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APPROVED 10/13/2014 OC Board of Adjustment – 8/27/2014 Page 45 of 64 about the integrity management plan and how they inspect inside using a robot and how they aerially fly 1 the line and check for encroachments and how they do leak detection and things like that all these things 2 to ensure that the pipeline is safe. They have an emergency plan in place which is part of the federal 3 regulations all of these go towards the safety of the line. It is going to be state of the art and quite 4 honestly these lines go through everywhere now that you guys have one of these cases you’ll probably 5 notice pipeline markers as you drive around wherever these are not anomalies they are around densely 6 populated the City of Austin has got a gas main transmission line going through it so it’s perfectly safe. It 7 also promotes the public welfare in that it provide natural gas to the public for heat and natural gas 8 actually supplies a lot of the electricity because a lot of the power generators comes from that. So it 9 actually promotes public welfare by ensuring a natural gas supply to the area. The next one is it will 10 maintain or enhance the value of contiguous property unless the use is a public necessity in which case 11 the use need not maintain or enhance the value of contiguous property. It is a public necessity by 12 statute chapter 62-2 says that the availability of an adequate reliable source of natural gas to the people, 13 economy and government in North Carolina is a matter of public policy. The only testimony you’ve had is 14 that there is not an adequate supply without this line so public policy is that we need gas we have a 15 statutory obligation to have an adequate supply that definitely makes this a public necessity but even 16 aside from that there has been no evidence that the value of contiguous property will be reduced. That is 17 one of the things that has to have expert testimony there has been no expert testimony saying that it will 18 be reduced we do have testimony that it won’t be reduced and if there is an existing 10 inch in a lot of 19 these properties and in a lot of these properties an existing 24 inch so the addition of one more line is not 20 going to reduce the value. The next criteria is the location and character of the use will be in harmony 21 with the area and comply with the Comprehensive Plan and other development regulations. Again, there 22 is already a pipeline there it is harmonious with that use there is already a cleared strip. People already 23 are used to having the line there. Almost everything is going to be underground facilities so that’s 24 harmonious this is not a giant transmission tower so that’s harmonious this is not a giant electrical 25 transmission tower and staff agrees that it complies with the Comprehensive Plan. Next criteria, method 26 and adequacy of provision of sewage disposal facility, solid waste and water. The only testimony is that 27 there is not any need for sewer, water or solid waste disposals so that’s not an issue. Method and 28 adequacy of police, fire and rescue squad protection the only testimony is that there is adequate nearby 29 police, fire and rescue that they already are aware of the 10 inch line and have outreach programs and a 30 liaison with the company to ensure that those are covered. Next criteria is the method and adequacy of 31 the vehicular access to the site and traffic conditions the testimony is that typically we access the 32 easement by the easement drive up and down the right-of-way. Most properties there is other access if 33 we need it to cross the property and we have to pay damages if we damage the property then. Where 34 we need any additional access we negotiating those rights with land owners still so the access is fine it’s 35 not going to increase traffic because there is already a 10 inch line there that the right-of-way is being 36 maintained and inspected. I’m sorry, I’m trying to fly through these. The next one is special submittal 37 requirements the site plan erosion and sedimentation controls cross sections plans and elevations and 38 certification by the applicant that it’s a public utility the only testimony is then that all of that’s been done 39 staff agrees that’s been done. Adequate provisions have been made to protect the adjacent property 40 from the dangers of explosion, eruption, collapse, fire or other menaces to public health and safety. 41 Again, that really kind of goes back with all the public safety issues and everything we’ve done to 42 address that. The only competent testimony has been that it does adequately provide for those 43 protections. Again, just the integrity management plan showing how often they inspect and maintain and 44 keep the right-of-way cleared all of those things go to show that as well. 45 46 Larry Wright: Let me ask you a question on the right-of-way. So when there was testimony tonight 47 about a school bus stop and a driveway and so on. Do you work with DOT on that to figure out, you’re 48 going to be putting something up and if you’re blocking vision of on a curve or something like that do you 49 work with DOT on this? 50 51 Matthew Rhoads: We have to get permits from DOT if we are doing anything in right-of-way. That’s the 52 first I think we’ve heard of that issue and something we’re going to look into that school bus issue. 53 54 Larry Wright: Ok, yeah I was figuring that was probably something you’d have to deal with DOT on that. 55