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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.0 BOCC Staff Report 06.18.2001REQUEST: •• •• B of CC June 18`h, 2001 PROJECT INFORMATION AND STAFF COMMENTS Special Use permit to expand an existing custom log sawing facility. APPLICANT: George Strong LOCATION: 7190 SH 13, Rifle, CO. ACCESS: State Highway 13 WATER: Well water SEWER: ISDS EXISTING ZONING: A/R/RD ADJACENT ZONING: A/R/RD RELATIONSHIP TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN This proposal is located in Study Area III of the Comprehensive Plan. L INTRODUCTION / DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL: The applicant, George Strong currently operates a sawmill at 7190 State Highway 13 under a Special Use Permit granted by the County on August 7th, 1984. The applicant would like to expand this operation to include peeling, notching, chinking and stacking of logs. 1 GARFIELD COUNTY ZONING RESOLUTION: Section 5.03 (1) of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution states: Utilities adequate to provide water and sanitation service based on accepted engineering standards and approved by the Board of County Commissioners shall either be in place or shall be constructed in conjunction with the proposed use. Human needs for water and sanitary facilities are served from an existing water well and ISDS. Currently the operation itself uses no water and the waste from the operation is limited mostly to sawdust is stored in a pit, protected from rain and wind. Once the pit is full the sawdust is removed. Section 5.03 (2) of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution states: Street improvements adequate to accommodate traffic volume generated by the proposed use and to provide safe, convenient access to the use shall either be in place or shall be constructed in conjunction with the proposed use Access to this site is limited to State Highway 13, CDOT jurisdiction. CDOT stated that this use would have limited effect on SH 13. Section 5.03 (2) of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution states: Design of the proposed use is organized to minimize impact on and from adjacent uses of land through installation of screen fences or landscape materials on the periphery of the lot and by location of intensively utilized areas, access points, lighting and signs in such a manner as to protect established neighborhood character; This sawmill is very isolated and has no immediate neighbors. •• •• Section 5.03.07 of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution states: The applicant for a permit for industrial operations shall prepare and submit to the Planning Director ten (10) copies of an impact statement on the proposed use describing its location, scope, design and construction schedule, including an explanation of its operational characteristics. One (1) copy of the impact statement shall be filed with the County Commissioners by the Planning Director. The impact statement shall address the following: (A) Existing lawful use of water through depletion or pollution of surface run-off, stream flow or ground water; This custom sawmill uses water for domestic purposes only. The applicant is trying to control sawmill by-products from getting into groundwater or streams by keeping the sawdust in a pit and periodically removing said sawdust. (B) Impacts on adjacent land from the generation of vapor, dust, smoke, noise, glare or vibration, or other emanations; A Noise Impact Analysis, conducted by Engineering Dynamics, Inc., under the supervision of Stuart D. McGregor — Senior Acoustical Engineer - has been conducted for this site (copy enclosed). Based on the condition that the sawmill operation will be enclosed the neighboring properties would be subject to the following increases in noise levels: 1. The Wilson property approximately 900 feet from the sawmill operation would experience a noise level of 45 dB(A). The Hausler property, approximately 525 feet from the sawmill would experience a noise level of 51 dB(A). 2. The Wilson property approximately 550 feet from the log -loading operation would experience a noise level of 47 dB(A). The Hausler property, approximately 300 feet from the log -loading operation would experience a noise level of 54 dB(A). 3. The Wilson property approximately 500 feet from the log storage area would experience a noise level of 49 dB(A). The Hausler property, approximately 400 feet from the log storage area would experience a noise level of 51 dB(A). Conclusion made by the acoustical engineer that conducted thus test was that no additional noise mitigation is required, except for the enclosure around the sawmill. If the enclosure around the sawmill is not installed noise levels from Scenario 1, 25 feet onto the Hausler property will be above the 55 dB(A) level. Additional comments made were: A. Noise levels from the existing traffic on Highway 13, twenty-five feet onto the Hausler property are higher than the calculated levels from the sawmill operations. B. For reference, Table 5.I below lists noise level of typical events. For the average human an increase of the measured noise level of IOdB is "subjectively perceived" as being twice as loud or half as loud for a 10 dB decrease. The decibel change at which the average human will indicate that the noise is just perceptibly louder or perceptibly quieter is 3 dB. (C) Impacts on wildlife and domestic animals through the creation of hazardous attractions, alteration of existing native vegetation, blockade of migration routes, use patterns or other disruptions; Comments received from CDOW indicate that this site will