HomeMy WebLinkAboutUpdate Documents - Development ServicesDEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT
264 West Division Ave. • PO Box 37
Ephrata, WA 98823
GRANT COUNTY
WASHINGTON
GRANT COUNTY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Bi-Monthly Update to the Board of County Commissioners
DATE: July 20, 2026
TO: Grant County Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Jim Anderson -Cook, Development Services Director
MEETING: BOCC Bi-Monthly Update - Monday, July 20, 2026 @ 9:30 AM
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
(509) 754-2011 Ext. 2522
jcook@grantcountywa.gov
RE: SEPA MDNS issuances (Record Energy Center & Royal Slope Solar); upcoming
Hawthorne Renewables open house; joint Moses Lake Planning
Commission/Council meeting; ADU policy effective date
1. SEPA Threshold Determinations Issued - July 16, 2026
On Thursday, July 16, 2026, Development Services, acting as SEPA Lead Agency under WAC 197-11-926,
issued Mitigated Determinations of Nonsignificance (MDNS) for two utility -scale solar projects. Each
determination is supported by an enforceable mitigation package under WAC 197-11-660 and OCC
24.04.120, and neither project requires an Environmental Impact Statement under RCW 43.21 C.030(2)(c).
1A. Record Energy Center, LLC - SEPA File P-25-0048 (CUP P-25-0047)
Proposal
Record Energy Center, LLC (Hawthorne Renewable Energy - HWNRE)
80 MW AC (up to -121 MW DC) utility -scale PV solar facility with co -Located
80 MW / 4-hour lithium -ion BESS, on -site substation, 25 pad -mounted
inverters, O&M facility, perimeter security fencing, internal gravel access,
and 51-mile 115 kV overhead interconnection to the GCPUD 230 kV Rocky
Ford -Columbia line.
Location Sections 24 & 25, T21 N R24E and Section 30, T21 N R25E, W.M. - approx. 5
miles NE of Quincy. -754-acre project area across 15 leased private parcels;
N524-acre fenced footprint.
Zoning Rural Resource (RRes) - Solar Energy Facility permitted via CUP under GCC
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Federal Nexus None. All lands privately held under executed leases. Section 106 of the
NHPA does not apply; no federal EA adopted; no Programmatic Agreement
"To foster thriving, resilient, and safe community through innovative planning, efficient building processes, and robust fire prevention measures."
required. Cultural -resource protection governed by state Law (RCW 27.53)
and County authorities.
Determination Mitigated DNS under WAC 197-11-350 and GCC 24.04.120 - mitigation
Conditions A through J binding as conditions of approval per GCC 24.04.210
and RCW 43.21 C.060.
Public Comment 14-day comment period from publication/mailed notice. Administrative
appeal to the Hearing Examiner within 14 calendar days of the effective date
(WAC 197-11-680 GCC 24.04.210).
Key mitigation highlights:
Shrubsteppe / habitat: HMMP (4/30/2026) and VWMP (5/12/2026) accepted; WDFW concurrence
received June 12, 2026 ("no further comments"). Permanent shrubsteppe impact of 461 acres in a
WSRRI Growth Opportunity Area; baseline 2:1 mitigation ratio yields a preliminary —922-acre,
compensatory obligation through the County in -Lieu fee program.
• Cultural resources: 46 resources documented (25 sites + 21 isolates); four DAHP-concurred NRHP-
eligible sites (45GR04297, 45GR04310, 45GR04331, 45GR04336). No Traditional Cultural Places
identified; no human remains encountered. CTCR concurs with avoidance approach and requests
on -Location monitoring of all ground -disturbing activity.
• Wildlife: Washington ground squirrel colony in the northwest project area protected by a 300-foot
buffer committed by the Applicant.
Public safety: Continuous 14-foot graveled exterior fire -apparatus road; Knox -compliant exterior
gates at 1,320-foot maximum spacing per GCFD-3 requirements.
Interconnection & fiscal: Executed GCPUD LGIA required prior to construction; Parcel 151220000
current -use reclassification and back -tax coordination handled with the Assessor.
1 B. Royal Slope Solar, LLC - SEPA File P-25-0179 (Permit P-25-0178)
Proponent Royal Slope Solar LLC (Clearway Energy Group LLC); agent Stephanie Nagai,
I Tetra Tech Inc.
Proposal 260 MW solar PVfacility with co -Located 260 MW —4-hour Lithium -ion
phosphate BESS (-1 4-acre footprint);,-,759,708 PV modules up to 20 ft; ^-,2.8-
acre collector substation; O&M building; 7.9 miles of interior gravel
service roads; 7-ft perimeter fence; and a —5.08-mile, 230 kV overhead
transmission Line (3.38 miles on Bureau of Reclamation -managed federal
Land; 1.70 miles on private land) connecting to BPA's Vantage Substation.
