Documents filed under Washington’s environmental review process reveal a list of projects in the works for the Mid-Columbia. 

The State Environmental Policy Act, or SEPA, often provides the first look at the mixed-use projects, mini-storage facilities, apartments, industrial expansions, subdivisions and more that are working their way through the various planning departments of Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties. 

Here’s a look at projects that appeared in the SEPA register in the past month.  

Ford Group LLC rezone

Kennewick

Knutzen Engineering has submitted plans to rezone the 2-acre parcel at 9320 W. Clearwater Ave. from commercial community to commercial general to allow for future development.

Tri-Cities Reinforcement Project

Bonneville Power Administration

Bonneville Power Administration is proposing to build a new 18-mile-long 115-kilovolt transmission line and substation between the existing Badger Canyon substation and the existing Ashe-Marion transmission line to the west. A small portion of the new line would be built with steel monopoles in an existing transmission corridor near the Badger Canyon substation, while the rest of the line would be built using wood pole structures. Fiber optic cable would be added to the new line, as well as to other transmission lines in the area, to improve operational communication and control.

The project’s aim is to improve long-term electric reliability, short-term operational flexibility and system maintenance needs. The project would enable BPA to increase the amount of electricity it can deliver to the area. The project is one of four that BPA is proposing in the area, collectively called the Tri-Cities Reinforcement project. When the project is complete, it would increase BPA’s transmission capacity in the area by 66%.

Two route options were evaluated, one following the railroad along East Badger Road and the other following East Badger Lateral canal. BPA will move forward with the railroad route.

Expansion pipeline project

Kennewick Irrigation District

Kennewick Irrigation District has submitted plans for the Cherry Creek West 45th Avenue East expansion pipeline project. The project will include installing about 1,460 feet of buried 12-inch C900 PVC irrigation pipe and 700 feet of buried 16-inch ductile iron PC 250 irrigation pipe. The 12-inch section of pipe will begin west of the intersection of West 45th Avenue and South Ione Street and end near the intersection of West 45th Avenue and South Everett Street. The 16-inch section will begin at the intersection of West 45th Avenue and South Garfield Street and end at the southernmost boundary line of 625 W. 45th Ave.

Benton City splash pad park

Benton City

Benton City is building a splash pad, parking, restrooms and pump houses in its development of a city park east of Horne Road and west of 14th Street.

Nutrien Kennewick fertilizer operations

Benton County

Environmental Resource Management Inc. has submitted plans for a maintenance project at the existing Hedges dock facility at the Nutrien Kennewick Fertilizer Operations site at 227108 E. Hedges Road, Kennewick. The project will involve the installation of marine pile jacket systems on 62 existing treated timber structural piles.

Sunny Meadows plat

Kennewick

Robert McLeod has submitted plans for a preliminary plat of 240 E. 49th Ave. The 54.13-acre parcel, which is zoned residential, low, will be divided into 213 lots.

McDonald’s restaurant

West Richland

McDonald’s USA LLC has submitted plans to build a 4,150-square-foot drive-thru restaurant at 145 Belmont Blvd. The project will include construction of the building as well as associated site improvements.

Richland meter station

Kennewick

Northwest Pipeline LLC, a subsidiary of Williams Pipeline, has submitted plans for a 26-by-30-foot steel framed carport/canopy for equipment shelter at an existing natural gas meter station utility site along the Columbia River west of Edison Street.

Kennewick waterline project

Kennewick

The city of Kennewick has submitted plans for phases two and three of a waterline project in city right of way along South Garfield Avenue, West Sixth Avenue, South Auburn Street, West Canal Drive and North Benton Street. The project will include the installation of 36-inch diameter piping within the street right of way, with valves, fittings and manholes. The project will also include roadway asphalt patching.

Road 68-Argent gas station

Pasco

Knutzen Engineering has submitted plans for a 4,291-square-foot gas station, a 500-square-foot drive-thru coffee shop and a 9,880-square-foot commercial retail building at 3012 Road 68. The project will include all associated site improvements, and existing structures on site will be demolished.

Airport Business Park gas station

Pasco

Knutzen Engineering has submitted plans for a 3,550-square-foot convenience store with an attached gas station at the northeast corner of Morasch Lane and West Argent Road. The gas station will feature three fueling islands with six total fueling positions beneath a canopy, and a 25,000-gallon double-walled underground storage tank will be installed to hold gasoline and diesel fuel. Site improvements, utility infrastructure, parking, access and landscaping will also be completed as part of the project.

Cherry Bloom preliminary plat

Pasco

RP Development, on behalf of Strizhak Haven Ranch LLC, has submitted plans to subdivide about 22 acres into 132 single-family residential lots with a build-out scenario of up to 160 lots. The property is south of Burns Road, west of Broadmoor Boulevard, north of the future Sandifur Parkway alignment and east of Shoreline Road.

The proposal includes the construction of single-family detached homes and associated subdivision infrastructure, from public streets to water, sewer and electrical services. The preliminary plat also includes a north-south public pedestrian pathway.

Home Boys grading

Pasco

Steve and Larry Randock, on behalf of Home Boys Inc., have submitted plans to develop the 1.2-acre parcel north of 3335 Travel Plaza Way and west of Highway 395. The project includes grading the lot, placing electrical pedestals for manufactured homes, placing gravel and making frontage improvements along Travel Plaza Way.

RKAP LLC rezone

Franklin County

RKAP LLC has submitted plans to rezone a 5.01-acre parcel at 240 Larkspur Road from rural community 5 to rural community 1.

Freeman dairy expansion

Franklin County

Davidson Brothers – Freeman Dairy Expansion has submitted a request to increase the maximum allowable milking cowherd size from 1,000 to 2,000 cows.  4680 N. Wahluke Road, #M, Mesa. The applicant is currently operating with 1,300 cows and was unaware of their non-compliance. There are no immediate plans for expansion, and future growth toward the maximum herd size will be incremental.

Water treatment plant upgrades

Pasco

The city of Pasco Public Works Department has submitted plans for a project involving the replacement of existing raw water intake screens, security and electrical improvements at the Raw Water Pump Station west of South 10th Avenue and south of West Washington Street. Electrical infrastructure at the Butterfield municipal drinking water facility at 1306 W. B. St. will also be replaced.

BNSF utility adjustment

Connell

Tyson Steele has submitted plans to replace existing Connell utilities south of West Adams Street, west of Columbia Avenue and north of West Elm Street that conflict with an upcoming BNSF rail interchange project.