PRE20100011 Sno County PUD substation.pdfOF EDP
0�° CITY OF EDMONDS
121 5th Avenue North • Edmonds, WA 98020
Phone: 425.771.0220 • Fax: 425.771.0221 • Web: www.ci.edmondsma.us
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT: PLANNING DIVISION
lne. I S9"
Pre -Application Meeting
Meeting Date:
June 24, 2010 at 1:30pm
Review By:
Kemen Lien, Associate Planner
Project Name:
Electrical Distribution Substation
Site Address:
9005 244th Street NW
Zone:
Single Family Residential (RS-8)
Contact:
JDwermcrantz snopud.com
Description:
Upgrade Substation Station Equipment and Drainage
Zoning
The current zoning of the subject property is Single -Family Residential, RS-8, which requires a minimum of 8,000
net square feet per lot. Properties within the RS-8 zone are subject to the requirements of Edmonds Community
Development Code (ECDC) Chapter 16.20.
Setbacks for RS-12 zoned property is outlined in ECDC 16.20.030 and are as follows:
Zone
Minimum Street
Setback
Minimum Side Setback
Minimum Rear
Setback
RS-8
25 feet
7.5 feet
25 feet
The subject site is a corner lot, which means it has street setbacks from 244th St SW and 90th Ave W and side
setbacks from the northern and western property lines. The vault in the NW comer of the property appears to be
located within the required zoning setbacks and will have to be move to meet setbacks.
Proposed Use
The proposed (continued) use is for an electrical distribution substation, which meets the definition for a local public
facility in ECDC 21.55.007. Pursuant to ECDC 16.20.010.A.4 and ECDC 17.100.050, local public facilities that are
planned, designated, and sited in the capital improvement plan are allowed uses in all residential zones.
The proposed project (or site) is not located within the City of Edmonds capital improvement plan. However,
assuming the site was in existence when the property was annexed into the City 1995, the substation would be
considered a nonconforming use. Pursuant to ECDC 17.40.010.B, nonconforming uses may continue, "but it may
not be expanded in any way, including additional lot area, floor area, height, number of employees, equipment, or
hours of operation, except as otherwise provided in ECDC 17.40.050."
ECDC 17.40.050, states that, "Existing legal nonconforming local public facility uses, buildings, and/or signs,
owned and/or operated by local, state, or federal governmental entities, public service corporations, or common
carriers (including agencies, districts, governmental corporations, public utilities, or similar entities) may be
expanded, enlarged, altered, or modified, subject to review under Chapter 20.16 ECDC, Essential Public
Facilities."
Essential Public Facilities require condition use permits, so if proposal includes any type of expansion, a conditional
use permit will be required. Any potential expansion may trigger SEPA requirements as well. See SEPA discussion
below.
PUD might want to consider submitting a Capital Facilities Plan to the City of Edmonds for adoption, which would
avoid the need for a conditional use for expanded or new facilities in the future.
Page 1 of 3
Development Standards
Development standards for local public facilities are located with ECDC 17.100.050.
Lighting. All exterior lighting shall be arranged and directed so as the direct the light away from adjacent
residential uses.
Screening. Electrical substations, water/sewer pump stations, maintenance and storage yards shall be adequately
screened from adjacent residential properties with a solid wall or sight -obscuring fence not less than six feet in
height. Landscaping shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 20.13 ECDC.
The existing substation has two fences around it. The outer fence is a five foot tall cyclone fence with no slates
or other sight -obscuring features associated with it. The outer fence area also does not have any landscaping
associated with it. The inner fence is a seven foot fence with slates and associated landscaping. Provide slates
and landscaping to the outer fence as well.
Hazardous, Flammable, and Explosive Materials. The use, storage, or disposal of hazardous, dangerous,
flammable, or explosive materials shall not be permitted, except where authorized or allowed by state or federal
laws and regulations. The use, storage or disposal of such substances shall be conducted in strict compliance with
all applicable state and federal regulations. The applicant for a local public facility that intends to use, store, or
dispose of such substances shall provide a disclosure describing the type, nature and quantity of all such
substances in all permit or approval applications.
ECDC 18.05.0303 Design Standards for above Ground Utilities
1. The architectural design board shall review and make recommendations on all plans of aboveground utilities
before a building permit or other construction permit is issued. The review of the board shall be limited to the
following criteria:
a. All aboveground utilities except poles, appurtenances, and overhead pole lines shall be enclosed within a
building or shall be completely screened year round with a combination of landscaping or walls, fences,
etc.; provided that adequate access for use and maintenance through said screening may be reserved by the
utility.
Landscape screening shall be visually solid, and at least as high as the equipment to be screened, within
five years of the installation of the equipment. The owner of the property on which the aboveground
utilities are located shall install and permanently maintain the enclosure and screening. Aboveground
facilities needed for underground utilities serving one single-family dwelling and low profile mini -pad
transformers are exempt from this screening requirement.
b. Space frames and structures and conductors holding aboveground utilities shall have a neat and uncluttered
appearance.
If SEPA is required, design review will be conducted by the Architectural Design Board. If SEPA is not required,
design review will be conducted by staff.
Environmental Regulations
Critical Area Determination: A critical areas checklist is not required for the subject application because a
determination was conducted for the subject site in 2005 under File No. CRA20050180 and it was determined that
no critical areas are present on or adjacent to the site.
SEPA Review: Two of the categorical exemptions listed within the SEPA rules may apply to this proposal.
The first possible exemption is the repair, remodeling and maintenance exemption in WAC 197-11-800(3):
Repair, remodeling and maintenance activities. The following activities shall be categorically exempt: The
repair, remodeling, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing private or public structures, facilities or
equipment, including utilities, involving no material expansions or changes in use beyond thatpreviously
existing; except that, where undertaken wholly or in part on lands covered by water, only minor repair or
replacement of structures may be exempt (examples include repair or replacement of piling, ramps, floats, or
Page 2 of 3
mooring buoys, or minor repair, alteration, or maintenance of docks). The following maintenance activities shall
not be considered exempt under this subsection:
Do the proposed changes to the substation increase the capacity of the site in any way?
The second possible exemption for the proposal is within the utility exemptions within WAC 197-11-800(23):
Utilities. The utility -related actions listed below shall be exempt, except for installation, construction, or
alteration on lands covered by water. The exemption includes installation and construction, relocation when
required by other governmental bodies, repair, replacement, maintenance, operation or alteration that does not
change the action from an exempt class.
(c) All electric facilities, lines, equipment or appurtenances, not including substations, with an associated
voltage of 55,000 volts or less; and the overbuilding of existing distribution lines (55,000 volts or less) with
transmission lines (more than 55,000 volts); and the undergrounding of all electric facilities, lines,
equipment or appurtenances.
What is the voltage associated with this facility? The language within WAC 197-11-800(23)(c) suggests that
substations are not exempt under any circumstance.
Required Permits and Approvals from Other Jurisdictions
It should be noted that the applicant is responsible for obtaining all required permits and approvals from any
applicable federal, state, or local jurisdictions.
General Design Review: If no SEPA — Staff Design Review $265 plus $15 City Surcharge
If SEPA is required — Major Project referred to ADB $2530 plus $15 City Surcharge
Attachments / Enclosures
• Land Use Application
• Planning Fee Sheet
• Handout #P7 General Design Review
• ECDC Chapter 17.100.050
• ECDC Chapter 18.05
Page 3 of 3