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Location
Sections 1-4, 12.,14, T1 6N R23E, W.M., Grant County. -,2,974-acre project
area (2,360 acres of private Land subject to the CUP; up to 1,732 acres
developed).
- -
Zoning
----------
Rural Resources (RRes) and Rural Remote (RRem).
Federal Nexus
Partial. Transmission corridor crosses Bureau of Reclamation -managed
federal Land. County adopts BOR's Final EA (CPN-EA-2024-01 June 2026),
Action Alternative 2, by reference under WAC 197-11-610(2) and 197-11
630. NHPA Section 106 consultation remains ongoing under 36 CFR Part
800.
Determination
Mitigated DNS under WAC 197-11-350 and GCC 24.04.120, incorporatin 9
BOR Design Features (Appendix C) and Solar Facility features common to
either action alternative (Appendix E).
Public Comment
14-day comment period; noticed as a GMA action under WAC 197-11 -
340(2)(a)(v). Distribution includes BOR, WDFW,, Ecology, DAHP, BPA,
I USFWS, WSDOT, DoD (U.S. Army Yakima Training Center), FAA, and the
three affected Tribes (Yakama Nation, CTCR., Wanapum Band of Priest
Rapids).
Key mitigation highlights:
• Cultural resources: —96 archaeological resources within the Area of Potential Effects; three Tribes
have provided substantive comments regarding Traditional Cultural Properties (TCP). Ongoing
Section 106 consultation may result in an executed Programmatic Agreement or MOA under 36 CFR
• KOP 36A TCP: April 21, 2026, Yakama Nation Cultural Resources Program Letter identified a
significant visual impact to a TCP at Key Observation Point 36A attributable to the Solar Facility. The
west/north 40-meter exclusion -zone KMZ resolved margin sensitivities (YNCRP confirmed June 16,
2026); the KOP 36A visual impact remains under active Section 106 consultation and is addressed
via MDNS Conditions H-1 through H-7.
• Alternative 2 baseline: 5.08-mile, 230 kV overhead Line on 40-50 steel or wood structures (40-110 ft
AGL); minimum 25-foot conductor ground clearance (40 ft over Reclamation canal ROW). Alignment
avoids inland sand dune habitat and reflects Lower cultural resource density ("0.18 sites/acre) than
Alternative 1.
• Glint & glare: MDNS conditions adopt the December 12, 2025, Capitol Airspace Group analysis as
baseline for Army helicopter Sectors A-D; supplemental analysis required for airports, roadways,
residences, and YTC ground observers. Pre-energization P.E. as -built certification, DOD/Army/FAA
coordination, public complaint protocol, and tiered mitigation hierarchy for Yellow/Red glare
findings.
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• Water: Construction water estimated at—115-161 acre-feet (transmission line) and N11148 acre-feet
(solar facility) via temporary lease of appurtenant irrigation water rights from three Grande Ronde
Basalt Aquifer wells. O&M water —0.31 acre-feet/year.
• Decommissioning: Toxic, hazardous, or "e-waste" components shall not be disposed of within Grant
County per GCC 23.08.357(i)(9).
2. Hawthorne Renewables Open House - Record Solar
The BOCC is cordially invited to attend a public open house hosted by Hawthorne Renewables for the
Record Energy Center project:
Date t Tuesday, July 21, 2026 f
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Time 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM (open house I drop -in format) i
Location Port of Quincy Business and Event Center, 101 F St SW, Quincy, WA 98848
' Host Hawthorne Renewables Record EnergyCenter, , LLC ) ;
Development Services encourages Commissioner attendance to engage directly with the applicant team
and community members during the active 14-day SEPA comment period.
3. Joint Planning Commission /CouncilWorkshop- Cityof Moses Lake
Development Services will attend the City of Moses Lake"s Joint City Council I Planning Commission
Workshop on the 2027 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update:
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Date Tuesday, ay, y Jul 21 2026 s
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Time 6:00 PM (per published agenda; workshop expected to run until N 9:00 PM)
Location City Council Chambers, 401 S Balsam St., Moses Lake, WA f
j Format In -person only - will NOT be live -streamed
Topic 1 2027 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update - Housing, Land Use, and Urban Growth
Areas
Published agenda (City of Moses Lake):
• Introductions
• Comprehensive Plan Overview, Status & Timeline
• Future Growth & Housing Allocation
• Land Capacity Analysis Results
• Future Land Use
• Urban Growth Areas
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• Discussions
• Next Steps
3A. Key Numbers the City Will Present
The City's May 2026 Housing Analysis and Land Use Analysis (both prepared by Nexus Planning Services and
team) frame the workshop discussion. Highlights Development Services will be tracking:
Population target (2047): 33,942 residents allocated to Moses Lake through the Grant County
countywide planning process (OFM medium forecast) - up from 26,969 in 2024.
