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Home My WebLink AboutCenturyLink, N252054, 1201 Monster Ave SW, Approval LetterDenisLawMayorCommunity&EconomicDevelopmentC.E.“Chip”VincentAdministratorNovember6,2017MichaelGilliamCenturyLinkEngineering2331566thAveSKent,WA98032Viaemail:Michael.Gilliaml@Centurylink.comSUBJECT:RequestforUndergroundingExemptionN.252054(1201MonsterAveSW)DearMr.Gilliam,TheCityofRentonhasreviewedyourrequestforCenturyLinktobepermittedanexemptionfromRentonMunicipalCode(RMC)4-6-090(C)whichstatesthatallnewelectricalorcommunicationfacilitiesshallberequiredtobeinstalledunderground,pursuanttothestandardsofthesectionofRMC.CenturyLinkproposestoinstallanoverheadconnectionbetweenfiveexistingPugetSoundEnergy(PSE)powerpolestoserveanexistingbusinesslocatedat1201MonsterAveSW.Accordingtoyourletter,thecustomeriscurrentlyfedbyanexistingaerialfeedintotheirbuilding.Therequeststatesthatthemosteffectiveandcostefficientwaytoupgradethecustomertofiberistoplaceoverheadfibertotheexistingutilityroominordertoresultinlessgroundandtrafficdisturbance.ANALYSIS:TheCityhasconsideredtherequestforanexemptionfromRMC4-6-090(D)(1)(g)iandii.CityofRentonMunicipalCode5-19-2.B.1and2statesthat“Exceptasotherwiseprovidedherein,anytelecommunicationscarrierswhodesiretoconstructinstall,operate,maintain,orotherwiselocatetelecommunicationsfacilitiesin,under,overoracrossanypublicwayoftheCity,andtoalsoprovidetelecommunicationsservicetopersonsorareasintheCity,shallfirstobtainafranchisegrantingtheuseofsuchpublicwaysfromtheCitypursuanttoSection5-19-3ofthisChapter.”CenturyLinkdoesnothaveafranchiseagreementwiththeCity,asitspredecessor-in-interestheldablanketgrantofauthority,datingbacktoterritorialtimes,andthereforehasuniquestatusascomparedtoothertelecommunicationspurveyors.PerErici.1055SouthGradyWay,Renton,WA98057•rentonwa.gov MichaelGilliamPage2of3November6,2017Schwalb,SeniorCorporateCounselforCenturyunk,RCWSection35.99.030statesthatacityortownmaynotrequirea“masterpermit”fromserviceprovidersseekingaccesstopublicrights-of-waywhohaveanexistingstatewidegrant,asCenturyLinkhas.Furthermore,theWashingtonStateConstitution,ArticleXII,Section19,grantstherighttoconstructandmaintainlinesoftelegraphandtelephonewithinthisstate.WhileweconcurthatVOWisallowedpertheRCWandWashingtonStateConstitution,cableserviceisnotarightgrantedwithoutafranchise.Therefore,thisanalysiswillfocusontheoverheadfiberproposedtobeinstalledforData/VOIP,andnottheprovisionoffuturecable.TheproposalwouldutilizefiveexistingPSEutilitypoles.Asminimumverticalheightclearanceof15’-6”wouldneedtobeprovidedfor,andexistingobsoletefiber(ifany)wouldneedtoberemoved;staffrecommendstheseasconditionsofapproval.Therefore,theCityisgrantinganexemptionwithconditions,perRMC4-6-090(D)(1)(g)iandiiwhichallowsforextensionsofexistingoverheadcommunicationfacilitieswhentherearecontinuingrequirementsforpolesanditisnotlikelythattherewillbeundergroundingintheforeseeablefuture;and,whenthereareexistingoverheadelectricalorcommunicationfacilitiesthatwillnotberemovedandthefacilitiesthatwouldhavebeenrequiredtoberemovedareparalleltothefacilitiesthatwillnotberemoved.DECISION:Therequestedexemptionfromundergroundutilityinstallationrequirements(RMC4-6-090(C)asrequestedbyCenturyLinkisapprovedsubjecttotheconditionsbelowastherequestcomplieswithexemptioncriteriaofRMC4-6-090(D)(1)(g)iandii.ConditionsofApproval:1.AseparatefranchiseagreementwithCityofRentonisrequiredforanyfiberprovidingcableservice,if/whenthatserviceisactiveandavailable.2.Anyabandonedorunusedfiberwouldneedtoberemovedatthetimethatconstructionistakingplace.3.Anyexistingheightviolationswouldneedtoberesolvedatthetimeofconstruction.Newaerialfibermusthaveaminimumverticalclearanceof15’-6”.4.Thetrafficcontrolplanrequiresseparateapproval.5.Theaerialfiberwillberequiredtobeinstalledundergroundinthefuturewhenotherutilitiesareundergrounded.1055SouthGradyWay,Renton,WAp8057.rentonwa,gov MichaelGilliamPage3of3November6,2017Thisdecisiontogranttheexemptionwithconditionsissubjecttoafourteen(14)dayappealperiodfromthedateofthisletterperRMC4-8-110.AnyappealsoftheadministrativedecisionmustbefiledwiththeCityClerk,alongwiththerequiredappealfee,by5:00pmNovember20,2017.Sincerely,JenniferT.Henning,AICPPlanningDirectorcc:cE.“Chip”Vincent,CEOAdministratorGreggZimmerman,PWAdministratorBrianneBannwarth,DevelopmentEngineeringManagerScottWarlick,EngineeringSpecialistJustinJohnson,civilEngineerIIHolyPowers,DevelopmentServicesRepresentativePatMiller,ConstructionInspectionSupervisorMichaelFuget,centuryLinkviaemail:Michael.Fuget@centurylink.comCorbenEueldorf,CenturyLinkviaemail:Corben.Etteldorf@centuryllnk.com1055SouthGradyWay,Renton,WA98057rentonwa.gov