MEMO TO: Members of the City Council
FROM: Mayor Angela Birney
SUBJECT:
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Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station (NERTS)
I. RECOMMENDED ACTION
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Project Introduction to Council from Pat McLaughlin, King County Solid Waste Director. Receive information and provide feedback to King County.
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II. DEPARTMENT CONTACTS
Dave Juarez, Public Works Director 425-556-2733
Aaron Moldver, Environmental Programs Supervisor 425-556-2756
Nina Rivkin, Chief Policy Advisor 425-556-2103
Jill Smith, Communications and Marketing Supervisor 425-556-2448
Judy Fani, Principal Planner 425-556-2406
III. DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND
This briefing is for information only to update Council on the Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station (NERTS) project background and proposed project schedule.
King County manages solid waste for 37 cities located within the County as well as all the unincorporated areas of the County. King County’s 2019 Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan (Plan) sets strategies for managing solid waste in King County on a 20-year planning horizon and is updated every six years. The Plan sets policies for operation of the solid waste system including long-range disposal options and identifies required upgrades to the County system including transfer stations. The Plan was most recently updated and approved by the cities (including Redmond) in 2019.
King County’s transfer station system includes six urban transfer stations geographically located throughout the County along with four rural transfer stations. Of the six urban transfer stations, the Houghton station is the last station that is planned to be replaced or upgraded with a modern design to include compaction and recycling facilities. The Plan recommends providing a new, modern recycling and transfer facility in the Northeast part of the county, to serve Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Woodinville and unincorporated areas and to replace the aging Houghton Transfer Station that was built in the mid 1960’s. This King County Project is being managed by the King County Solid Waste Division. King County is coordinating with Northeast Cities (Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Woodinville) that are currently served by the Houghton Transfer Station. King County will be working closely with the Northeast Cities through a Core Cities Team to inform the siting, design and construction of the new recycling and transfer station.
Pat McLaughlin, King County Solid Waste Director, will provide project background, an overview of the siting process, King County’s plan to engage the community through the formation of a Siting Advisory Committee and the project schedule.
IV. PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS HELD
The 2019 King County Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan was adopted by Council on July 2, 2019.
V. IMPACT
A. Service/Delivery:
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B. Fiscal Note:
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VI. ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
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VII. TIME CONSTRAINTS
Siting, design and construction of a new recycling and transfer station is a lengthy process that includes many complex steps: extensive community involvement, site identification, site selection and evaluation, environmental review, property acquisition, design, permitting and construction. The most recent South County Recycling and Transfer Station (SCRTS) project to replace the Algona transfer station is in the 8th year of the project schedule with design nearly complete. The new station is scheduled to open in 2023. King County is anticipating a more compressed schedule for the Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station based on lessons-learned during the 11-year process to complete SCRTS.
King County has already started planning for NERTS and completed procurement of a consultant team to support the project. Public involvement activities will begin this summer and include the formation of a Siting Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC along with King County will develop and apply siting criteria to create a list of possible sites in the study area. Site selection and environmental review is expected to be complete by the end of 2021; King County determines the site that will be chosen for the new recycling and transfer station. Property acquisition, site design and permitting are expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Construction is expected to last for two years with the new recycling and transfer station scheduled to begin operations in 2027.
VIII. LIST OF ATTACHMENTS
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