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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJGL AccousticsMarch22,2000JenyGLillyRE.Pr&dent5266[‘M’\illageParkDveIssaquah,WA98027Phone:(425)649-9344Fax:(425)649-0737Stonewa1Rock&Recycling912510‘AvenueSouthSeattle,WA98108Attention:Mr.DickHarringtonSubject:BlackRiverQuarryProposedSiteNoiseMonitoringProgramandAnalysisofNoiseImpactsGentlemen:ThisreportsetsforthaproposedsitenoisemonitoringplaninresponsetosubsectionBofCondition2oftheKingCountyHearingExaminer’sSeptember3,2000ReportandDecisiononAppealofPeriodicReviewDecisionforStoneway’sBlackRiverQuarry.Also,pursuanttoCondition3ofthatReportandDecision,thisreportalsosetsforthananalysisofanticipatednoiseimpactsontheadjacentEmpireEstatesApartmentspropertystemmingfromproposedsiteactivitiesandusesplannedduringthenextfiveyearsontheportionoftheBlackRiverQuarrypropertylyingeastofEmpireEstates’westboundaryasdisclosedonBarghausenConsultingEngineers’March20,2000SupplementalSitePlanfortheBlackRiverQuarry.ProposedSiteNoiseMonitoringProgramBack2roundAsIunderstandit,thefundamentalpurposeoftheongoingnoisemonitoringprogramcalledforbysubsectionBofHearingExaminer’sCondition2istodemonstratethatStoneway’soperationsattheBlackRiversitedonotcreatenoiselevelsontheEmpireEstatesresidentialpropertytothenorththatexceedthoseallowedbytheKingCountyNoiseOrdinance.AsIstressedinmypreviousreportsconcerningBlackRiverQuarryandasItestifiedduringlastyear’shearingontheappealoftheDDESPeriodicReviewDecisionconcerningBlackRiver,thisareaisheavilyimpactedbynumerousnoisesourcesotherthantheStonewayquarry.Thesesourcesincludefrequentaircraftfly-bys,constantfreewaytraffic,intermittenttraintraffic,andsporadicvehiculartrafficintheEmpireEstatesparkinglots.Undertheseconditions,installationofapermanent,continuousnoisemonitoringsystem(similartothatusedbyairports)issimplynotfL22)ItJJConsultingServiceshiSound&VibrationJ StonewayRock&RecyclingMarch22,2000Page2of6feasiblefortheintendedpurposebecausethemeasurementsystemsavailabletodayhavenomeansofsegregatingthevariousnoisesources.ThepastmeasurementsthatIhaveconductedhaveshownthatnoisefromthequarryisinsignificantincomparisontotheotherambientnoisesourcesatthislocation.TheonlywaytodetermineifnoisefromBlackRiverQuarrysiteoperationsattheEmpireEstatespropertylineisincompliancewiththeNoiseOrdinanceiswith“mannednoisemonitoring”,whereatrainedpersonisatthesiteduringthedatacollectionprocesstowitnessanddocumentallnoiseeventsastheyoccur.Onlybypost-processingthedata(i.e.,eliminatingtheidentifiablenon-quarrynoiseeventssuchasaircraftflyoversandtrainpass-bys)canonebegintoassessNoiseOrdinancecompliance.Eventhen,itstillisnotpossibletototallysegregatethecontinuousnoisesources(e.g.,freewaytrafficnoiseornoisefromtheadjacentRentonConcreteRecyclers)fromthedatabase.Byeliminatingtheidentifiablenon-quarrynoiseevents,itisfairlyeasytoconfirmcompliancewiththeNoiseOrdinanceiftheremainingnoiseisfoundnottoexceedtheNoiseOrdinancestandards.However,itismuchmoredifficult(nearlyimpossible)toconfirmaquarrynoiseviolationiftheremainingnoiseexceedstheNoiseOrdinanceStandards.Thatisbecausetheresidualnoise(afterremovingthespecificidentifiablenon-quarrynoiseeventsfromthedatabase)alsocontainsfreewaynoiseandnoisefromothernearbyfacilitieswhichcannotreadilybesegregatedfromtheStonewayquarrynoise.Thebestthatcanbedonetoapproximatelydealwithsuchasituationistoeither(1)monitorthequarrysitenoiseatatimeofdaywhenfreewaytrafficnoiseisataminimum(e.g.,from2:00a.m.to5:00am.)or(2)measurethenon-quarrysitenoiseleveldirectlyduringnormalquarryoperatinghoursbytotallyshuttingdownquarryoperations.Neitheroftheseapproachesarefool-proof.Astothefirstapproach,evenbetween2:00am.and5:00am.thereisstillsufficientambientnoisefromthenearbyfreewaystoimpacttheaccuracyofthequarrynoisemeasurements.Astothesecondapproach,shuttingdownquarryoperationstomeasuretheambientnoiseisdifficultfromaproceduralstandpointandtheaccuracyofthismethodisquestionablebecauseitispredicatedontheassumptionthattheambientnoiselevelfromallnon-quarrysourcesisidenticalduringbothmeasurementperiods(quarryon,quarryoff).Itistechnicallyimpossibletoknowifthisinfactisthecase.DetailsoftheProposedMonitoringPro2ramThenoisemonitoringprogramwillrequirenoisemeasurementstakenbyapersontrainedinnoisedatacollection.BecausethegoalistodeterminewhetherornotthequarrysiteisincompliancewiththeNoiseOrdinance,itwillbenecessarytocoordinatethesemeasurementswithQuarrypersonnel.Thecoordinationisrequiredinordertoscheduleoperationsfortestingbetween2:00am.and5:00am.and/ortosynchronizeshut-downofsiteactivitiesduringthedaywithteststomeasureambientnoiselevels).Undereitherapproach,atleasttwomonitoringpeoplewillberequired:onetomonitortheacousticICIUIICI.IAC. StonewayRock&RecyclingMarch22,2000Page3of6instrumentationandtheothertomonitor(visually)andlogquarrysiteoperationsduringthenoisedatacollectionperiod.IrecommendthatStonewayconductnoisemonitoringtestsoftypicalquarrysiteoperationsonanannualbasis.Allmeasurementsmustbeconductedduringperiodsofgoodweatherwherethereisvirtuallynowind(windspeedshouldbelessthan3milesperhourtoavoidwind-inducednoise)andnoprecipitation.Becauseofweatherconditionrequirements,itisessentialthatalltestingbeconductedinthesummermonthswhenwecanreasonablyrelyuponweatherforecastingfora24-hourto36-hourperiod.Ifdaytimetestingisconducted,thedurationofeachannualtestshouldbeaminimumperiodoffourhours(includingatleastthree30-minuteperiodswithallquarrysiteoperationscompletelyterminated).Iflatenight—earlymorningtestingisconducted(2:00a.m.to5:00am.),thetestdurationshouldbethreehours(includingatleasttwo30-minuteperiodswithallquarrysiteoperationscompletelyterminated).Aftercollectingthemeasurements,noisefromallnon-quarrysiteeventsshallberemovedfromthedatabase.Iftheresidualnoise(quarrynoiseplusremainingambientnoise)isincompliancewiththenoiseordinance,thenthequarrynoiseisclearlyincompliancewiththeNoiseOrdinance.Ifnot,themeasuredambientnoise(withquarryoperationsterminated)shouldbedeductedfromthedatabasetoobtainthebestestimateof“quarryonly”noise.Thisambient-adjusted(or“quarryonly”)noiseleveldatashouldthenbeevaluatedagainsttheKingCountyNoiseOrdinanceallowablenoiselevelstodeterminecompliance.AcompletereportdocumentingallfindingsshouldbepreparedandsubmittedtoDDES.SpecialTestingforBlastDrillingNoiseEvaluationIunderstandthattheSupplementalSitePlancallsformuchlessremovalofmaterialthandidthepreviously-approvedGrading/TemporaryErosion-SedimentationControlPlanforthesite,whichwaspreparedbyBarghausenEngineersduringOctober,1991,withfinishedcontoursnowplannedtobegenerally30to60feethigherthanthosedepictedonthepreviously-approvedplan.IfurtherunderstandthattheproposedfinishedcontoursshownontheSupplementalSitePlanareyourproposedultimatecontoursforthequarryingoperationonthedepictedportionoftheBlackRiverQuarrysiteandthatyouareintendingtoconfigurethatportionofthesiteintotwogentlyslopingareasinpreparationforandasapartofsiteredevelopment.Inaddition,Iunderstandthat(a)thegradingoftheeasterlyofthosetwoareas(mostofwhichwillhavefinishedgradesrangingfromabout85to110feet)isanticipatedtobecompletedwithinaboutonemonthand(b)thegradingofthewesterlyofthosetwoareas(mostofwhichwillhavefinishedgradesrangingfromabout130to142feet)isanticipatedtobecompletedwithinthenextonetotwoyears. I___—StonewayRock&RecyclingMarch22,2000Page4of6Yourattorney,DavidHalinen,hasadvisedmethat,inviewof(a)thefactthatStoneway’sproposedremainingquarrying,clearing,grubbing,sitegradinganddrainagecontrolactivities(seeItemAof“ProposedSiteActivitiesandUses”ontheSupplementalSitePlan)arenowbeingdoneinpreparationforsiteredevelopmentand(b)therelativelyshorttimeperiodfordoingsoasexplainedabove,StonewaycontendsthattheportionoftheBlackRiverQuarrysitedepictedontheSupplementalSitePlanisa“temporaryconstructionsite”forpurposesofthesoundexemptionsetforthinKCC12.94.0203.1’andthatsoundscreatedbyconstructionequipment,includingspecialconstructionvehicles2,inconjunctionwiththeproposedremainingquarrying,clearing,grubbing,sitestates:1SubsectionB.1ofKCC12.94.020(Soundsexemptduringdaytimehours)B.ThecountycouncilintendstoamendtheordinancecodifiedinChapters12.86through12.100byenactingspecificregulationsforthefollowingsounds,eachofwhichshallbeexemptfromtheprovisionsoftheordinancecodifiedinChapters12.86through12.100betweenthehoursofsevena.m.andtenp.m.onweekdaysandbetweenthehoursofnineam.andtenp.m.onweekends,untilaspecificamendmentapplyingtothatsoundhasbeenadopted:1.Soundscreatedbyconstructionequipment,includingspecialconstructionvehicles,andemanatingfromtemporaryconstructionsites,ifthereceivingpropertyislocatedinaruralorresidentialdistrictofKingCounty;(Emphasisadded.)2.KCC12.87.320(Specialconstructionvehicle)states:“Specialconstructionvehicle”meansanyvehiclewhichisdesignedandusedprimarilyforgrading,paving,earthmoving,andotherconstructionwork;whichisnotdesignedorusedprimarilyforthetransportationofpersonsorpropertyonapublichighway;andwhichisonlyincidentallyoperatedormovedoverthehighway.IICSUSTICS.IIIC. StonewayRock&RecyclingMarch22,2000Page5of6gradinganddrainagecontrolactivitiesaretherebyexemptfromtheprovisionsofKCCChapters12.86through12.100betweenthehoursofsevenam.andtenp.m.onweekdaysandbetweenthehoursofnineam.andtenp.m.onweekends.Baseduponthatpredicate,blastdrillingnoisewouldbeexempt.Shouldyouchoosetoconductablastdrillingnoiseevaluationanyway,testingshouldbeconductedduringtheday.Thefirststepwouldbetoconductaninitialtesttoassessbasicdrillingnoisecharacteristicsoftheparticulardrillingequipmentusedatthesite.Uponanalyzingthedata,Iwillbeinamuchbetterpositiontoformulateanoisemonitoringprogramforthedrillingprocessandfurtheradviseyou.AnalysisofNoiseImpactsThesiteactivitiesandusesproposedoverthenextfiveyears(2000through2004)ontheportionoftheBlackRiverQuarrypropertylyingeastofEmpireEstates’westboundary(whatIwillcallthe“easternportion”oftheQuarryproperty)arelistedontheupperleft-handcorneroftheSupplementalSitePlan(SheetClof1)preparedbyBarghausenConsultingEngineers,Inc.datedMarch20,2000.Thatplanalsodepictssitegradeswithintheeasternportionofthesiteanticipatedbytheendofthatfive-yearperiod(actuallymuchsooner,asdiscussedintheprecedingsection),gradeswhich,forthemostpart,willstillbesomewhatloweredfromexistinglevelsthroughoutthesite(withtheexceptionofthe50-footbufferalongthenorthboundaryandthe20-footbufferalongtheeastboundary).Whilethetemporaryconstructionsiteexemptionshouldapplytotheproposedremainingquarrying,clearing,grubbing,sitegradinganddrainagecontrolactivities,itpresumablydoesnotapplytotheproposedstockpilingofmaterialsinconjunctionwithrecyclingoperations.Suchstockpilingwouldordinarilyinvolveheavyequipment,whichwouldbethecontrollingnoisesourceinrelationtosuchstockpilingwithrespecttoNoiseOrdinancecompliance.Iunderstandfromyouthatthefollowingnoise-generatingequipmentwillbeusedfromtime-to-timeintheeasternportionofthesiteinrelationtothestockpilingofrecycledmaterials:1.ACaterpillar980Gfrontendloader2.ACaterpillar769Coff-roadhaultruck3.Awatertmck4.Adumptruck/trailercombination(similartoPeterbilt378)Ifurtherunderstandthatnotmorethantwopiecesofthisequipmentwillbeoperatingsimultaneouslywithintheeasternportionofthesiteinconjunctionwithstockpilingofrecycledmaterials.IC00SIIC5,IIC.(Emphasisadded.) StonewayRock&RecyclingMarch22,2000Page6of6Themaximumnoiselevelgeneratedbyeachpieceofsuchheavyequipmentvariesfromabout85to95dBAatadistanceof50feet,dependinguponthequalityandconditionoftheenginemuffler.Ifanyoneofthesemachinesoperatesatfullloadforacontinuousone-hourperiodwithin300feetofEmpireEstatessouthpropertyline,thenoiselevelwilllikelyexceedtheNoiseOrdinance’sdaytimelimitunlessspecialprecautionarymeasuresaretaken.(ForshorteroperationalperiodsassetforthintheNoiseOrdinance,somewhatshorterdistancescouldbemaintained.)Iftwoofthesemachinesoperatesimultaneouslyincloseproximitytoeachotherinregardtotherecyclingstockpilesatfullloadforacontinuousone-hourperiod,theywouldhavetobeatleast450feetsouthoftheEmpireEstatespropertylinetoavoidexceedingthedaytimenoiselimitunlessspecialprecautionarymeasuresaretaken.InordertopreventaNoiseOrdinanceviolationinregardtosuchequipmentusewithrespecttorecyclingstockpilesplacedclosertoEmpireEstates,itwouldbenecessarytoshieldtheadjacentpropertyfromthisnoisewithaneffectivenoisebarrier.Anoisebarriercouldbecreatedbymodifyingtheexistingtopographyand/orbyconstructingatemporaryacousticalshieldtoabsorbandre-directthenoiseawayfromtheEmpireEstatesapartments.Inaddition,specially-adaptedequipmentwouldalsohelp.Forexample,highqualitymufflersareavailableformostdiesel-poweredequipmentthancanreducenoiseemissionsinsomecasesupto10cIBA.Ifyouwouldliketodiscussanyofthisinformationinmoredetail,donothesitatetogivemeacall.Verytrulyyours,JGLAcoustics,Inc.JerryG.Lilly,P.E.PresidentMemberASkINCE,NCACBCIU311C3.IIIC.cc.DavidHalinen