• Housing allocation (2027-2047): 5,496 dwelling units across all income levels, plus 50 emergency -
housing bed units.
• Land Capacity Analysis (LCA): r%j 622.8 net developable acres supporting 5,916 units under existing
zoning + 1,782 pipeline units = 7,698 total capacity within the incorporated UGA - a 2,202-unit
surplus over the allocated need.
• Affordability gap: Capacity for households < 50% AMI is razor -thin - surpluses of only 2-7 units at 0-
30% (Non-PSH and PSH) and 30-50% AMI. Substantial surplus (800+ units) sits at 50-100% AMI and
above.
• Existing stock: ^j 10,373 housing units, 94% occupancy, 62% owner -occupied, 65% single-family
detached; median home value $310,000; median gross rent $1,216.
• Critical areas within the UGA: e%5610 acres of wetlands, critical aquifer recharge areas, frequently
flooded areas along Crab Creek/Parker Horn, and habitat for Burrowing Owl, Northern Leopard Frog,
and Washington Ground Squirrel.
3B. Three EIS Land Use Alternatives
The City will evaluate three preliminary growth scenarios through the periodic update EIS:
• Alternative 1 - Existing Plans (No Action): Growth under the current Comprehensive Plan and
current UGA boundaries, with only those changes required by recent GMA amendments.
• Alternative 2 - Targeted Growth: Direct growth to areas already served by City infrastructure;
reduce the UGA where infrastructure expansion is unlikely; use infiLL/redeveLopment incentives
(including a potential SEPA infiLL exemption).
• Alternative 3 - Corridors and Centers: Concentrate growth in mixed -use activity centers and along
key transportation corridors while improving multimodaL connectivity.
3C. State -Law Housing Changes Driving the Update
Recent GMA amendments the City must implement through the periodic update include:
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• HB 1220 - planning for housing at all income Levels, racially disparate impact and displacement
analyses.
• Middle housing authorization - duplexes, triplexes, fourpLexes, townhomes, cottage housing.
• ADU support and expansion in single-family zones (parallels Grant County's own new ADU policy
effective today - see Section 4).
• Parking -minimum limits for affordable, senior, and disability -serving housing.
• Co -Living housing on any Lot where six or more multifamily units are permitted.
• Minimum four residential units per Lot within 1/4-mile of a major transit stop.
Development Services will be listening for, and prepared to engage on, the following interfaces between the
City's update and County jurisdiction:
• UGA boundary adjustments: Any expansion or contraction under Alternatives 2 or 3 triggers
coordinated countywide planning policy review, County comprehensive -plan consistency, and - for
expansions - amendments to the Grant County Comprehensive Plan and joint planning agreements.
• Housing allocation methodology: The 5,496-unit target flows from the countywide allocation Grant
County Led. Any City request to reallocate income -band shares must be reconciled at the
countywide table.
• Infrastructure and services: Water, sewer, transportation, and fire/EMS service capacity for UGA
growth areas - with implications for County -served rural areas immediately outside the UGA.
Middle -housing and ADU consistency: The County's modernized GCC 23-08.020 ADU standards
(effective today) and Grant County's LAMIRD/ruraL middle -housing work under SHB 2269 should be
tracked alongside the City's zoning updates for consistency and to avoid regulatory whiplash for
cross -boundary developers.
• Critical areas & shorelines: Wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, and Moses Lake shoreline
management - County SMP and critical areas frameworks intersect with the City's Critical Areas
Ordinance update and best -available -science refresh.
Follow-up: Because the workshop is not live -streamed, Development Services will circulate written
meeting notes to the BOCC following the session. Staff can also schedule a debrief at the next bi-monthly
update if the Board would Like a more detailed readout.
4. New ADU Policy - Effective Today, July 20, 2026
The County's new Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) policy, codified in GCC 23-08.020 (Accessory Uses
and Structures) as part of the Unified Development Code (Chapter 23.08, amended May 19, 2026), is
effective today, July 20, 2026. The updated framework distinguishes clearly between ADUs inside and
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outside urban growth areas and establishes uniform standards for size, siting, water/septic capacity, and
short-term rental restrictions.
