Freight Rail Dependent Uses Advisory Committee March 28, 2018 Jose - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Freight Rail Dependent Uses Advisory Committee – March 28, 2018 Jose Alvarez, Community Planning

Agenda • Welcome and Introductions • Ground rules • Review of ESB 5517, policy language & overlay map • Overview of council charge & timeline process • Regulatory framework • Adjournment 3/28/18 2

Overview  ESB 5517  Comprehensive plan amendments  Overlay map  Council charge & timeline  Regulatory framework 3/28/18 3

ESB 5517 Amendments to Growth Management Act • RCW 36.70A.030 Definitions Freight rail dependent uses • Short line railroad • RCW 36.70A.060 Natural resource lands and critical areas—Development • regulations New language allows freight rail dependent uses in resource lands; need to balance • with existing language about conservation of resource lands RCW 36.70A.108 Comprehensive plans—Transportation element— • Multimodal transportation improvements and strategies New language allows freight rail dependent uses that do not require urban • government services in rural lands 3/28/18 4

Comprehensive plan amendments Comprehensive plan amendments • Land Use Element • New language on freight rail overlay • Rural and Natural Resource Element • New goal and 3 new policies • Reflects language in ESB 5517 • Need to balance new language with existing • Transportation Element • One new policy and seven implementation strategies 3/28/18 5

Land Use Element changes Clark County Comprehensive Plan changes ESB 5517 Land Use Element Section 2 Freight Rail Dependent Uses Overlay (9) "Freight rail dependent uses" means buildings and other infrastructure that are used in the This designation is implemented with an overlay fabrication, processing, storage, and transport of zone that identifies parcels where freight rail goods where the use is dependent on and makes dependent uses adjacent to the short line railroad use of an adjacent short line railroad. may be permitted. (19) "Short line railroad" means those railroad lines designated Class II or Class III by the United States surface transportation board. 3/28/18 6

Rural and Natural Resource Element changes Clark County Comprehensive Plan changes ESB 5517 Rural and Natural Resource Element Section 2 Freight Rail Dependent Uses (9) "Freight rail dependent uses" means buildings and other infrastructure that are used in the Goal: Support freight rail dependent uses where fabrication, processing, storage, and transport of the use is dependent on and makes use of the goods where the use is dependent on and makes short line railroad, as defined by the Surface use of an adjacent short line railroad. Transportation Board. (19) "Short line railroad" means those railroad lines designated Class II or Class III by the United States surface transportation board. 3/28/18 7

Rural and Natural Resource Element changes Clark County Comprehensive Plan changes ESB 5517 Rural and Natural Resource Element Section 2 Policy 3.9.1 : Support freight rail dependent uses (9) "Freight rail dependent uses" means buildings in rural lands, as well as agriculture, forest and and other infrastructure that are used in the mineral resource lands, where the use is fabrication, processing, storage, and transport of dependent on and makes use of the short line goods where the use is dependent on and makes railroad within the county. use of an adjacent short line railroad. Section 3 Any county located to the west of the crest of the Cascade mountains …may adopt development regulations to assure that agriculture, forest, and mineral resource lands adjacent to short line railroads may be developed for freight rail dependent uses. 3/28/18 8

Rural and Natural Resource Element changes Clark County Comprehensive Plan changes ESB 5517 Rural and Natural Resource Element Section 3 ( 1)(a) Each county that is required or chooses to 3.9.2: Freight rail dependent uses will be allowed plan under… shall adopt development on parcels with a freight rail dependent use regulations…, to assure the conservation of overlay, where such uses minimize impacts on agricultural, forest, and mineral resource lands adjacent rural and resource uses. designated under RCW 36.70A.170. Any county located to the west of the crest of the Cascade mountains …may adopt development regulations to assure that agriculture, forest, and mineral resource lands adjacent to short line railroads may be developed for freight rail dependent uses. 3/28/18 9

Rural and Natural Resource Element changes Clark County Comprehensive Plan changes ESB 5517 Rural and Natural Resource Element Section 5 3.9.3: Freight rail dependent uses means buildings (2) Any county located to the west of the crest of and other infrastructure that are used in the the Cascade mountains …, may include fabrication, processing, storage, and transport of development of freight rail dependent uses on land goods where the use is dependent on and makes adjacent to a short line railroad .... Such counties use of an adjacent short line railroad. Such facilities and cities may also modify development are both urban and rural development. Clark regulations to include development of freight rail County may include development of freight rail dependent uses that do not require urban dependent uses on land adjacent to a short line governmental services in rural lands. railroad in the transportation element of this plan. The County may also modify development regulations to include development of freight rail dependent uses that do not require urban governmental services in rural lands. 3/28/18 10

Transportation Element changes Clark County Comprehensive Plan changes ESB 5517 Transportation Element Section 1 5.4 System Mobility Policies Planned and effective access to railroad services is a pivotal aspect of transportation planning. The 5.4.5 Improve mobility and access for the legislature affirms that it is in the public interest to movement of goods and services on the short line allow economic development infrastructure to railroad to enhance and promote economic occur near rail lines as a means to alleviate strains opportunity throughout the county. on government infrastructure elsewhere. 3/28/18 11

Transportation Element changes Clark County Comprehensive Plan changes ESB 5517 Transportation Element Section 5 Implementation strategies (1) The transportation element required by RCW Ensure that freight corridors are designed, • 36.70A.070 may include, in addition to maintained, and operated to provide efficient improvements or strategies to accommodate the movement of truck and rail traffic. impacts of development authorized under RCW 36.70A.070(6)(b), multimodal transportation Use intelligent transportation system • improvements or strategies that are made technology to alert motorists, bicyclists, and concurrent with the development. pedestrians to the presence and anticipated length of closures due to train crossings. (2) Any county located to the west of the crest of Evaluate the feasibility of grade separation in • the Cascade mountains that has both a population locations where train crossings result in of at least four hundred thousand …may include significant delays and safety issues for other development of freight rail dependent uses on land traffic, and improve the safety and operational adjacent to a short line railroad in the conditions at rail crossings of streets. transportation element required by RCW 36.70A.070… 3/28/18 12

Transportation Element changes Clark County Comprehensive Plan changes ESB 5517 Transportation Element Section 5 Implementation Strategies, continued (1) The transportation element required by RCW 36.70A.070 may include, in addition to Work with freight stakeholders and the Port improvements or strategies to accommodate the • of Vancouver to maintain and improve impacts of development authorized under RCW intermodal freight connections involving Port 36.70A.070(6)(b), multimodal transportation terminals, rail yards, industrial areas, improvements or strategies that are made interchange tracks and regional highways. concurrent with the development. Support efficient and safe movement of goods • (2) Any county located to the west of the crest of by rail where appropriate, and promote the Cascade mountains that has both a population efficient operation of freight rail lines. of at least four hundred thousand …may include Identify and minimize impacts that freight • development of freight rail dependent uses on land movements have on adjacent residential adjacent to a short line railroad in the neighborhoods and on resource uses. transportation element required by RCW Work with local jurisdictions and railroads to 36.70A.070… • coordinate land use plans and policies to preserve and protect rail corridors, and take into account community needs in relation to the rail system. 3/28/18 13