FREELAND WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT
ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST
Including incorporation by reference [WAC 197-11-635]
(WAC 19711960 Environmental checklist)
Purpose of Checklist
The State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), chapter 43.21C RCW, requires all governmental agencies to consider the environmental impacts of a proposal before making decisions. An environmental impact statement (EIS) must be prepared for all proposals with probable significant adverse impacts on the quality of the environment. The purpose of this checklist is to provide information to help you and the agency identify impacts from your proposal (and to reduce or avoid impacts from the proposal, if it can be done) and to help the agency decide whether an EIS is required.
Instructions for Applicants
This environmental checklist asks you to describe some basic information about your proposal. Governmental agencies use this checklist to determine whether the environmental impacts of your proposal are significant, requiring preparation of an EIS. Answer the questions briefly, with the most precise information known, or give the best description you can.
You must answer each question accurately and carefully, to the best of your knowledge. In most cases, you should be able to answer the questions from your own observations or project plans without the need to hire experts. If you really do not know the answer, or if a question does not apply to your proposal, write "do not know" or "does not apply". Complete answers to the questions now may avoid unnecessary delays later.
Some questions ask about governmental regulations, such as zoning, shoreline, and landmark designations. Answer these questions if you can. If you have problems, the governmental agencies can assist you.
The checklist questions apply to all parts of your proposal, even if you plan to do them over a period of time or on different parcels of land. Attach any additional information that will help describe your proposal or its environmental effects. The agency to which you submit this checklist may ask you to explain your answers or provide additional information reasonably related to determining if there may be significant adverse impact.
Use of Checklist for Nonproject Proposals
Complete this checklist for nonproject proposals, even though questions may be answered "does not apply." In addition, complete the Supplemental Sheet for Nonproject Actions (part D).
For nonproject actions, the references in the checklist to the words "project," "applicant," and "property or site" should be read as "proposal," "proposer," and "affected geographic area," respectively.
Freeland Water and Sewer District Environmental Checklist
A. BACKGROUND
1. Name of proposed project, if applicable:
Petition for Annexation to Freeland Water & Sewer District; pursuant to R.C.W. 57.24.070, (Petition Method) submitted by the Fletcher Family Ventures LLC. This is a non-project action.
2. Name of applicant: Fletcher Family Ventures LLC.
3. Address and phone number of applicant and contact person:
Fletcher Family Ventures LLC.
5698 Mutiny Bay Road
Freeland, WA 98249
(360) 331-5015
As a nonproject action the Freeland Water and Sewer District has prepared the checklist:
Freeland Water and Sewer DistrictPO Box 222
Freeland, WA 98249
4. Date checklist prepared: April 2, 2010
5. Agency requesting checklist: Freeland Water & Sewer District
6. Proposed timing or schedule (including phasing, if applicable):
Upon completion of the environmental analysis and issuance of the Threshold Determination and all actions associated thereto, the Freeland Water and Sewer District will hold a public hearing, and cause notice of the hearing to be published in one issue of a newspaper of general circulation in the area proposed to be annexed and also posted in three public places within the area proposed for annexation. The notice shall specify the time and place of hearing and invite interested persons to appear and voice approval or disapproval of the proposed annexation. If the District decides to proceed with the annexation and accepts the petition, then it will pass a resolution of intent to annex the area and will forward the resolution to the Board Island County of County Commissioners. Following the County’s review and approval, the District will pass a resolution annexing the area into the District.7. Do you have any plans for future additions, expansion, or further activity related to or connected with this proposal? If yes, explain. The District must concurrently submit a request to Island County for inclusion of the proposed annexation area within the water service area of the District pursuant to the Public Water System Coordination Act [RCW 70.116.070]
8. List any environmental information you know about that has been prepared, or will be prepared, directly related to this proposal. This environmental evaluation was prepared for consistency with and in implementation of the goals, policies and text contained in the Island County Comprehensive Plan and its associated FEIS, the Freeland NMUGA plan and its associated FEIS, and the Freeland Comprehensive Sewer Plan and Engineering Report/Facility Plan its associated DNS, including the environmental checklists and environmental reports/studies associated with referenced documents. The first two documents are incorporated by reference and are available for review in the offices of Island County Planning and Community Development. The Freeland Sewer Plan is available at the offices of The Freeland Water and Sewer District. In each case a separate environmental review was conducted and each is adopted by reference under WAC 197-11-635. The environmental information and SEPA determinations prepared for the original adoption of referenced Island County Plan and the Freeland Water and Sewer District Plans and all subsequent amendments thereto pertain to and relate this nonproject action. State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review is not mandatory for amendments to water systems unless the system has 1,000 or greater service connections. The Freeland Water and Sewer District has less than 1,000 connections.