General standards - apply to all ADUs (GCC 23.08.020(a)):
• ADUs may be attached (AADU) - within or attached to the principal unit - or detached (DADU).
Manufactured/modular homes and Park Model RVs qualify; all other RVs are prohibited as ADUs.
0 ADUs must be occupied as permanent residences - no transient short-term rentals (periods of Less
than 30 consecutive days).
• ADUs must comply with RCW 19.27.097 water supply requirements; combined withdrawals for
principal unit, ADU, and other domestic uses may not exceed RCW 90.44.050 Limits. Applicant must
document adequate sewage/septic capacity.
0 DADUs must be sited within 150 feet of the principal unit and use the same driveway. ADUs are
exempt from on -site and off -site parking requirements.
• Basement AADUs may occupy the entire basement floor area with a separate exterior entrance, no
internal connectivity to the principal unit, and gross floor area not exceeding the main floor of the
principal unit - capped at 1,296 sq ft (exempt from the 55% threshold).
Inside an Urban Growth Area (GCC 23.08.020(b)):
0 Permitted in any UGA district allowing single-family dwellings; Lots must meet the underlying
minimum Lot size.
9 Up to two ADUs per lot in one of three configurations: two AADUs; two DADUs (one or two detached
structures); or one AADU + one DADU.
* Size range: minimum 192 sq ft, maximum 1,000 sq ft per ADU.
Density/dimension ' modifications: maximum Lot coverage may be increased by 5% over the
underlying zone (SMP Lot -coverage standards in GCC 24.12 still apply). Existing non -conforming
structures maybe converted to ADUs subject to conditions imposed by the Administrative Official.
Outside an Urban Growth Area (GCC 23.08.020(c)):
• One ADU per parcel (AADU or DADU) on Lots developed with an existing or planned single-family
detached dwelling.
0 Size range: minimum 192 sq ft; maximum is the Lesser of 1,296 sq ft or 55% of the principal unit's
total floor area. In no case may an ADU exceed 1,296 sq ft.
• DADU prohibitions: not allowed on nonconforming Lots under 1 acre in any zone; not allowed on
Rural Residential 1 (RR1) Lots under 5 acres.
• Manufactured or modular home as a DADU is allowed on Lots > 10 acres, provided it does not exceed
the principal unit's gross floor area and does not exceed 1,296 sq ft (exempt from the 55% threshold).
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• DADU permits must be recorded with the Grant County Auditor's Office (applicant pays recording
fee) and include a statement that the ADU may not be sold as a separate residence until Legally
established on its own tax Lot. ADUs may not be subdivided or segregated from the principal unit
unless allowed by zoning.
Implementation: Development Services has updated intake procedures, application checklists, and
public -facing guidance to reflect the new standards. Staff will monitor permit volume, configuration mix
(AADU vs. DADU, single vs. dual on UGA lots), and any interpretive questions that emerge, and will report
back tothe BOCC at future bi-monthly updates.
5. Code Enforcement Coordination - Pop -Up Food Vendors
On Thursday, July 16, 2026 (1:00-2:0® PM), Development Services participated in the GCHD Food Vendor
Meeting - an inter -agency Code Enforcement coordination convened by the Grant County Health District
with the Grant County Sheriff's Office and Development Services to address unpermitted pop-up taco
trucks and similar mobile food operations observed in Moses Lake, Quincy, and Coulee City.
Attendees: Mark Pannek, Chris McClanahan (Grant County Sheriff's Office) MarisoL CeLis, Ismael Valle
(Grant County Health District); Trevor Bevier (Grant County Prosecuting Attorney's Office); Jim Anderson -
Cook and Michelle Mercer (Grant County Development Services).
Jurisdictional Lanes - zoning/Land-use authority (Development Services), food -safety and mobile -
vendor permitting (Health District), and public-safety/right-of-way and nuisance response (Sheriff's
Office).
A shared complaint -intake and referral pathway so citizen reports arriving at any of the three
agencies are routed to the correct authority without delay.
A graduated compliance approach - education and voluntary compliance first (permit pathways,
siting requirements, host -property authorization), progressing to formal notices of violation and joint
enforcement where operators remain non -compliant.
Field coordination for the Moses Lake, Quincy, and Coulee City hot spots, including consistent
messaging to host property owners about their responsibilities under the UDC and Health District
regulations.
Development Services will circulate a short joint -agency guidance sheet for vendors and host properties,
and will report metrics (contacts, permits opened, cases closed) at the next bi-monthly update.
