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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5_Talbot Project Narrative and Conditional Use Permit JustificationTalbot Project Narrative • Project Name: Talbot Hill Substation Improvements • Proposed Scope of Work: The proposal is to rebuild a portion of the Talbot Hill Substation, to replace aging equipment and provide more reliability for the transmission lines connected to the substation. The existing control house will be demolished and a new control house will be constructed in its place. The existing 230kV substation equipment inside the fence will be removed, including steel structures and foundations. The new equipment will be reconfigured to create a more efficient and more reliable substation and allow for flexible functioning of the system. Some transmission line work outside the substation fence may be required however no additional transmission lines will be added with the rebuild of this project. A new storm drainage system will be constructed within the fenced area and a detention pond will be installed south of the southerly substation fence. The substation footprint will remain unchanged. The storm improvements will require the removal of 120 trees. Additional driveway improvements are required to allow larger vehicle access to the substation. • Size: The project site totals 50.4 acres. In order to accomplish this total disturbed area will equal approximately 227,370 square feet. The cut will be about 11,500 cubic yards and fill of about 9,000 cubic yards. After construction the area of impervious surface will equal about 78,131 square feet and the pervious surface: 149,238 square feet. • Location: The site is located at 2400 S Puget Drive on parcels 2023059003, 2023059066 and 2023059064. • Land Use Permits Required: Site Plan Review with SEPA. Hearing Examiner Conditional Use Permit • Zoning designation for site: Residential - 8 • Zoning for surrounding properties: Residential-8, Resource Conservation • Current Use: Utility • Special site features: Sensitive slopes, landslide hazards and coal mine hazards mapped • Soil type and drainage conditions: See attached drainage report • Proposed Use: Utility, unchanged • Total estimated construction cost: Unknown at this time • Fair market value of proposal: $6.7M • Trees to be removed: There are 97 significant trees on-site – 80 at the stormwater pond site and 17 in the area of selective removal. We are proposing to remove 63 significant trees and retain 34. See attached arborist report for detailed information. • Job shack or trailer location: Unknown at this time; to be determined by contractor. • Proposed modification and stream or wetlands: There are no known wetlands or streams in the project vicinity. The substation improvements, with the exception of the stormwater pond, will remain within the existing fenced area. • Existing Access: There are no proposed off-site improvements, no land dedicated to the city. o Regarding Note 16 in Title Report: PSE’s legal and physical access to all three parcels noted above is off the north side of Puget Drive SE at 2023059064. Conditional Use Permit Justification (Control House1): • Consistency with Plans and Regulations: The proposed use shall be compatible with the general purpose, goals, objectives and standards of the comprehensive plan, the zoning ordinance and any other plans, programs, maps or ordinances of the City of Renton. Response: The proposed use is not changing. The proposal includes replacing an existing control house within the Talbot Hill substation with a new control house. The use is compatible with the general purpose, goals, objectives and standards of the comprehensive plan, the zoning ordinance and any other plans, programs, maps or ordinances of the City of Renton. The Utilities Element of the Comprehensive Plan states: The Utilities Element guides future utility service within Renton’s planning area and ensures that adequate utility services will be available to support existing and future development in the City. The goals and policies included in the Utilities Element are designed to promote efficient, cost effective utility service while meeting community needs and protecting both existing neighborhoods and the nature environment. The proposal complies with the following Comprehensive Plan goals and policies: Policy U-7: Non-City utility systems should be constructed in a manner that minimizes negative impacts to existing development and should not interfere with operation of City utilities. City development regulations should otherwise not impair the ability of utility providers to adequately serve customers. Goal U-O: Promote the availability of safe, adequate, and efficient electrical service within the City and its planning area, consistent with the regulatory obligation of the utility to serve customers. Policy U-72: Coordinate with local and regional utility providers to ensure the siting and location of transmission and distribution facilities is accomplished in a manner that minimizes adverse impacts to the environment and adjacent land uses. Policy U-73: Encourage electricity purveyors to make facility improvements and additions within existing utility corridors whenever possible. The proposed control house structure will replace an existing control house within the Talbot Hill substation fence. The proposal will have little to no impact on adjacent residential, as the existing use of the site will not change. The control house will replace an existing structure and be located adjacent to the existing structure. There are existing transmission corridors between the substation and neighboring residential properties. The City of Renton has determined that a control house is an accessory building to the substation use. The maximum wall plate in the R-8 zone for an accessory building is 12 feet. The proposed control house wall plate is 11 feet. However, since the overall height exceeds more than 6 feet above the wall plate (RMC 4-2-110D.18 Vertical Projections from Wall Plates), the City determined that Conditional Use Permit approval is required for the new control house structure. The proposed control house will comply with all other applicable dimensional standards of the R-8 zone. As evidenced through this analysis, the proposed control house is consistent with the Conditional Use Permit decision criteria outlined in RMC 4-9-030.D. 1 A substation control house is a shelter containing equipment necessary to monitor and control the operation of the substation. At smaller or older substations this usually takes the form of a weather-protective cabinet, where maintenance and operation of control equipment can be performed by technicians standing outside, and reaching into, the cabinet (“house”). At larger or newer substations, which require more complex control and control-related communications equipment, this will necessarily take the form of a larger weather-protective shelter, which technicians may enter into to service and operate the equipment. This shelter is solely for the purpose of containing the control equipment; compared to other work or storage spaces, a control house is entered only while actively servicing the equipment it contains. • 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. Response: The proposed location of the control house will not result in detrimental overconcentration of a particular use within the City or within the immediate area. The proposed control house will replace an existing control house within the substation fence. The increased building square footage is minor compared to the scale of the substation footprint. The new control house will be located adjacent to the existing structure used for a control house and will not be substantially larger in size. • Effect on Adjacent Properties: The proposed use at the proposed location shall not result in substantial or undue adverse effects on adjacent property. Response: The proposed control house will not result in substantial or undue adverse effects on adjacent property. The proposed control house will replace an existing control house adjacent to the current structure location within the existing substation fence. The substation is located within a 50 acre site that contains several transmission lines. The substation is located over 460 feet from the nearest residential lot, resulting in no substantial impact to neighboring properties. • Compatibility: The proposed use shall be compatible with the scale and character of the neighborhood. Response: The proposed use is compatible with the scale and character of the neighborhood. Talbot Substation is an existing station that was constructed in the early 1960’s. There is an existing control house structure within the substation fence that’s use will be replaced with the new structure. The substation is over 460 feet from the nearest residential lot and completely surrounded by transmission corridors. The proposed control house is part of the same use that has been on the site for more than 50 years. • Parking: Adequate parking is, or will be made, available. Response: Adequate parking will be provided for the proposed control house. The existing and proposed control houses are visited by maintenance personnel on a weekly basis and not occupied fulltime. Adequate existing parking is provided for the substation use. • Traffic: The use shall ensure safe movement for vehicles and pedestrians and shall mitigate potential effects on the surrounding area. Response: The proposed control house will not result in increased traffic to and from the substation site. Impacts to the surrounding area are not anticipated. • Noise, Light and Glare: Potential noise, light and glare impacts from the proposed use shall be evaluated and mitigated. Response: The proposed control house will have minimal lighting to provide for safe entry and exit into and out of the building. The lighting will be directed downward and not directed offsite. Noise generated by the proposed control house is within the limits allowed by the City’s noise ordinance. • 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 from potentially adverse effects of the proposed use. Response: This conditional use approval only covers the proposed control house within the substation fence. The area outside the substation fence is landscaped in compliance with applicable codes and standards.