9. Do you know whether applications are pending for governmental approvals of other proposals directly affecting the property covered by your proposal? If yes, explain.
A portion of the petitioner’s property (10 acres) has been identified as the preferred site for the District’s membrane bioreactor Waste Water Treatment Plant and emergency storage. A Waste Water Treatment Plant is an Essential Public Facility (Class B) which is conditionally allowed in the Rural Forest zone upon approval of a site plan. This is a future project action and not currently pending before the County.
10. List any government approvals or permits that will be needed for your proposal, if known.
If the Freeland Water and Sewer District passes a resolution of intent to annex all or a part of the land contained in the petition, the matter will be referred to the Board of Island County Commissioner pursuant to RCW 57.24.010. Under the Public Water Systems Coordination Act, the District must also submit a request for a water service area expansion. [RCW 70.116.070]
11. Give brief, complete description of your proposal, including the proposed uses and the size of the project and site. There are several questions later in this checklist that ask you to describe certain aspects of your proposal. You do not need to repeat those answers on this page. (Lead agencies may modify this form to include additional specific information on project description.):
The petitioners are seeking annexation into the Freeland Water and Sewer District for the following Assessor’s parcels:
Parcel Number / Approximate Area / Zoning / NMUGA/Growth AreaS8290-00-00062-0 / 4.69 / Rural Agriculture / No/Yes
R22909-197-4240 / 10.02 / Rural Forest / No/Yes
R22909-197-4800 / 10.02 / Rural Forest / No/Yes
R22909-101-4610 / 32.78 / Rural Forest / No/Yes
R22910-185-0090 / 12.74 / Rural Forest / No/Yes
R22910-020-0820 / 106.23 / Rural Agriculture / No/Yes
R22910-030-1460 / 6.40 / Rural / Yes/Yes
R22916-513-4360 / 3.0 / Rural / No/Yes
Total Acreage / 185.88
12. Location of the proposal. Give sufficient information for a person to understand the precise location of your proposed project, including a street address, if any, and section, township and range, if known. If a proposal would occur over a range of area, provide the range or boundaries of the site(s). Provide a legal description, site plan, vicinity map, and topographic map, if reasonably available. While you should submit any plans required by the agency, you are not required to duplicate maps or detailed plans submitted with any permit applications related to this checklist. The area petitioned for annexation lies in Sections 9, 10, and 16, Township 29 North, Range 2 E in unincorporated Island County southwest of SR 525, in the vicinity of the unincorporated community of Freeland on South Whidbey Island Washington. Freeland has been designated as a Nonmunicipal Urban Growth Area.
B. ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS
1. EARTH
A. General description of the site (circle one): Flat, rolling, hilly, steep slopes, mountainous, other – Not applicable, non-project action.
B. What is the steepest slope on the site (approximate percent slope)? Not applicable, non-project action.
C. What general types of soils are found on the site (for example, clay, sand, gravel, peat, muck)? If you know the classification of agricultural soils, specify them and note any prime farmland. Not applicable, non-project action.
D. Are there surface indications or history of unstable soils in the immediate vicinity? If so, describe. Not applicable, non-project action.
E. Describe the purpose, type and approximate quantities of any filling or grading proposed. Indicate source of fill. Not applicable, non-project action.
F. Could erosion occur as a result of clearing, construction, or use? If so, generally describe. This is a non-project action. Impacts on earth elements will be addressed at future project stages.
