Laserfiche WebLink
vote entities-it may be necessary to define <br />the use as being within the definition of a <br />"utility." Otherwise, special permitting may <br />be required to allow geothermal pipelines <br />to be located within or cross a right-of-way. <br />- Use Standards. Many-but not all- <br />communitiesthat have some zoning provi- <br />sions for geothermal codify a range of use <br />standards forgeothermal development. <br />Examples of commun ities that have adopted <br />use standards include Washoe County, Ne- <br />vada; Harney County, Oregon; and Imperial <br />County, California. Communities that allow <br />geothermal uses in use lists but do not set <br />out specific usestandards include Beaver <br />County, Utah, and Mammoth Lakes and Et <br />Centro, California <br />Many ofthe typical use standards are <br />listed below: <br />• Road improvement requirements and <br />standards to minimize the total linear feet of <br />new access roads and resulting disturbance <br />and erosion <br />• Emergency standards that include re- <br />quirementsforsubmittalofcdntingency . <br />plans, on-site posting of emergency contact <br />information, and coordination with gtt and <br />fire departments <br />• Dust abatement requirements during drill- <br />ingandcons[ruction <br />• Noise standards for both drilling and <br />operations <br />• Abandonment provisions, such as re- <br />quirements to restore and revegetate after <br />drilling <br />• Access protection requirements forfenc- <br />ingorotherdeterrdntstopublicaccess - <br />88 <br />• Air quality protection requirements that <br />typically consist of references to state and <br />federal standards <br />• Ground or surface waterprotectioristan- <br />dards,whichtypically reference state and <br />federalstandardshut may also~elaborate <br />sepamtion standards from existingwellheads <br />• Historic and cultural resources and habi- <br />tatprotettionrequirements . <br />• Separation requirements from other uses, <br />particularly noise-sensitive uses such as <br />schools, hospitals, and-most commonly- <br />single-family residences <br />~• Pipeline standards for road crossings that <br />mi nimize visual and traffic impacts <br />• Subsidencestandardsthataregenerally <br />stated to require mitigation of any subsid- <br />encethatmayocar <br />In communities that have not codified <br />specific standards, permit approvals maybe <br />conditioned based on similar considerations <br />as needed. <br />Some localjurisdictions' geothermal <br />regulations include provisions that are <br />redundant to or simply reference state or <br />federal regulations. In general, such re- <br />dundancy isunnecessary: However, some <br />jurisd fictions codify these provisions locally <br />.so that, in the event that another agency's <br />enforcement is slow or fax, local code en- <br />forcementtoolssuch as permit revocation <br />may be brought to bear. <br />Overfoy District. Geothermal overlay <br />districts, whether mapped or unmapped, <br />are used iR a number of communities both - <br />toregulate and to protectgeothermal re- <br />sources development. Imperial County has <br />adopted and mapped energyzonesaround <br />its KGRAsthat protectthem from develop- <br />ment that could impede future geothermal <br />development. Klamath County, Oregon, <br />which has the potential for direct use appli- <br />cations ofgeothermal but not energy devel- <br />opment,has adopted a geothermal overlay <br />zone that is not mapped.Geothermal devel- <br />opment inthe county requires rezoningto <br />the geothermal overlay district, which adds <br />ZDNINGPRACTICE 5.ao <br />AMERICAN PWYNING ASSOCIAnONIQage 6 <br />