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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 3 230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Affected Environment PAGE 3-136 Kittitas County Kittitas County is located at the geographic center of Washington State. Action Alternative route segments are located in southeastern Kittitas County south of I-90, between the Yakima Training Center and Columbia River, and between the Yakima River Canyon and Yakima Training Center. The City of Ellensburg, located outside of the Project study area in the central part of the Kittitas County, is the county seat. According to the Kittitas County Comprehensive Plan (2013), the county has a number of Goals, Policies, and Objectives (GPO) related to transmission lines: GPO 6.1 The County should promote the joint use of transportation ROWs and other utility corridors consistent with the underlying private property rights and easement limitations. GPO 6.2 Appropriately place utility facilities within public ROWs. GPO 6.6 Expansion and improvement of utility systems should be recognized primarily as the responsibility of the utility providing the corresponding service. GPO 6.21 Avoid, where possible, routing major electric transmission lines above 55 kV through urban areas. GPO 6.32 Electric and natural gas transmission and distribution facilities may be sited within and through areas of Kittitas County both inside and outside of municipal boundaries, Urban Growth Areas, Master Planned Resorts, limited area of more intensive rural development and Fully Contained Communities, including to and through rural areas of Kittitas County. Zoning in Kittitas County within the Project study area is typically “Commercial Agriculture”, “Agriculture-20” and “Forest and Range.” Kittitas County Code (KCC), Chapter 17.61 “Utilities” states that electrical transmission lines exceeding 115 kV are categorized as a “Special Utility” and may be authorized by the Board of Commissioners as a conditional use in all zoning districts. A conditional use is defined as a use which may be permitted in a zone classification following review under the provisions of KCC Chapter 17.60A. The conditional use permit (CUP) process involves a pre-application meeting, filing and application, staff comment on the application, public comment (15 days), recommendation from the Hearing Examiner, and final decision from the board on the CUP. Due to the size and timing of this proposed Project, a Development Agreement (DA) may also be required. The DA is subject to public notice, a public hearing before the Board of County Commissioners, and approval by the Board of County Commissioners prior to processing of the CUP and any other land use permits deemed necessary at the time of project permitting with Kittitas County. The GMA requires counties to develop policies and development regulations to protect the functions and values of critical areas. These are adopted in ordinance and are typically referred to as CAOs. Critical areas identified by Kittitas County in the Project study area include “Wetlands,” “Erosion Hazard Areas,” Floodplains and Floodways,” “Riparian Habitat,” “Geologically Hazardous Areas,” “Landslide Areas,” “Mine Hazard Areas,” “Seismic Hazard Areas,” and “Streams and Rivers.” Crossing of these areas in Kittitas County may require a Critical Areas Permit. The Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners approved the County's updated Shoreline Master Program (SMP) on December 2, 2014 (Kittitas County 2014). The WDOE granted final approval of the County’s updated SMP on February 22, 2016 making the county’s comprehensive SMP update effective as of March 7, 2016. Depending on the exact locations of the transmission line towers, shoreline permitting may be required. In Kittitas County, shoreline jurisdiction includes: all shorelines of the state;