6. Discussion Topic (if time allows) - BESS Regulatory Developments (Texas)
For Commissioner awareness and discussion, Development Services flags two out-of-state regulatory
developments relevant to the County's ongoing utility -scale solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
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permit workload (Record Energy Center, Royal Slope Solar, and others). Both come from Texas and may inform
future refinements to GCC 23.08.357 (Solar Energy Facility) siting, setback, fire -mitigation, and emergency -access
standards.
6A. Gillespie County,, Texas - BESS Moratorium
Gillespie County (Fredericksburg, TX) has enacted a moratorium on new BESS projects while the County develops
local standards addressing siting, fire risk, water demand for suppression, and emergency -access impacts on rural
residential areas. The moratorium reflects a broader trend among rural Texas counties responding to community
concerns about lithium -ion battery fires and first -responder capacity.
State Representative Ellen Troxclair has introduced multiple bills aimed at mitigating risks associated with BESS
projects, particularly in rural and residential areas.
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0 Purpose: Addresses safety concerns when BESS sites are located along the only access road to a residential
area, where a fire could block all escape routes.
• BESS permits granted only in locations where, in the event of a fire, the site is reasonably unlikely to block
the only access point to a residential area.
• Safe distances between BESS facilities to reduce the risk. of fire spreading between sites.
• New permitting process with public notices and meetings, applicant data on local first -responder
capabilities, new fees to cover local costs, and strong oversight of utilities.
• Compliance with local and state laws and safety measures.
• Source: Boerne Star - "Troxclair files bill to prevent BESS facilities along lone -access roads."
HB 5572 - Energy Storage Facility Approval Process:
0 Purpose: Establishes a formal state -level approval process for energy storage facilities.
0 Effective September 1., 2025, with criteria and public -notice protocols to be created by September 1, 2026.
0 Facilities cannot connect to the ERCOT grid without Public Utility Commission (PUC) approval -which may
be granted, denied, or conditionally approved.
0 Approval factors include local energy facilities, land use, environmental and aesthetic impacts, setbacks,
and fire -mitigation plans.
0 Applications require agency recommendations, an action plan, and a fire -mitigation plan.
9 PUC has 180 days to decide; if no decision is made, approval is automatic.
• Source: Forest Country News - "New bill introduced by Ellen Troxclair in Texas House: what does HB 5572
say?"
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6C. Grant County Position - Existing Regulatory Framework
Staff observation: Many of Representative Troxclair's concerns are already substantively addressed in Grant
County through the combination of the Grant County Code and adopted Washington State fire and building codes.
Specifically:
International Fire Code (IFC) Chapter 12 - Energy Systems (2021 WA amendments): Adopted statewide
under WAC 51-54A and locally enforceable in Grant County. Section 1207 governs Electrical Energy
Storage Systems and imposes UL 9540 / UL 9540A listing, hazard mitigation analysis, thermal -runaway
containment, ventilation, explosion control, minimum inter -unit and lot -line separations, and required
fire department access.
NFPA 855 (referenced through IFQ Establishes stationary energy storage system separation, size limits,
commissioning, and emergency operations planning - the same cascade -fire prevention outcome HB 1343
pursues through statutory setbacks.
GCC 23.08.357 (Solar Energy Facility) and CUP process: Requires SEPA review, site -specific fire protection
plans, emergency -access provisions, and coordination with the local fire district. Recent MDNS conditions
(e.g., Record Energy Center) include Knox -compliant exterior gates at 1,320-ft maximum spacing and
continuous 14-ft graveled exterior fire -apparatus roads per GCFD-3 requirements.
• GCC Title 22 / IFC § 503 (Fire Apparatus Access Roads): Requires unobstructed fire apparatus access,
minimum widths, turnarounds, and secondary access where required by the fire code official - directly
addressing the "lone -access -road" scenario driving HB 1343.
GCC 24 (SEPA) and public -notice framework: Applicants must document impacts to public services
(including fire and emergency response) and coordinate with the serving fire district. Public notice,
comment, and appeal pathways are already provided under WAC 197-11 and GCC 24.04.
WA State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSECj opt -in: For qualifying projects, EFSEC provides
an additional state -level siting review layer analogous to the ERCOT/PUC pathway contemplated by HB
5572.
Bottom line for the BOCC: Grant County's existing UDC/SEPA/fire-code framework already delivers the
substantive protections behind the Gillespie County moratorium and the Troxclair bills - lone -access -road
avoidance, inter -facility separation, fire -mitigation planning, and first -responder coordination. Staff will continue
to monitor these Texas developments and can prepare a targeted UDC amendment package (e.g., codifying
explicit BESS setbacks and an "egress -adequacy" finding at CUP approval) if the Board would like to further
formalize what is currently achieved through the fire code and permit conditioning.
- End of Update -
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