20F.40.80 Essential Public Facilities.

20F.40.80-010 Purpose.

The purpose of this section is to provide a process to site necessary public uses that may otherwise be difficult to site. This process involves the community and identifies and minimizes adverse impacts. Essential public facilities are defined in RCDG 20A.20.50, Definitions. Examples include schools, water transmission lines, sewer collection lines, fire stations, hospitals, jails, prisons, airports, solid waste transfer stations, highways, and storm water treatment plants. Secure community transition facilities as defined in RCDG 20A.20.190 are also included. (Ord. 2152; Ord. 2118)

20F.40.80-020 Scope.

This section establishes the criteria that the City will use in making a decision upon an application for an essential public facility. The City Council shall develop a list of essential public facilities. These facilities meet the definition of essential public facilities or are based on a list maintained by the State of Washington Office of Financial Management.

(1)    A use or facility may be added to the list of essential public facilities based on one of the following criteria:

(a) The use meets the definition of an essential public facility; or

(b)    The use is identified on the State list of essential public facilities maintained by the State of Washington Office of Financial Management.

(2)    This regulation shall serve to establish an alternative process for permitting those uses which meet the applicability criteria of RCDG 20F.40.80-040. The Director of Planning and Community Development shall determine whether a proposed facility shall be reviewed according to the essential public facilities review process instead of the review process indicated on the appropriate use chart. (Ord. 2118)

20F.40.80-030 Procedure.

Applications that seek approval for an essential public facility as defined by RCDG 20A.20.50 shall follow the procedures established in RCDG 20F.30.45 for a Type IV permit process. Applications that seek approval for a secure community transition facility as defined in RCDG 20A.20.190 shall follow the procedures established in RCDG 20F.30.40 for a Type III permit process. In addition to the decision criteria described in RCDG 20F.40.80-040 and 20F.40.80-050, secure community transition facilities shall also be consistent with RCDG 20D.170.55, Secure Community Transition Facilities. (Ord. 2152; Ord. 2118)

20F.40.80-040 Decision Criteria – Determination of Applicability.

(1)    Essential public facilities may be reviewed through the essential public facility review process. An applicant may make a written request or the Director of Planning and Community Development may require a proposal to be reviewed through Redmond’s essential public facility review process. An applicant may use this process if the facility meets the definition of an essential public facility. If the facility is on the list of qualifying facilities, it automatically meets the definition.

(2)    The Director of Planning and Community Development, or the current position having the duties of this office, shall make a determination that a facility be reviewed through Redmond’s essential public facilities review:

(a)    The facility is on the City’s list of essential public facilities or may be added to the list according to RCDG 20F.40.80-020;

(b)    The facility is a type difficult to site because of one of the following:

(i)    The facility needs a type of site of which there are few sites,

(ii)    The facility can locate only near another public facility,

(iii)    The facility has or is generally perceived by the public to have significant adverse impacts that make it difficult to site, or

(iv)    The facility is of a type that has been difficult to site in the past;

(c)    It is likely this facility will be difficult to site; or

(d)    There is need for the facility and Redmond is in the facility service area. (Ord. 2118)

20F.40.80-050 Decision Criteria – Review Process.

(1)    An applicant may have one or more alternative sites considered at the same time during this process.

(2)    The Director has the authority to require the consideration of sites outside the City of Redmond. Alternative sites shall cover the service area of the proposed essential facility. This criteria is not applicable to secure community transition facilities.

(3)    An amplified public involvement process shall be required. The purpose of the public involvement process is to involve the persons within the zone of likely and foreseeable impacts if the involvement process has the potential to lead to a more appropriate design/location. The public involvement process could also lead to development of incentives or to address modifications to the facility which would make siting of that facility more acceptable.

(a)    The applicant shall propose an acceptable public involvement process to be reviewed and approved by the Director.

(b)    Public involvement activities shall be conducted by and paid for by the applicant.

(c)    The public involvement process shall be initiated by the applicant as early as feasibly possible.

(4)    The Director may require a multi-jurisdictional review process if the facility serves a regional, Countywide, Statewide, or national need. If this process is required, the applicant shall design an acceptable process to be reviewed and approved by the Director. Applicants shall be required to pay for this process. This requirement is not applicable to secure community transition facilities.

(5)    An analysis of the facility’s impact on City finances shall be undertaken. Mitigation of adverse financial impacts shall be required.

(6)    The following criteria shall be used to make a determination on the application:

(a)    Whether there is a public need for the facility;

(b)    The impact of the facility on the surrounding uses and environment, the City and the region;

(c)    Whether the design of the facility or the operation of the facility can be conditioned, or the impacts otherwise mitigated, to make the facility compatible with the affected area and the environment;

(d)    Whether a package of incentives can be developed that would make siting the facility within the community more acceptable;

(e)    Whether the factors that make the facility difficult to site can be modified to increase the range of available sites or to minimize impacts on affected areas and the environment;

(f)    Whether the proposed essential public facility is consistent with the Redmond Comprehensive Plan;

(g)    If a variance is requested, the proposal shall also comply with the variance criteria;

(h)    Essential public facilities shall comply with any applicable State siting and permitting requirements. (Ord. 2152; Ord. 2118)