Chapter 17.50
ESSENTIAL PUBLIC FACILITIES
Sections:
17.50.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to fulfill the requirements of the Growth Management Act by accommodating essential public facilities of statewide or regional significance, including but not limited to airports, state education facilities, state or regional transportation facilities; prisons, jails and other correctional facilities; secure community transition facilities; and solid waste facilities. (Ord. 2879 § 6.4, 2005).
17.50.020 Applicability.
An essential public facility of statewide or regional significance that is classified as a conditional use within any of the use tables of this title shall be subject to the requirements contained in PTMC 17.50.030 in addition to other applicable requirements. (Ord. 2879 § 6.4, 2005).
17.50.030 Requirements.
A. Early notification and involvement of affected citizens and jurisdictions shall be provided as follows: at least 90 days before submitting an application for such a facility, the prospective applicant shall notify the affected public and jurisdictions of the general type and nature of the proposal, identify sites under consideration for accommodating the proposed facility, and identify opportunities to comment on the proposal. Applications for specific projects shall not be considered complete without proof of such a published notice in a local newspaper of general circulation.
B. If it will generate substantial traffic as determined by the city engineer, such a facility shall be located near a major transportation corridor served or planned to be served by transit.
C. Inter-jurisdictional agreements shall be developed to mitigate any disproportionate financial burdens that may fall on the local jurisdiction within which a facility of statewide or regional nature is located.
D. The proposed project shall comply with all applicable provisions of the comprehensive plan, the siting criteria and process set forth in Policy #4 of the Countywide Planning Policy for Jefferson County, PTMC Title 17, and other applicable provisions of the PTMC, SEPA, and other federal, state and local statutes, codes and ordinances.
E. Applicants for such a facility shall provide an analysis of the alternative sites considered for the proposed facility. This analysis shall include the following:
1. A justification of the need for the proposed facility in the proposed location. The applicant shall demonstrate that less impacting alternatives have been considered and found not to be feasible.
2. The applicant shall also describe the process used to identify and evaluate alternative sites.
3. An evaluation of the sites’ capability to meet basic siting criteria for the proposed facility, such as size, physical characteristics, access, and availability of necessary utilities and support services.
4. The sites’ relationship to the service area and the distribution of other similar public facilities within the service area or jurisdiction, whichever is larger.
5. A description of the relative environmental, traffic and social impacts associated with locating the proposed facility at the alternative sites that meet the applicant’s basic siting criteria. The applicant shall also identify proposed mitigation measures to alleviate or minimize adverse impacts. (Ord. 2879 § 6.4, 2005).