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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJ_Olympic Renton Station Switchgear Building Conditional Use Permit Justification Comments 10.07.20211 OLYMPIC PIPE LINE COMPANY LLC 600 SW 39TH ST SUITE 275 RENTON, WASHINGTON 98057 (425) 235-7736 October 7, 2021 City of Renton Planning Division 1055 South Grady Way 6th Floor Renton, Washington 98057 Attention: Jill Ding Re: Conditional Use Permit Justification Olympic Renton Station Proposed Switchgear Building Formal Submittal (Pre-Application PRE21-000120) Renton, Washington INTRODUCTION Olympic Pipe Line Company LLC (Olympic) operates a 14-inch-diameter pipeline that transports petroleum products through Western Washington from the City of Renton (Renton) to Portland, Oregon, and a 12-inch-diameter pipeline that transports petroleum products from Renton to the Port of Seattle/SeaTac. Both pipelines transfer product through Olympic’s Renton Station facility, located at 2319 Lind Avenue SW, in Renton, Washington. Olympic proposes to install a new pre- manufactured switchgear enclosure/building at this facility to replace and upgrade existing electrical connections and equipment at the Station that are used to operate the pipelines. This letter summarizes the Conditional Use Permit Justification for the proposed work activities. The purpose of this Justification is to request approval to complete Olympic’s Switchgear Building Installation project. Olympic addresses factors outlined in the Decision Criteria to be considered by Renton in issuing a Conditional Use Permit in the following section. Additional information about the proposed Olympic switchgear project is provided in the Project Narrative submitted separately to the City of Renton. We also have included the meeting summary for the April 22, 2021, Pre-application Meeting, PRE 21-000120, for the project. Based on the summary from the Preapplication meeting, the proposed project is permitted within the Heavy Industrial (IH) zone under Utilities, Medium as an Administrative Conditional Use. DECISION CRITERIA (RMC 4-9-030(D)) Except for wireless communication facilities and increases to maximum height and/or density, the Administrator or the Hearing Examiner shall consider, as applicable, the following factors for applications: 2 1. Consistency with Plans and Regulations: The proposed use shall be compatible with the general goals, objectives policies and standards of the Comprehensive Plan, the zoning regulations and any other plans, programs, maps or ordinances of the City of Renton. Based on the attached summary letter from the Pre-application meeting, the City of Renton has determined that the proposed project is permitted within the Heavy Industrial (IH) zone under Utilities, Medium as an Administrative Conditional Use and the project location is within the Employment Land Use Designation. The proposed project will enable Olympic to more safely and efficiently meet the consumer demands in the City of Renton, at SeaTac Airport and between Renton and Portland, Oregon without having a detrimental impact to the site or neighboring properties. The project also will provide Olympic more modern electrical equipment that should allow for more safe and reliable operation and management of the pipeline system in the Renton area. By installing the switchgear building at the proposed location on the previously developed portion of the Renton Station property, Olympic will be using the existing parcel very efficiently and infill an area that is not yet used on their property. As a result, Olympic’s proposed project will not conflict with the general goals, objectives, policies and standards of the City of Renton Comprehensive Plan. Based on our review of the “Development Standards for Industrial Zoning Designations under Renton Municipal Code (RMC) 4-2-130A for the Heavy Industrial (IH) zone, the project is compatible with the following Development Standards for IH zoning designations and maps and other referenced RMC standards in this code section: • Lot Dimensions: The lot size is larger than 35,000 square feet. • Lot Coverage: There is no maximum lot coverage for buildings in IH zones. • Height: There is no maximum building height in IH zones and there will be no wireless facilities constructed as part of this project. • Setbacks: The proposed building maintains a 36-foot setback from Lind Avenue SW, which complies with the required setback of a minimum of 20-feet along Principal Arterial streets. • Landscaping: The proposed project does not develop an existing natural area and will maintain all existing landscaping, including trees, at the site and along Lind Avenue SW. The building will be placed on a ground surface that is currently impervious and covered with rock. The project also will not increase erosion from the site. As a result, the project does not include additional landscaping, but maintains