have limited impacts to the wildlife in this area. (D) Affirmatively show the impacts of truck and automobile traffic to and from such uses and their impacts to areas in the County; According to the applicant most of the traffic generated by this facility is limited to pick- up trucks. While the logs will be brought in on semis, normally one trip every two weeks •• •• virtually all finished product and by-product will be removed by pick-up trucks. Again, CDOT has stated that the use as described will not negatively impact SH 13. (E) That sufficient distance shall separate such use from abutting property, which might otherwise be damaged by operations of the proposed use(s); The nearest property -owner seemed to be about a mile away from the site. (F) Mitigation measures proposed for all of the foregoing impacts identified and for the standards identified in Section S. 03.08 of this Resolution Section 5.03.07 of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution states: All industrial operations in the County shall comply with applicable County, State, and Federal regulations regulating water, air and noise pollution and shall not be conducted in a manner constituting a public nuisance or hazard. Operations shall be conducted in such a manner as to minimize heat, dust, smoke, vibration, glare and odor and all other undesirable environmental effects beyond the boundaries of the property in which such uses are located, in accord with the following standards; (1) Volume of sound generated shall comply with the standards set forth in the Colorado Revised Statutes at the time any new application is made. (2) Vibration generated: every use shall be so operated that the ground vibration inherently and recurrently generated is not perceptible, without instruments, at any point of any boundary line of the property on which the use is located; (3) Emissions of smoke and particulate matter: every use shall be operated so as to comply with all Federal, State and County air quality laws, regulations and standards; (4) Emission of heat, glare, radiation and fumes.: every use shall be so operated that it does not emit heat, glare, radiation or fumes which substantially interfere with the existing use of adjoining property or which constitutes a public nuisance or hazard. Flaring of gases, aircraft warning signals, reflective painting of storage tanks, or other such operations, which may be required by law as safety or air pollution control measures, shall be exempted from this provision; This is a custom sawmill, which operates considerably fewer hours than a production sawmill. A production sawmill will run the equipment no less than eight hours per day five days a week. A custom sawmill such as this will run the big saws four to five hours per day three to four days per week. In the narrative the applicant has stated that all equipment used at this site is muffle equipped and complies with EPA standards. Furthermore the applicant stated that when they conducted sound metering tests on the boundary of the property and across the street the noise level ranged from zero to 135 decibels. The zero test level was obtained across the street from the property. The vehicles themselves used at this site are State emission tested. (5) Any lighting of storage area shall be pointed downward and inward to the property center and shaded to prevent direct reflection on adjacent property. The applicant has stated there is no need or desire to have night lighting for this area. III. REFERRAL AGENCY COMMENTS: The City of Rifle, Colorado Department of Wildlife and Transportation were contacted concerning this proposal. The Department of Wildlife stated that because this site has been at this location for so long it will have limited impacts on the wildlife in the area (copy enclosed). CDOT stated that the amount of vehicles accessing this site via State 13 should not significantly impact mobility or is safety a major concern (copy enclosed). The City of Rifle opted not to respond. Rifle Fire Protection District responded (copy • • attached), in brief RFPD is recommending a water supply of 30,000 gallons be establish, internal access be designed to accommodate emergency equipment, the property address be clearly visible from the street and that that applicant should consider a defensive space against wildfire by clearing land around the operation. IV. STAFF COMMENT: Much of this operation currently exists on the site. The applicant is only requesting permission to expand the operation to include sawing, peeling, notching, chinking and the stacking of logs. The house shell stack will not exceed 100 feet by 100 feet by 20 feet high. This property is isolated enough that operations normal to custom sawmills should not effect any neighboring property -owners. The operation is small enough to have limited effect on SH 13. The applicant had a sound -monitoring test conducted by a qualified acoustical engineer who concluded that if allowed, and the sawmill operation was enclosed, that this expansion would not exceed the decibel levels set by the State. V. SUGGESTED FINDINGS 1. That proper public notice was provided as required for the hearing before the Board of County Commissioners. 2. That the hearing before the Board of County Commissioners was extensive and complete, that all pertinent facts, matters and issues were submitted and that all interested parties were heard at the that meeting. 3. That for the above -stated reasons, the proposed special use permit would be in the best interest of the health, safety, morals, convenience, convenience, order, prosperity and welfare of the citizens of Garfield County. 