Agenda - Planning Commission - 04/27/2023

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CC Regular Session 7. 1. Meeting Date: 05/10/2022 By: Chi-is Anderson, COMMUnity Development Information Title Consider Request for an Amended Conditional Use Peen it to Expand an Existing Natural as Substation at 7607 173rd Svc.NW(Project No. 22-119); Case of CenterPoint Energy Purpose/Background: CenterPoint Energy (the"Applicant")has applied for an Amended Conditional Use Permit to expand their natural gas substation at 7607 173rd.venue'NW (the"Sub iect Property")with the installation of a 12,000-gallots odorant tank and associated equipment. 0 Notifleation" The City attempted to send a mailing via Standard U.S.Mail to property owners within 350 feet of the Subject Property,as noted in the Anoka County Property Records, notifying them.of the public hearing held by the Planning Commission on April 28,2022.The notice was also published in the Anoka County UnionHerald. Observations/Alternatives: The Su bject Property U.; about 13.60 acres in size and is zoned R-1 Residential (Rural Developing).The 2040 Comprehensive Plan guides the Subject Property as Public. Essential Services are a Conditional Use in the R-I Residential District. The surrounding properties are zoned R-1 Residential(Rural Development)and are gUided.as Rural Developing. Surrounding property sizes range from about 0.90 acres(south of 173rd Avenue)to 40 acres. The Applicant intends to install a 12,000-gallon odorant tank and associated.equipment on the Sinject Property. Additionally,the Applicant will be adding four(4)inches of class V gravel to the entrances and maneuvering areas. They are not proposing any modifications to existing access points nor are they proposing any additional access points. During the colder,heating season months (generally considered Novernber- March),the Applicant's personnel would access the Subject Property approximately 3-4 instances per month with 1-ton or 2-ton pick-up trucks that have been modified to carry the odorant. On site, they would use the storage tank to fill their trucks and then travel to various odorant injection sites throughout the state to disperse the odorant into the natural gas. The storage tank itself would require filling about 4 times per year(again,over the colder,heating season months, it would likely require filling 2-3 times,,and over the remainder of the year,one additional filling). This is accomplished via a tanker truck. In addition to the odorant stonage tank, the Applicant is proposing the installation of a small (101 x 1Y)equipment building, security fencing, a security light,and a twenty-five foot tall flare. The flare is necessary to control pressure within the storage tank during filling procedures for both the bulk storage tank and the odorant trucks. Personnel would be on site at a]I times whi le fl ari n cr i s occurring. Flaring would last approximately 20 minutes per occurrence and would only be done during normal, daytime business hours,reducing the visible light to an almost non-detectable level. In the late 1990s, the Applicant received a Conditional Use Permit to add a Peak Shaving Plant to the substation operation on the Sub j ect Property. That part of the operation ceased in 2003, However,there are still remnants of that system on the Subject Property. As part of this project,the Applicant would be removing the remain ing portions of the former tank foundation and building slabs, as well as the old security fencing. As previously noted,