the objectives of RMC 4-4-070.A. • Screening: The proposed switchgear building will be screened by the vegetation and sight- obscuring fence currently existing along the eastern side of the property in general accordance with RMC 4-4-095. • Loading Docks: No loading docks are proposed. • Parking: Current employees will conduct required work activities in the switchgear building once the project is completed so the existing demand for on- and off-site parking at Renton Station will not change because of the project. The project also will not result in additional deliveries to the site or increase or decrease use of the public transportation system. Employees will maintain their existing access to public transportation currently availab le to the site (RMC 4-4-080). Olympic will ensure that any commercial vehicles above 12,000 pounds will park, if needed, on the Renton Station property and not on any public right-of- way (RMC 10-10-13). • Signs: The addition of the switchgear building will not require alterations to the existing signs posted at Renton Station. 3 • Critical areas: Portions of the proposed work area are located within 200 feet (approximately 110 feet) south of wetlands associated with Panther Creek (220 feet from project area) and are addressed in the attached “Critical Areas Memorandum” completed by GeoEngineers, Inc., dated September 22, 2021. As stated in our memorandum, applicable regulations do not apply to the proposed installation of the switchgear building since the work area is separated from critical areas by preexisting, intervening, lawfully created structures and other substantial existing improvements, in accordance with RMC 4-3-050B.1.g. The proposed work area also is located more than 200 feet east of Springbrook Creek shoreline and is not within the regulated 100-year floodplain (Drawing 3 of 10, attached). In addition to being consistent with Renton code and regulations, the entire switchgear equipment will be UL-Certified, designed, tested and assembled in accordance with the latest applicable standards of: • Washington State Labor & Industries Gold Seal Standard for Factory Assembled Structures • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). • National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA SG5). • National Electrical Code. • National Electrical Safety Code. • American National Standards Institute (ANSI) C27.20.2 Metal Clad & Station Type Cubicle Switchgear >1000V. • ANSI C37.04 Circuit Breaker Ratings. • ANSI C37.06 AC High Voltage Circuit Breaker Ratings >1000V. • ANSI C37.09 Standard AC Breaker Test Procedures. • ANSI C37.20.2 Standard for Metal-Clad Switchgear. • ANSI C37.20.3 Metal Enclosed Interrupter Switchgear. • ANSI C37.20.4 Indoor Medium Voltage AC Switches. • ANSI C37.22 Standard Indoor AC Medium Voltage Switch Ratings. • All inside wiring within the switchgear will conform to the latest version of the National Electric Code (NEC). • All utilities will maintain 5-feet of separation. All existing piping and conduit crossings will be potholed prior to beginning excavation activities. The electrical trenches will be excavated using a vacuum truck. Existing piping and conduit will be exposed manually (Sheets 2 and 3 of Drawing set, attached). Other structural notes concerning design loads and criteria, anchors in concrete, reinforcing steel in the concrete, cast-in-place concrete, slabs on grade and structural steel for the project are included in the project drawings. The switchgear site is in a seismic hazard area and will be designed per IEEE Standard 693, latest edition, and the current 2018 International Building Code (IBC) with appropriate accelerations as specified. Seismic design loads will be based on the following: a. 0.2 second Mapped Spectral Response Acceleration = 1.726 4 b. Site Class = D c. Seismic Use Factor = II d. Seismic Importance Factor = 1.25 e. IEEE 693-18 Qualification Level = High 2. Appropriate Location: The proposed location shall not result in the detrimental overconcentration of a particular use within the City or within the immediate area of the proposed use. The proposed location shall be suited for the proposed use. The work area is located within the existing Olympic Renton Station and will replace and upgrade existing electrical connections and equipment at the Station. As noted above, the City of Renton has determined that the proposed project is permitted within the IH zone under Utilities, Medium as an Administrative Conditional Use. 3. Effect on Adjacent Properties: The proposed use at the proposed location shall not result in substantial or undue adverse effects on adjacent property. The proposed switchgear building will be located within the existing Olympic Renton Station. Neither the placement of, nor operation of, the switchgear building will change the effects of operations at Renton Station on adjacent properties. 