PublicOfficialsandPipelineSafety

“Communi(esneedtobemorepro‐ac(ve.Ifthereisapipelinethentherearethingsthat

arenotappropriatetobetooclose.”

‐BentonCounty,WACountyCommissioner

ExploratoryInterviews

•  SelectrepresentaBvecommuniBeswith:– Heightenedawareness– Lowawareness

•  CheckassumpBons

•  GetiniBalfeedbackonConsultaBonZones(CZs)

•  Usefindingstodeveloplarge‐scalesurvey

CityofBoiseandAdaCounty,Idaho

•  NotprimedwithpreviouseducaBon/outreach•  Growingfast•  Smallspillin2000

CityofKennewickandBentonCounty,Washington

•  PrimedwithpreviouseducaBon/outreach•  Growingfast•  Publicofficialwithpipelinesafetyexperience

ChoosingRespondents•  TogetdifferentperspecBvesonCZsandthepotenBalbarriersandbenefitsweaWemptedtospeakwithplanningstaffmembers(2)andelectedofficials(1)fromeachlocaBonwithapotenBaltotalof3interviewsperlocaBon.

•  IniBalconversaBonswithPlanningDirectors/AdministratorsindicatedthatdepartmentswererelaBvelysmallwithstaffonthesamepageasfaraspipelinesandcommunityplanning.Therefore,weonlyspokewithoneplanner(DirectororAdministrator)perloca(on.

ContacBngrespondents

•  AWemptsweremadethroughemailsandfollow‐upphonecalls

•  Planningstaffrespondedwelltoemail

•  Electedofficials(asidefromBentonCounty)proveddifficulttocontact

•  Allinterviewswereconductedoverthephone

Respondents(6*)

•  CityofBoise– PlanningDirector✓– Electedofficial*

•  AdaCounty – PlanningandZoningAdministrator✓

– Electedofficial*

•  CityofKennewick– AssistantPlanner✓– Electedofficial✓

•  BentonCounty– PlanningManager✓– Electedofficial✓

*Totalexpectednumberofinterviewsis8.TheinterviewwiththeCityofBoiseelectedofficalisscheduledfor4/7/10.ContactwithanelectedofficialfromAdaCountyissBllinprogress.

InterviewFindingsPart1.CheckingAssumpBons

•  AllcommuniBesshowedhighgeneralawarenessofpipelinesandpipelinelocaBons.

•  Everycommunitywasexperiencinggrowthnearortowardpipelines.

•  Allrespondentsindicatedtheyhadwell‐markedpipelines.

•  PlanningstaffdirectdevelopersandthoseapplyingforpermitstouseOneCall.

InterviewFindingsPart1.CheckingAssumpBons(con’t)

•  PlanningDepts.hadsystemssetuptoalertplanningstaffofthepresenceofpipelines:

•  AllhadGIScapabiliBesandmapsavailabletostaff•  Alldepts.IncludedpipelinecompaniesinpermitapplicaBondistribuBon.

•  Nonerequiredsign‐offfrompipelineoperators

•  Electedofficialsshowedsolidconfidenceintheirplanningstaffanddepartments.

InterviewFindingsPart2.FeedbackonCZs

What’syourini(alreac(ontotheideaofadop(ngConsulta(onZones?

•  “Idon’thavealotheartburnaboutthat.”‐AdaPlanningAdministrator:

•  “Idon’tthinkwehaveanyissueswiththataslongaswehavetheinforma(onaboutwherethesepipelinesare,whichcurrentlywedo.”‐BentonPlanningManager

•  “Ithinkthatwouldbefine,wewouldn’thaveaproblemwiththatatall.Wekindofdothatrightnowwithirrigators,werequirethemtomeetwiththeWaterMaster.”‐BoisePlanningDirector

•  “I’mnotopposedtothat.”‐Bentoncountyelectedofficial•  “Idon’tthinkthatwouldbeaproblem.”–Kennewickelected•  KennewickPlanningAssistantstatedthattheirdepartmentis

alreadytalkingaboutdoingsomethingsimilar,“Wecertainlyrecognizethehazardsinnothavingeveryoneonboard.”

InterviewFindingsPart2.FeedbackonCZs(con’t)Likelihoodofadop(ngConsulta(onZones?

•  AllplanningstaffandelectedofficialsinterviewedindicatedthattheyfeltadopBonofCZswouldbearelaBvelysmoothprocess.

•  “Wealreadydocountlesszoningandpolicyamendmentscodifyingthiswouldbenoproblem.”–AdaPlanningAdmin

•  InBentonCountyconversaBonshavealreadystartedondoingthiswithotheruBliBes,includingpipelinesdidn’tseemtobeatoughsell.

•  “Wecoulddothat.”Headded,“especiallyifitwasjustthebig,majorlines.”–BoisePlanningDirector

•  “Wearedoingalotofthatalready.”–KennewickPlanningAssistant•  “Itwouldnotbemuchofanissue,thePlanningDepartmentcould

doit.”–Bentonelected•  TheCityofKennewick’selectedindicatedthatshedidn’tthinkit

wouldrequirethatmuchaddiBonalstaffBmeandthatshedidn’tseeitasa“burdenonanyone.”(Note:Sheisalsoadeveloper)

InterviewFindingsPart3.BarriersandBenefits

BarriersSummary:•  Respondentswantnoblanketchangesfromthetopdown(e.g.statemandate);communiBesshouldbeworkedwithonanindividualbasistoadoptchangesatthelocallevel.

•  ThedistanceoftheZoneneedstobeexplained,as660feetfeltexcessivetoseveralrespondents.Mostlocalpublicofficialsdealwithbuffersinthe50‐200footrange,660isbeyondwhatmanycommuniBesanddevelopersareusedtodealingwith.

•  TheremaybesomepushbackifadopBonisseentoslowdowngrowthorthepermihngprocess.Theremayalsobesomepropertyrightspushbackdependingonwhatis“allowed”withinthe660feet.

•  PlannerswereconcernedthattheynotloseauthoritytoapproveordenyapermittoaprojectasaresultofCZs.

InterviewFindingsPart3.BarriersandBenefits(con’t)

BenefitsSummary:•  AllrespondentssawthepublicsafetybenefitofCZsandfelt

itshouldbeemphasized.•  RespondentsindicatedthattheproacBveapproachofCZs

wasaposiBve.•  AllofthesecommuniBesalreadyconsiderandinvolve

pipelineoperatorsinthepermihngprocess,adopBngCZsdidnotseemlikeanextraburden.

•  AllcommuniBesindicatedtheyhadgoodrelaBonshipswithpipelineoperators.

•  RespondentsfeltsampleordinancesandguidanceontheMRSCwebsitewouldbehelpful.

GeneralConclusion•  AdopBonofCZsinthesecommuniBescouldbearelaBvelysmoothprocessif…–  thepublicsafetybenefitswereemphasized.–  theaddedrequirementsdidnotnoBceablyorsignificantlyslowdownthepermit/developmentprocess.

–  planningstaff,developersandconsBtuentsbeWerunderstoodtheneedfora660footbuffer.

“Wecouldhavethisthrough[thepoli(calprocess]in3months.”–BoisePlanningDirector

Nextsteps…•  Developsurvey– Focusonplanningdirectors/administrators

•  Conductsurvey– Onlinedelivery,follow‐upemailsand/orphonecallstoensureacceptablereturnrate

•  Analyzesurveyresults•  Developprogramelementsfromsurveyresults

•  Testprogramwithfocusgroups