HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP 2023-022 Col Basin Truck Driving Final Decision 1 16 24CITY OF PASCO HEARING EXAMINER
IN THE MATTER OF ) FINDINGS OF FACT,
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW,
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL AND
DECISION
SP 2023-022 )
Columbia Basin Truck Driving School )
THIS MATTER having come on for hearing in front of the City of Pasco Hearing Examiner on
January 10, 2024, the Hearing Examiner having taken evidence hereby submits the following
Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Decision as follows:
L FINDINGS OF FACT
1. Applicant Columbia Basin Truck Driving School proposes to use an existing building and site
facilities as a commercial truck driving school.
2. Legal: W2NW4NE4; SW4NE4; W2NE4SE4 LY 18-9-30 W OF NPRR R/W & W2SE4 &
SW4 & NW4 LESS RDS (285377).
3. General Location: 3605 Stearman Avenue (Parcel 113290029) located on the northeast corner
of Stearman Avenue and Boeing Street, in Pasco, Washington.
4. Property Size: Parcel 113290029 is a large property owned by the Port of Pasco, containing
approximately 394.07 acres of land. The Applicant would lease a portion of the land,
approximately 1 acre, for the proposal.
5. ACCESS: The property has access from Stearman Avenue and Boeing Street.
6. UTILITIES: Municipal water and sewer services are available from Stearman Avenue and
Boeing Street.
7. LAND USE AND ZONING: The property is zoned I -I (Light Industrial) and is developed
with an existing building and some site improvements including gravel, asphalt, and fencing.
Surrounding properties are zoned and developed as follows:
North:
I-1
INDUSTRIAL/VACANT BUILDING
East:
I-1
INDUSTRIAL/VACANT STORAGE YARD
South:
I-1
INDUSTRIAL/AUTO PARTS STORE
West:
I-1
INDUSTRIAL/PUMP SUPPLIER
8. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Comprehensive Plan designates this site as Industrial. The
Industrial designation allows for I-1, I-2, and I-3 zoning; development may be manufacturing,
food processing, storage and wholesale distribution of equipment and products, hazardous
material storage, and transportation related facilities. Per Land Use Policy LU-1-B the City is
to enhance the physical appearance of development within the community through land use
regulations, design guidelines, and performance and maintenance standards including
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landscaping, screening, building facades, color, signs, and parking lot design and appearance.
Per Land Use Policy LU-2-A the City shall maintain sufficient land designated to
accommodate residential, commercial, industrial, educational, public facility, and open -space
uses proximate to appropriate transportation and utility infrastructure. Per Land Use Policy
LU-2-C the City shall ensure that adequate public services are provided in a reasonable time
frame for new developments. Per Capital Facilities Goal CF-6, the City shall foster adequate
provision for educational facilities throughout the UGA.
9. ENVIRONMENTAL DETERIVIINATION: The City of Pasco is the lead agency for this
project. Based on the SEPA checklist, the adopted City Comprehensive Plan, City
development regulations, and other information, a threshold determination resulting in a
Determination of Non -Significance (DNS) was issued on December 20'b, 2024 for this project
under WAC 197-11-355.
10. The site is located on Port of Pasco property, to the northeast of the intersection of North
Stearman Avenue and Boeing Street (Parcel 113-290-029), in Pasco, Washington. Parcel
113290029 is a large property owned by the Port of Pasco, containing approximately 394.07
acres of land. The proposal would lease a portion of the land, approximately 1 acre, for the
proposal. There are no parks or transit stops in the vicinity of the proposed site.
11. The site was annexed into the City of Pasco in 1953 (Ordinance 0759) and was subsequently
zoned I-1 Light Industrial. The site was previously developed with a 2,512 sq. ft.
industrial/light manufacturing building around 1942. It is unknown when the placement of
asphalt, gravel, and fencing occurred.
12. The project will involve the operation of a commercial truck driving school on a site with
some site improvements and an existing building. Students of the school are taught at a 3:1
student to teacher ratio, students will complete classroom and range instruction at the subject
site. The current site would have two employees, increasing to three or four after two to three
years. Classroom instruction is limited to one week out of a month -long course, the remainder
of the course is spent on range and on driving instruction. As a part of the lease agreement
with the Port of Pasco (Land owner) the driving portion of the training will not occur on Port
of Pasco Streets, i.e., the roads surrounding the property. The driving instruction will occur
on current training routes that do not include the Port property. Trucks and trailers for
training will be stored on site (the areas bounded by fencing) with employee and trainee
parking occurring in the designated parking lot and adjacent to the property on the street. The
school will operate Monday through Thursday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, occasionally
instruction may occur on Fridays and Saturdays.
13. Notice of the public hearing was sent to property owners within 300 feet of the subject
property and the newspaper on December 24, 2023.
