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Home My WebLink AboutC_Approval_Century Link N123618 (4110 NE 4th Street)DenisLawMayorCommunity&EconomicDevelopmentC.E.“ChipSVincent,AdministratorAugust2,2017SuziRonaldsCenturyLinkEngineer23315661hAveKent,WA98032Viaemail:Suzi.Ronaldsl@Centurvlink.comSUBJECT:RequestforUndergroundingExemptionN.123618(4110NE4thStreet)DearMs.Ronalds:TheCityofRentonhasreviewedyourrequestforCenturyLinktobepermittedanexemptionfromRentonMunicipalCode(RMC)4-6-090(C)whichstatesthatallnewelectricalorcommunicationfacilitiesshallberequiredtobeinstalledunderground,pursuanttothestandardsofthesectionofRMC.CenturyLinkproposestooverlashapproximately1,044linealfeetoftelecommunicationsfibercabletoexistingPugetSoundEnergy(PSE)polesinthevicinityofNE4thStreetandUnionAveNE.ThefibercableswillbeattachedtoSexistingPSEutilitypolesonthewestsideofUnion,fromnear345UnionAveNEtoapowerpolewestofandacrossUnionAvenueNEfrom4110UnionAVeNE.ThefiberwouldbeplacedinconduittocrossUnionAveNEtoservethebusinesslocatedat4110UnionAveNE.TheapplicanthasnotprovidedinformationthatspecifiesthatthefiberbundleswillbeusedexclusivelyforData/VOIP(VoiceOverInternetProtocol)ashasbeenthecasewithotherCenturyLinkapplications,withfutureplansforcable.Theminimumverticalclearancehasnotbeenspecified.However,thedrawingsnotethatwherethereisexistingconduit,thefiberwouldbeinstalledintheconduit.ANALYSIS:TheCityhasconsideredtherequestforanexemptionfromRMC4-6-090(D)(1)(g)iandii.CityofRentonMunicipalCode5-19-2.B.1and2statesthat“Exceptasotherwiseprovidedherein,anytelecommunicationscarrierswhodesiretoconstruct,install,operate,maintain,orotherwiselocatetelecommunicationsfacilitiesin,under,overoracrossanypublicwayoftheCity,andtoalsoprovidetelecommunicationsservice1055SouthGradyWay,Renton,WA98057•rentonwa.gov SuziRonaldsPage2of3August2,2017topersonsorareasintheCity,shallfirstobtainafranchisegrantingtheuseofsuchpublicwaysfromtheCitypursuanttoSection5-19-3ofthisChapter.”CenturyLinkdoesnothaveafranchiseagreementwiththeCity,asitspredecessor-ininterestheldablanketgrantofauthority,datingbacktoterritorialtimes,andthereforehasuniquestatusascomparedtoothertelecommunicationspurveyors.PerEricJ.Schwalb,SeniorCorporateCounselforCenturyLink,RCWSection35.99.030statesthatacityortownmaynotrequirea“masterpermit”fromserviceprovidesseekingaccesstopublicrights-of-waywhohaveanexistingstatewidegrant,asCenturyLinkhas.Furthermore,theWashingtonStateConstitution,ArticleXli,Section19,grantstherighttoconstructandmaintainlinesoftelegraphandtelephonewithinthisstate.WhileweconcurthatVOIPisallowedpertheRCWandWashingtonStateConstitution,cableserviceisnotarightgrantedwithoutafranchise.Therefore,thisanalysiswillfocusonthe48ctfiberproposedtobeinstalledforData/VOIP,andnottheprovisionoffuturecable.TheproposalwouldutilizeexistingPSEutilitypoles.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)iandU.ConditionsofApproval:1.AseparatefranchiseagreementwithCityofkentonisrequiredforanyfiberprovidingcableservice,if/whenthatserviceisactiveandavailable.2.Anyabandonedorunusedfiberwouldneedtoberemovedatthetimethatconstructionistakingplace.3.Anyexistingheightviolationswouldneedtoberesolvedatthetimeofconstruction.Newaerialfibermusthaveaminimumverticalclearanceof15’-G”.4.Thetrafficcontrolplanrequiresseparateapproval.1055SouthGradyWay,Renton,WA98057.rentonwa,gov SuziRonaldsPage3of3August2,2017Thisdecisiontogranttheexemptionwithconditionsissubjecttoafourteen(14)dayappealperiodfromthedateofthisletterperRMC4-8-110.AnyappealsoftheadministrativedecisionmustbefiledwiththeCityClerk,alongwiththerequiredappealfee,by5:00pm,August16,2017.Sincerely,JenniferT.Henning,AICPPlanningDirectorcc:CE.“Chip”Vincent,CEDAdministratorGreggZimmerman,wAdministratorBrianneBannwarth,DevelopmentEngineeringManagerJustinJohnson,CivilEngineerIIHolyPowers,DevelopmentServicesRepresentativePatMiller,ConstructionInspectionSupervisorMichaelFuget,CenturyLinkviaemail:Michael.Fuget@centurvlink.comSharonJohnson,CenturyLink,viaemail:Sharon.Johnsonl@centuryllnk.com1055SouthGradyWay,Renton,WA98057rentonwa.gov