The city of Sumner has released a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement regarding two Fleischmann’s Industrial Park LLC properties and the proposal for a North Star chemical storage facility. The public is invited to submit input by Jan. 17.
Specifically, the Impact Statement addresses potential amendments to Sumner’s Manufacturing/Industrial Center and Town Center Plan, which would allow the 21.3 acres along Fryar Avenue (the official address is 1115 Zehnder) to be rolled into the industrial center footprint.
The properties, an empty field and the Fleischmann’s Yeast and Vinegar Plant, are already zoned as Light Industrial and Heavy Industrial. The parcels’ incorporation into the Industrial Center would preclude the possibility of planned mixed use development, such as residences, as determined by the Town Center Plan.
For that reason, Sumner officials denied Fleischmann’s docket proposal when it was first presented in 2010.
Fleischmann’s appealed to the Puget Sound Growth Management Hearing Board, and the Board decided the city had not provided enough supporting documentation to prop up its argument. Under those marching orders, the city produced the present impact statement.
The impact statement was comprehensive, examining everything from housing and business development, to traffic, to weather conditions and explosion risks. Each category was examined under the light of a “No Action” and “Action” alternative.
The “No Action” alternative, which City Council selected the first time around in 2010, would leave the Planned Mixed Use Development overlay the same as guided by the city’s Town Center Plan.
Examination of the effects of taking action found that potential housing in proximity to downtown businesses and transit facilities would be reduced.
Traffic would be less than levels if the same area were developed with residences.
Flooding would become a greater concern due to the greater square-footage of paved and otherwise impermeable developed land.
Notably, under Section 3.4, Explosion Risk and Hazardous Materials, the text reads: “(The parcels base zoning) would continue to apply to the eastern study parcel. The MIC Overlay and the M-1 and M-2 base zones prohibit ‘manufacturing, refining or storage of noxious, volatile, toxic or explosive products as principal use.” The text went on to acknowledge that other uses like heavy machinery manufacture could incidentally involve hazardous or explosive chemicals without being in breach of the law.
The chemicals section is relevant to the Fleischmann’s site, as the southernmost empty property is proposed for the Northstar Chemical Plant, which has some vocal opposition in the community due to the potential for ground liquefaction in an earthquake.
The environmental impact statement only acknowledged the Northstar proposal briefly, as determination of the viability of a chemical plant was not the purpose of it.
However, the alternatives discussed under the applicable sections would suggest the zoning on the site, even if it were rolled into the Industrial Center, would prohibit hazardous chemical storage.
The above article drew heavily on the 238-page draft of the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. To read the statement for yourself, click here.