G. About what percent of the site will be covered with impervious surfaces after project construction (for example, asphalt or buildings)? Not applicable, non-project action.
H. Proposed measures to reduce or control erosion, or other impacts to the earth, if any: This is a Non-project action. Code-mandated measures and SEPA/NEPA will be required as part of future project actions and associated future nonproject planning actions.
2. AIR
A. What types of emissions to the air would result from the proposal (i.e., dust, automobile, odors, and industrial wood smoke) during construction and when the project is completed? If any, generally describe and give approximate quantities of known. Not applicable, non-project action.
B. Are there any offsite sources of emissions or odor that may affect your proposal? If so, generally describe. Not applicable, non-project action.
C. Proposed measures to reduce or control emissions or other impacts to air, if any? None proposed or necessary for this Nonproject action.
3. WATER
A. Surface:
i. Is there any surface water body on or in the immediate vicinity of the site (including yearround and seasonal streams, saltwater, lakes, ponds, wetlands)? If yes, describe type and provide names. If appropriate, state what stream or river it flows into. Not applicable, non-project action.
ii. Will the project require any work over, in, or adjacent to (within 200 feet) the described waters? If yes, please describe and attach available plans. Not applicable, non-project action.
iii. Estimate the amount of fill and dredge materials that would be placed in or removed from surface water or wetlands and indicate the area of the site that would be affected. Indicate the source of fill material. Not applicable, non-project action.
iv. Will the proposal require surface water withdrawals or diversions? Give general description, purpose and approximate quantities if known. Not applicable, non-project action.
v. Does the proposal lie within a 100year floodplain? If so, note location on the site plan. Not applicable, non-project action.
vi. Does the proposal involve any discharges of waste materials to surface waters? If so, describe the type of waste and anticipated volume of discharge. Not applicable, non-project action.
B. Ground:
i. Will ground water be withdrawn, or will water be discharged to ground water? Give general description, purpose, and approximate quantities if known. Not applicable, non-project action.
ii. Describe waste material that will be discharged into the ground from septic tanks or other sources, if any (for example: Domestic sewage; industrial, containing the following chemicals. . .; agricultural; etc.) Describe the general size of the system, the number of such systems, the number of houses to be served (if applicable) or the number of animals or humans the system(s) are expected to serve. Not applicable, non-project action.
C. Water Runoff (including storm water):
i. Describe the source of runoff (including stormwater) and method of collection and disposal, if any (including quantities, if known). Where will this water flow? Will this water flow into other waters? If so, describe. Not applicable, non-project action.
ii. Could waste materials enter ground or surface waters? If so, generally describe. Not applicable, non-project action.
Proposed measures to reduce or control surface, ground and runoff water impacts, if any: To be identified and evaluated with specific development applications, which will require additional review under SEPA and conformity to the Island County’s surface water and ground water protection regulations.
4. PLANTS
A. Check or circle types of vegetation found on the site:
___x_ deciduous tree: alder, maple, aspen, other
___x_ evergreen tree: fir, cedar, pine, other
___x_ shrubs
___x_ grass
___x_ pasture
___x_ crop or grain
___x_ wet soil plants: cattail, buttercup, bulrush, skunk cabbage, other
_____ water plants: water lily, eelgrass, milfoil, other _____ other types of vegetation
B. What kind and amount of vegetation will be removed or altered? Not applicable, non-project action.
C. List threatened or endangered species known to be on or near the site. Not applicable, non-project action.
D. Proposed landscaping, use of native plants, or other measures to preserve or enhance vegetation on the site, if any: The Island County Comprehensive Plan and development regulations contain goals and policies and standards that address the preservation of significant trees and vegetation. This is a non-project action.
5. ANIMALS
A. Circle any birds and animals which have been observed on or near the site or are known to be on or near the site:
birds: hawk, heron, eagle, songbirds, great blue heron, other
mammals: deer, bear, elk, beaver, other
fish: bass, salmon, trout, herring, shellfish, other