14. As per Pasco Municipal Code (PMC) 25.200.080, upon conclusion of the open record
hearing, the Hearing Examiner shall make and enter findings from the record and conclusions
thereof as to whether or not:
14.1 Will the proposed use be in accordance with the goals, policies, objectives, and text
of the Comprehensive Plan?
14.1.1 Hearing Examiner Finding: The Comprehensive Plan designates this site as
"Industrial." The Industrial designation allows for I-1, I-2, and I-3 zoning;
development may be manufacturing, food processing, storage and wholesale
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distribution of equipment and products, hazardous material storage, and
transportation related facilities. Land Use Policy LU-1-13 directs the City to
[e]nhance the physical appearance of development within the community
through land use regulations, design guidelines, and performance and
maintenance standards including landscaping, screening, building facades,
color, signs, and parking lot design and appearance." Land Use Policy LU-2-
A tasks the City to "[m]aintain sufficient land designated to accommodate
residential, commercial, industrial, educational, public facility, and open -
space uses proximate to appropriate transportation and utility infrastructure."
Land Use Policy LU-2-C requires the City to "[e]nsure that adequate public
services are provided in a reasonable time frame for new developments.
14.2 Will the proposed use adversely affect public infrastructure?
14.2.1 Hearing Examiner Finding: The primary access to the site is through private
streets which further connect to public streets, these are in place to serve the
proposed site. Utilities are available to the site and have been designed and
constructed to accommodate industrial uses.
14.3 Will the proposed use be constructed, maintained and operated to be in harmony with
existing or intended character of the general vicinity?
14.3.1 Hearing Examiner Finding: The properties in the general vicinity are uses
permitted in the I-1 Light Industrial zoning district, and is nearby an access
point to Interstate 182. The proposal involves trucking uses that are similar to
those permitted within this zoning district.
14.4 Will the location and height of proposed structures and the site design discourage the
development of permitted uses on property in the general vicinity or impair the value
thereof?
14.4.1 Hearing Examiner Finding: The proposal does not involve any new
construction of structures and intends on using the existing structure on site.
14.5 Will the operations in connection with the proposal be more objectionable to nearby
properties by reason of noise, fumes, vibrations, dust, traffic, or flashing lights than
would be the operation of any permitted uses within the district?
14.5.1 Hearing Examiner Finding: The proposal will create similar levels of noise,
fumes, vibrations, dust, traffic, or flashing lights as the operation of many of
the uses permitted in the I-1 Light Industrial district. Instruction will occur
during normal business hours and training related to operating trucks will not
occur on Port of Pasco Roads adjacent to the property.
14.6 Will the proposed use endanger the public health or safety if located and developed
where proposed, or in any way will become a nuisance to uses permitted in the
district?
14.6.1 The proposal will create similar levels of public health and/or safety risk
and/or nuisance conditions as the operation of any other permitted uses
within the I-1 Light Industrial district.
15. An open record public hearing after due legal notice was held January 10, 2024, with the staff
and the public appearing in person, and the Hearing Examiner appearing via Zoom
videoconference.
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16. Appearing and testifying at the hearing was Katie Rios. Ms. Rios testified that she was an
agent of the Applicant and property owner and was authorized to appear and speak on their
behalf. Ms. Rios stated that she agreed with all representations in the staff report and had no
objection to any of the proposed Conditions of Approval.
17. No members of the public testified at the hearing.
18. The staff report, application materials, agency comments and the entire file of record were
admitted into the record.
19. Any Conclusion of Law that is more correctly a Finding of Fact is hereby incorporated as
such by this reference.
U. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
The Hearing Examiner has been granted the authority to render this decision.
2. As conditioned, this project is consistent with the Pasco Comprehensive Plan and Pasco
Municipal Code.
Any Finding of Fact that is more correctly a Conclusion of Law is hereby incorporated as
such by this reference.
III. DECISION
Based on the above Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, the Hearing Examiner APPROVES
SP 2023-022 subject to the following Conditions of Approval.
IV. CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
All conditions imposed by this decision shall be binding on the applicant, which includes the owner
or owners of the properties, heirs, assigns, and successors.
1. The special permit shall apply to the leased land addressed 3605 Stearman Avenue on Port of
Pasco Parcel 113290029, and any subsequent subdivision(s) thereof.
2. The applicant shall obtain any required approval for applicable City development review
3. Parking requirements shall be maintained as per PMC 25.185.170 (3).
4. The applicant or assigns shall maintain all necessary Washington State and City of Pasco
licenses.
The Special Permit shall be null and void if the above conditions are not met.
Dated this 16th day of January, 2024.
CITY PAS O ARING EXAMINER
r
rew L. Ko kamp
Absent a timely appeal, this Decision is final'
i See Ch. 36.70C RCW (establishing a 21 day appeal period to superior court, and setting forth necessary
review contents, along with filing and service requirements).
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