4. That the application is in conformance with the Garfield County Zoning Resolution of 1978, as amended. VL RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends approval of the Strong Lumber Special Use Permit with the following conditions: 1. All representations of the applicant, written, spoken or implied will be considered conditions of approval. 2. The applicant shall meet all requirements of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution of 1978, as amended. 3. This Special Use Permit will be valid for one-year after which time the Planning Department can inspect the site for compliance to the terms of approval. 4. The applicant will do a dust control mitigation plan, reviewed by the Planning Department, prior to the signing of the Resolution. 5. The structure enclosing the sawmill will be in place prior to signing the Resolution. 6. The entire site will comply with the yard -plan submitted as part of this file. 7. Those concerns of the Rifle Fire Protection District will be complied with especially the requirement for a water supply plan. .) J -CO 84,:eg vd(if "I'LCL-( L—L L Qd,1c N N Board of County Commissioners May 14th, 2001 PROJECT INFORMATION AND STAFF COMMENTS REQUEST: Special Use permit to expand an existing custom log sawing facility. APPLICANT: George Strong LOCATION: 7190 SH 13, Rifle, CO. ACCESS: State Highway 13 WATER: Well water SEWER: ISDS EXISTING ZONING: A/RIRD ADJACENT ZONING: A/R/RD RELATIONSHIP TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN This proposal is located in Study Area III of the Comprehensive Plan. L INTRODUCTION / DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL: The applicant, George Strong currently operates a sawmill at 7190 State Highway 13 under a Special Use Permit granted by the County on August 7th, 1984. The applicant would like to expand this operation to include peeling, notching, chinking and stacking of logs. IL GARFIELD COUNTY ZONING RESOLUTION: Section 5.03 (1) of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution states: Utilities adequate to provide water and sanitation service based on accepted engineering standards and approved by the Board of County Commissioners shall either be in place or shall be constructed in conjunction with the proposed use. Human needs for water and sanitary facilities are served from an existing water well and ISDS. Currently the operation itself uses no water and the waste from the operation is limited mostly to sawdust is stored in a pit, protected from rain and wind. Once the pit is full the sawdust is removed. Section 5.03 (2) of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution states: Street improvements adequate to accommodate traffic volume generated by the proposed use and to provide safe, convenient access to the use shall either be in place or shall be constructed in conjunction with the proposed use Access to this site is limited to State Highway 13, CDOT jurisdiction. CDOT stated that this use would have limited effect on SH 13. Section 5.03 (2) of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution states: Design of the proposed use is organized to minimize impact on and from adjacent uses of land through installation of screen fences or landscape materials on the periphery of the lot and by location of intensively utilized areas, access points, lighting and signs in such a manner as to protect established neighborhood character; This sawmill is very isolated and has no immediate neighbors. .03.07 of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution states: The applicant for a mit for industrial operations shall prepare and submit to the Planning Director ten (10) copies of an impact statement on the proposed use describing its location, scope, design and construction schedule, including an explanation of its operational characteristics. One (1) copy of the impact statement shall be filed with the County Commissioners by the Planning Director. The impact statement shall address the following: (A) Existing lawful use of water through depletion or pollution of surface run-off, stream flow or ground water; This custom sawmill uses water for domestic purposes only. The applicant is trying to control sawmill by-products from getting into groundwater or streams by keeping the sawdust in a pit and periodically removing said sawdust. (B) Impacts on adjacent land from the generation of vapor, dust, smoke, noise, glare or vibration, or other emanations; There are no neighbors close enough to this site to be effected by this proposal. (C) Impacts on wildlife and domestic animals through the creation of hazardous attractions, alteration of existing native vegetation, blockade of migration routes, use patterns or other disruptions; Comments received from CDOW indicate that this site will have limited impacts to the wildlife in this area. (D) Affirmatively show the impacts of truck and automobile traffic to and from such uses and their impacts to areas in the County; According to the applicant most of the traffic generated by this facility is limited to pick- up trucks. While the logs will be brought in on semis, normally one trip every two weeks virtually all finished product and by-product will be removed by pick-up trucks. Again, CDOT has stated that the use as described will not negatively impact SH 13. (E) That sufficient distance shall separate such use from abutting property, which might otherwise be damaged by operations of the proposed use(s); The nearest property -owner seemed to be about a mile away from the site. (F) Mitigation measures proposed for all of the foregoing impacts identified and for the standards