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Overhead Approval Letter
DenisLawMayorCommunity&EconomicDevelopmentC.E.“Chip”Vincent,AdministratorDecember15,2017MikeGilliamCenturyLinkEngineerCDFSFiberEngineer2331566thAveSKent,WA98032Viaemail:michael.giIliam1centurylink.comSUBJECT:RequestforUndergroundingExemptionN.N153292,MFP17005098,(1402MapleAveSW)DearMr.Gilliam:TheCityofRentonhasreviewedyourrequestforCenturyLinktobepermittedanexemptionfromRentonMunicipalCode(RMC)4-6-090(C)whichstatesthatallnewelectricalorcommunicationfacilitiesshallberequiredtobeinstalledunderground,pursuanttothestandardsofthesectionofRMC.CenturyLinkproposestohaveitscontractor,NorthSkyCommunication,installapproximately40linealfeetoftelecommunicationsfibercablefromanexistingpoletoanexistingstructurelocatedat1402MapleAveSW.Currently,thecustomerisbeingfedbyanexistingdirectburiedundergroundcopperfeetof40feetintotheirbuilding.Theproposalforoverheadfiberistoreducecostsfromanestimated$6,000toapproximately$400andtoreduceconcretedisturbanceandrestoration.TheapplicanthasnotprovidedinformationthatspecifiesthatthefiberbundleswillbeusedexclusivelyforData/VOIP(VoiceOverInternetProtocol)ashasbeenthecasewithotherCenturyLinkapplications,withfutureplansforcable.Theminimumverticalclearancehasnotbeenspecified.However,thedrawingsnotethatwherethereisexistingconduit,thefiberwouldbeinstalledintheconduit.ANALYSIS:TheCityhasconsideredtherequestforanexemptionfromRMC4-6-090(D)(1)(g)iandii.CityofRentonMunicipalCode5-19-2.B.1and2statesthat“Exceptasotherwiseprovidedherein,anytelecommunicationscarrierswhodesiretoconstructinstalloperate,maintain,orotherwiselocatetelecommunicationsfacilitiesin,under,overoracrossanypublicwayoftheCity,andtoalsoprovidetelecommunicationsservice1055SouthGradyWay,Renton,WA98057•rentonwa.gov MichaelGilliamPage2of3December13,2017topersonsorareasintheCity,shallfirstobtainafranchisegrantingtheuseofsuchpublicwaysfromtheCitypursuanttoSection5-19-3ofthisChapter.”CenturyLinkdoesnothaveafranchiseagreementwiththeCity,asitspredecessor-ininterestheldablanketgrantofauthority,datingbacktoterritorialtimes,andthereforehasuniquestatusascomparedtoothertelecommunicationspurveyors.PerEricJ.Schwalb,SeniorCorporateCounselforCenturyLink,RCWSection35.99.030statesthatacityortownmaynotrequirea“masterpermit”fromserviceprovidersseekingaccesstopublicrights-of-waywhohaveanexistingstatewidegrant,asCenturyLinkhas.Furthermore,theWashingtonStateConstitution,ArticleXII,Section19,grantstherighttoconstructandmaintainlinesoftelegraphandtelephonewithinthisstate.WhileweconcurthatVOIPisallowedpertheRCWandWashingtonStateConstitution,cableserviceisnotarightgrantedwithoutafranchise.Therefore,thisanalysiswillfocusonthe48ctfiberproposedtobeinstalledforData/VOIP,andnottheprovisionoffuturecable.TheproposalwouldutilizeanexistingPSEutilitypoles.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.AseparatefranchiseagreementwithCityofRentonisrequiredforanyfiberprovidingcableservice,if/whenthatserviceisactiveandavailable.2.Anyabandonedorunusedfiberwouldneedtoberemovedatthetimethatconstructionistakingplace.3.Anyexistingheightviolationswouldneedtoberesolvedatthetimeofconstruction.Newaerialfibermusthaveaminimumverticalclearanceof15’-6”.4.Thetrafficcontrolplanrequiresseparateapproval.5.Theaerialfiberwillberequiredtobeinstalledundergroundinthefuturewhenotherutilitiesareplacedunderground.1055SouthGradyWay,Renton,WA98057.rentonwa.gov MichaelGilliamPage3of3December15,2017Thisdecisiontogranttheexemptionwithconditionsissubjecttoafourteen(14)dayappealperiodfromthedateofthisletterperRMC4-8-110.AnyappealsoftheadministrativedecisionmustbefiledwiththeCityClerk,alongwiththerequiredappealfee,by5:00pm,December29,2017.Sincerely,-jJenniferT.Henning,AICPPlanningDirectorcc:CE.“Chip”Vincent,cEDAdministratorGreggZimmerman,PWAdministratorBrianneBannwarth,DevelopmentEngineeringManagerJustinJohnson,CivilEngineerIIHolyPowers,DevelopmentServicesRepresentativePatMiller,ConstructionInspectionSupervisorAmySilbaugh,CenturyLink,viaemail:Amy.Silbaugh(aIcenturylink.com1055SouthGradyWay,Renton,WA98057.rentonwa.gov