4. Compatibility: The proposed use shall be compatible with the scale and character of the neighborhood. The proposed switchgear building will be located within the existing, fenced Olympic Renton Station. The site and properties to the north, south and east are zoned heavy and light industrial. The new building location is located near the east property boundary, which is surrounded with a sight-obscuring fence that limits exposure to the adjacent Lind Ave SW traffic and pedestrians. The building size (13 feet high by 12 feet wide by 30 feet long) and character are compatible with the existing buildings present at the Renton Station and adjacent Phillips 66 Company property to the south. Portions of the proposed work area are located within 200 feet south of wetlands associated with Panther Creek, but the proposed building location is at the eastern property boundary, approximately 215 feet from the wetland and approximately 370 feet from the undeveloped wetland along the western limits of the developed portion of the property. Both wetlands are separated from the proposed building by existing Olympic pipeline facilities and the existing facilities are more than 10 feet higher in elevation than the existing wetlands. 5. Parking: Adequate parking is, or will be made, available. The Renton Station currently has over 50 stalls of parking available throughout the property, as well as other available open space for additional parking, for the approximately 15 personnel that already work at the Renton Station. Operations to monitor the proposed switchgear building will require no additional staff or parking stalls. 6. Traffic: The use shall ensure safe movement for vehicles and pedestrians and shall mitigate potential effects on the surrounding area. 5 The proposed switchgear building will be located within the existing, fenced area of Olympic Renton Station. Installation of the switchgear building will require limited additional traffic to and from the property at an existing paved side street/driveway. No traffic control devices or control will be needed for this additional traffic. Pedestrians using the sidewalk along Lind Avenue SW, outside of the fenced Renton Station, will not be impacted by the installation activities. There will be no change in existing traffic to and from the Renton Station nor to pedestrian flow along Lind Avenue SW adjacent to the Renton Station resulting from the replaced and upgraded electrical equipment within the new switchgear building. 7. Noise, Light and Glare: Potential noise, light and glare impacts from the proposed use shall be evaluated and mitigated. The proposed switchgear building will be located within the existing, fenced area of Olympic Renton Station. There will be no new noise from the proposed building. The building will have five LED lights: one above the doorway and two on each long side of the building. The lights will direct light down to illuminate the sides and entry way of the building. The lights and any potential glare are not expected to adversely impact traffic or pedestrians on Lind Avenue SW or adjacent properties to the north, south and east, which are zoned for heavy and light industrial use; the area of the proposed building is screened from Lind Avenue SW by a sight-obscuring fence. Work will be completed during daylight hours, within the noise ordinance work hours for Renton. 8. Landscaping: Landscaping shall be provided in all areas not occupied by buildings, paving or critical areas. Additional Landscaping may be required to buffer adjacent properties potentially from adverse effects of the proposed use. The proposed switchgear building will be located within the existing, fenced Olympic Renton Station in a location that is currently surfaced with gravel does not develop an existing natural area and will maintain all existing landscaping, including trees, at the site and along Lind Avenue SW. The building will be placed on a ground surface that is currently impervious and covered with rock, and therefore does not require new landscaping (RMC 4-4-070). All existing trees and landscaping within the City of Renton right-of-way east of the property and at Renton Station will be protected and remain in-place during the project construction. There are no adverse effects of the proposed use that would require new landscape buffer to buffer adjacent properties. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Additional requirements for review of the Conditional Use Permit application were cited in an email from Jill Ding, Renton Senior Planner to Carla Woodworth, GeoEngineers (agent for Olympic) on August 24, 2021: 1. A Construction Mitigation Description is required (see submittal checklist) A Construction Mitigation Description has been provided with this submittal. 2. A title report is required Olympic Pipeline has obtained a title report that provided with this submittal. 3. Affidavit of Public Information Sign Installation is required