identified in Section 5.03.08 of this Resolution Section 5.03.07 of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution states: All industrial operations in the County shall comply with applicable County, State, and Federal regulations regulating water, air and noise pollution and shall not be conducted in a manner constituting a public nuisance or hazard. Operations shall be conducted in such a manner as to minimize heat, dust, smoke, vibration, glare and odor and all other undesirable environmental effects beyond the boundaries of the property in which such uses are located, in accord with the following standards; (1) Volume of sound generated shall comply with the standards set forth in the Colorado Revised Statutes at the time any new application is made. (2) Vibration generated: every use shall be so operated that the ground vibration inherently and recurrently generated is not perceptible, without instruments, at any point of any boundary line of the property on which the use is located; (3) Emissions of smoke and particulate matter: every use shall be operated so as to comply with all Federal, State and County air quality laws, regulations and standards; (4) Emission of heat, glare, radiation and fumes: every use shall be so operated that it does not emit heat, glare, radiation or fumes which substantially interfere with (5) the existing use of adjoining property or which constitutes a public nuisance or hazard. Flaring of gases, aircraft warning signals, reflective painting of storage tanks, or other such operations, which may be required by law as safety or air pollution control measures, shall be exempted from this provision; This is a custom sawmill, which operates considerably fewer hours than a production sawmill. A production sawmill will run the equipment no less than eight hours per day five days a week. A custom sawmill such as this will run the big saws four to five hours per day three to four hours per week. In the narrative the applicant has stated that all equipment used at this site is muffle equipped and complies with EPA standards. Furthermore the applicant stated that when they conducted sound metering tests on the boundary of the property and across the street the noise level ranged from zero to 135 decibels. The zero test level was obtained across the street from the property. The vehicles themselves used at this site are State emission tested. Any lighting of storage area shall be pointed downward and inward to the property center and shaded to prevent direct reflection on adjacent property. The applicant has stated there is no need or desire to have night lighting for this area, III. REFERRAL AGENCY COMMENTS: The City of Rifle, Colorado Department of Wildlife and Transportation were contacted concerning this proposal. The Department of Wildlife stated that because this site has been at this location for so long it will have limited impacts on the wildlife in the area (copy enclosed). CDOT stated that the amount of vehicles accessing this site via State 13 should not significantly impact mobility or is safety a major concern (copy enclosed). The City of Rifle opted not to respond. IV. STAFF COMMENT: Much of this operation currently exists on the site. The applicant is only requesting permission to expand the operation to include sawing, peeling, notching, chinking and the stacking of logs. The house shell stack will not exceed 100 feet by 100 feet by 20 feet high. This property is isolated enough that operations normal to custom sawmills should not effect any neighboring property -owners. The operation is small enough to have limited effect on SH 13. The applicant was dubious about two items, dust control and noise. While the applicant states that most of the traffic is limited to personal vehicles (pick up trucks) there will be dust and mitigation measures are required. Secondly, while the applicant did a decameter reading the Codes of Garfield County imply the test done by an acoustical engineer complete with decibel lines and in keeping with the provisions of CRS 2.02.301 subsections 2 and 3. V. SUGGESTED FINDINGS 1. That proper public notice was provided as required for the hearing before the Board of County Commissioners. 2. That the hearing before the Board of County Commissioners was extensive and complete, that all pertinent facts, matters and issues were submitted and that all interested parties were heard at the that meeting. 3. That for the above -stated reasons, the proposed special use permit would be in the best interest of the health, safety, morals, convenience, convenience, order, prosperity and welfare of the citizens of Garfield County. 4. That the application is in conformance with the Garfield County Zoning Resolution of 1978, as amended. VI. RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends approval of this proposal based on the above Suggested Findings and the following conditions: 1. That all representations of the applicant, either written, implied or stated at the hearing before the Board of County Commissioners, shall be considered conditions of approval. 2. That the applicant shall meet all requirements of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution of 1978, as amended. 3. This Special Use Permit is valid for one-year after which time the Planning Department can inspect the site for compliance. 4. The applicant will do a dust control mitigation plan, reviewed by the Planning Department prior to signing the Resolution. 5. An acoustical engineer will conduct a decibel test on the subject property and the results will not exceed the limitations set forth in the Colorado Revised Statutes.