays shall be restricted to the hours between nine o’clock (9:00)
a.m. and six o’clock (6:00) p.m. No flights shall be permitted on Sundays.
4. The helipad shall be restricted to a maximum of twelve (12) landings and takeoff
per week.
5. The helipad shall be restricted to light-turbine helicopters only, except for larger
helicopters in case of an emergency.
The DNS-M was published on March 16, 2018 with an appeal period that ended on
March 30, 2018. A request for reconsideration of the SEPA determination was received
on March 30, 2018 from David Ketchum with Airsafe. The request for reconsideration
cites, as the primary justifications for the filing of the request for reconsideration to the
ERC, flexibility to operate beyond the mitigation measures without penalty if such
operations are necessitated by weather or unplanned events. In addition, the applicant
is requesting clarifying language regarding SEPA mitigation measure number 4. The
applicant’s request is provided as an attachment to this memorandum (Attachment 1).
Below is a summary and staff responses to the concerns cited:
Environmental Review Committee
Page 2 of 4
April 12, 2018
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A. The sponsor of this helipad would consider measures relating to stated times
and maximum operations per week to be applicable to normal planned flights
but should have flexibility to operate beyond the measures without penalty if
such operations are necessitated by weather or unplanned events. As an
example, a flight could be scheduled to depart on a weekday at 7:30 p.m. but
would actually depart at 8:15 p.m. due to a hold for inclement, un-forecast
weather or a passenger arriving late to their flight due to traffic related delay.
With regards to the number of flights per week, a major sales or emergency
activity which potential clients are brought or taken from Southport might be
more productive if the maximum number of flights per week is exceeded by a
flight or two. If the helipad sponsor exceeds SEPA mitigation measures nos. 3 or
4, a brief report to the City explaining events or conditions that necessitated the
operations could be required.
Staff Comment: The originally submitted application did not include or address
unforeseen circumstances, such as inclement, un-forecasted weather events or
the realities of the somewhat unpredictable travel conditions in the region that
can cause passengers to be late to their various destinations. After the receipt of
the request for reconsideration, the applicant provided justification to afford the
Southport Helipad some flexibility to operate beyond the environmental
mitigation measures if such operations are necessitated by weather or unplanned
events. Weather and travel are two unpredictable events, however it should be
noted that the reconsideration also sited major sales or emergency activities
which potential clients are brought to or taken from Southport. Staff does not
believe that sales events would be considered “unplanned” and therefore these
meetings should be able to be scheduled within the parameters of the SEPA
mitigation measures. The provided reconsideration request did not define
“emergency activities”. Therefor staff is assuming that emergency activities are
incidents that involves police and/or fire response, based on this definition staff
would consider emergency activities as an unplanned event and therefore
acceptable. By planning ahead and allowing for a certain level of reasonable
flexibility for the helipad, this would allow the operator of the helipad some level
of known insurance to operate beyond these mitigation measures if such
operations are necessitated by these three factors, weather, traffic, and
emergency activities. Staff recommends that a sixth SEPA mitigation measure be
included that accounts for a limited number of unpredictable events, such as
weather and traffic delays.
B. Changing the wording of SEPA Mitigation Measure No. 4 to: “The helipad shall be
restricted to twelve (12) operations per week with each operation consisting of
both a landing and take-off.”
Staff Comment: The proposed revision to the text of SEPA Mitigation Measure
No. 4 provides clarifying language to operator of the helipad. Staff recommends
Environmental Review Committee
Page 3 of 4
April 12, 2018
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replacing the SEPA mitigation measure text to reduce any confusion to the
helipad’s number of operating flights.
Recommendation: In light of the additional information provided, staff recommends
that the ERC retain mitigation measures 1, 2, 3, and 5, replace mitigation measure 4,
and add one new mitigation measure as follows:
1. The Southport Office Helipad operator shall limit engine and rotor-system
running times to the minimum necessary for safe operations and consistency
with helicopter and engine manufacturer recommendations.
2. The operator of the Southport Office Helipad shall employ Helicopter Association
International’s Fly Neighborly Program.
3. Helipad operating hours shall be restricted to the hours between seven o’clock
(7:00) a.m. and eight o’clock (8:00) p.m., Monday through Friday. Operating
hours on Saturdays shall be restricted to the hours between nine o’clock (9:00)
a.m. and six o’clock (6:00) p.m. No flights shall be permitted on Sundays.
4. The helipad shall be restricted to twelve (12) operations per week with each
operation consisting of both a landing and take-off.
5. The helipad shall be restricted to light-turbine helicopters only, except for larger
helicopters in case of an emergency.
6. The Operator of this helipad shall be afforded a certain level of flexibility to
operate beyond SEPA mitigation measures 3 and 4, if such operations are
necessitated by weather or unplanned events. At the request of the City, the
operator shall provide a report explaining the event and/or condition that
necessitated the deviation from permitted flight operations.
EnvironmentalReviewCommitteePage4of4April12,2018Appealsoftheenvironmentaldeterminationmustbefiledinwritingonorbefore5:00p.m.onApril27,2018.Appealsmustbefiledinwritingtogetherwiththerequiredfeewith:HearingExaminer,CityofRenton,1055SouthGradyWay,Renton,WA98057.AppealstotheExamineraregovernedbyRMC4-8-110andmoreinformationmaybeobtainedfromtheRentonCityClerk’sOffice,(425)430-6510.DATEOFDECISION:April12,201$SIGNATURES:GreggZimmerman,Administrator+kM.Marshall,AdministratorPublicWorksDepartmentDateRentonRegionalFieAuthQjityDateeydminiratorC.pViinistratofrDCommunityServicesDepartmentDepartmentofCommunity&EconomicDevelopmentK:\Projects2014PR14000082_SOUTHPORflLUA18000115
AIRSAFE
PO Box 287
Greenbank, WA 98253
(360) 678-0345 (office)
March 30, 2018
Clark Close
Senior Planner
City of Renton
RE: Project PR14-000082 – Southport - Request for Reconsideration
Dear Mr. Close:
We have the following comments regarding Part Two: Environmental Review Section B
“Mitigation Measures” of the Environmental Review Committee Report.
Measures 1 through 5 are logical and acceptable as standard operating practices. We request
reconsideration of the Environmental Review Committee to either add a measure 6 or a present a
clarifying statement following Section B relating to measures 3 and 4 that provides reasonable
flexibility in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Justification: The sponsor of this helipad will consider measures relating to stated times and
maximum operations per week to be applicable to normal/planned flights but should have
flexibility to operate beyond the measures without penalty if such operations are necessitated by
weather or unplanned events. As an example, a flight could be scheduled to depart on a weekday at
7:30 p.m. but would actually depart at 8:15 p.m. due to a hold for inclement, un-forecast weather
or traffic that caused a passenger to be late.
Regarding the number of flights per week, a major sales or emergency activity during which
potential clients are brought or taken from Southport might be more productive if the maximum
number of flights per week is exceeded by a flight or two.
If the helipad sponsor exceeds Measures 3 or 4, a brief report to the city explaining events or
conditions that necessitated the operations could be required.
Suggested Mitigation Measure Revisions:
We respectfully suggest adding the following mitigation measure “The sponsor of this helipad shall
consider measures relating to stated times and maximum operations per week to be applicable to
normal/planned flights but should have flexibility to operate beyond the measures without penalty
if such operations are necessitated by weather or unplanned events.”
With respect to Measure 4, we suggest changing the wording to “The helipad shall be restricted to
twelve (12) operations per week with each operation consisting of both a landing and a take-off.
Thank you for reconsideration.
Sincerely,
David Ketchum
Airsafe