Crystal City Dominion Electrical Substation Expansion

Staff Presentation

County Board Meeting

November 14, 2020

Purpose of Substation Expansion

1. Current equipment in the existing substation is nearing

its end of service life and needs to be upgraded to achieve new safety codes.

2. Improve access to critical equipment to better support the substation's operation and maintenance.

3. Larger equipment is needed to improve the reliability

of service to its customers by adding resiliency infrastructure, which will prevent a disruption of

electrical service in the event of contingency event or a failure of any one component.

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Land Use ActionsUse Permit for Temporary Off-

Site Construction Storage and

Staging

18th Street & South Ives Street Parcel

Rezoning Request Substation Site

Use Permit Amendment for

Substation and ExpansionSubstation Site

GLUP Amendment 11 Existing Substation Sites Across Arlington

Overview of Actions

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Real Estate Actions

Exchange AgreementCounty Exchange Parcel/18th Street &

South Ives Street Parcel

Sanitary Sewer Vacation Substation site

License Agreement 18th Street & South Ives Street Parcel

Exchange Agreement Overview

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Site Constraints and Challenges:

• Due to the level of infrastructure on the existing site, it is not practical

to relocate the existing substation to another location in the County;

therefore, Dominion’s search for additional space is limited to the

areas surrounding the existing substation

• Given the existing site constraints (i.e. underground public utilities

conflicts, underground substation equipment and infrastructure,

public street right-of-way), expansion onto the adjacent County

property remains the only viable expansion option for Dominion

County

ExchangeProperty

Dominion

PropertyS. FERN STREET

S. HAYES STREET

Land Exchange Overview

• In exchange for the County property adjacent to the substation,

Dominion Energy has offered to dedicate the following:

1. Portion of their existing site currently used as S. Hayes Street (in fee)

2. Previous substation site located on 18th Street and Ives Street

• The Dominion Exchange Parcel at 18th and Ives is identified in the

Public Spaces Master Plan as a parcel for potential future acquisition,

presenting an opportunity to acquire the parcel consistent with the

vision in the plan

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County Exchange

Property

Existing Substation

S. HAYES

STREET

Dominion Exchange

Property

Exchange Agreement Overview

• Resubdivision of County parcel to create the

County Exchange Property

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Exchange Agreement Overview

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• Major Terms of Exchange Agreement

– No monetary compensation

– County and Dominion have both performed inspections

(i.e. title reports, environmental site assessments, surveys)

of the other party’s property proposed to be exchanged

• The County obtained Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (“ESA”) Reports from its env ironmental contractor, ECS Mid-Atlantic

• The Phase II ESA included sampling and testing from 8 different locations on the

Dominion Exchange Property; none of the samples contained hazardous levels of contaminants. A few locations contained contaminants slightly above Tier II

Residential Soil Screening levels, which may require remediation if these areas are disturbed (i.e. digging). Remediation would be limited to removal of contaminated soil and replacement with clean fill.

• County staff also obtained a Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser letter from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (“VDEQ”); no

additional remediation actions were identified by VDEQ

• A survey and title report for the Dominion Exchange Property reveal no encroachments or other adverse title conditions

Exchange Agreement and Vacation Ordinance Overview

• Post-closing Resubdivision, Consolidation, and Dedication of

Dominion Parcels and Vacation and Rededication of Sanitary Sewer

Easement

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License Agreement Overview

• Dominion would license back the Dominion Exchange Property from the County for construction staging associated with the substation expansion

• The License Term is for 18 months, and can be extended on a month-to-month basis by the County Manager thereafter

• License would terminate earlier if: 1) the offsite construction staging use permit terminates; 2) Dominion terminates earlier; or 3) the County terminates for cause

• License fee is $7,458.33 per month

• Dominion is required to maintain, repair, and restore Dominion Exchange Property to the condition it is in prior to the commencement of the license

• Only Dominion and its contractors may enter the property, and they must maintain the policies and levels of insurance required in the License Agreement

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Use Permit – Staging Yard

• Use permit for a contractors' storage and staging

yard, located on the Dominion Exchange Parcel

• Use permit expires in 3 years, or upon termination of the License Agreement

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Use Permit – Staging Yard

11Street view Proposed staging yard

Rezoning

• Rezone portion of existing site from RA7-16 to C-O-

2.5

• Related update to ACZO Map 13-1 to indicate the Zoning District and extend Line A around the

property boundary where necessary

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Rezoning

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County Exchange Parcel

14,250 sf

C-O-2.5

Existing Substation Site

60,000 sf

RA7-16/C-O-2.5

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Use Permit Amendment

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Use Permit Amendment

1. New Substation

2. Remodel Existing Substation

3. Redevelop plaza

4. Streetscape Improvements

5. Public Art Opportunities

New Substation

• 4,000 sf footprint

• 35 feet

• 13,875 new GFA

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New Substation

South Elevation

North Elevation

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New Substation

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Existing Substation

North Elevation

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Site Access and Parking

Parking (4 spaces)

Parking (2 spaces)

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Open Space/Streetscape

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Existing Proposed

Open Space/Streetscape

Submitted

Public Art

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Site Features

• 12,000 sf of open space (public access)

• Wider sidewalks (6 ft)

• 30 new trees

• 4 public art opportunities

• Street dedication

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Use Permit Amendment Overview

Virginia Code § 15.2-2232

• Virginia Code § 15.2-2232 governs public facilities and

Comprehensive Plan conformance

– Also applies to utility and public service corporation

facilities

• Electric utility facilities are not currently shown

or described in the General Land Use Plan (GLUP) or any

other Comprehensive Plan element

• Proposed GLUP amendment would add expanded

Crystal substation and 10 other existing Dominion Energy

substations to the Public Facility Map and Table

• Identifying substations on Public Facility Map and Table

will make these facilities “features shown” on the

Comprehensive Plan, satisfying 2232 requirements

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GLUP Public Facility Amendment

Public Engagement

Planning Commission:

• Recommends adoption of GLUP Public Facility amendment and rezoning, 9-0 vote

Stakeholder Feedback:

• Aurora Highlands Civic Association: No issues with the proposed rezoning or GLUP

amendment. However, expressed concerns with use permit amendment and exchange

agreement

• National Landing BID: Support GLUP amendment and rezoning

• Crystal City Civic Association, Claridge House Apartments, Arlington Ridge Civic

Association, Crystal Towers Apts.:

No comments or objections to the proposed rezoning

• Eight civic associations with existing substations, County-wide:

No comments or objections with identifying substations in GLUP

Dominion Energy Community Outreach

• Dominion Energy hosted virtual public meeting, conducted online feedback survey, met

with Civic Association, and posted key updates on their project website

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Staff Recommendations

A. 1. Approve the attached Exchange Agreement between the County Board of Arlington County, Virginia and Dominion Electric Virginia, for the conveyance

by the County Board to Dominion of a portion of a parcel known as Part of Lots

12 and 13, and All of Lots 14 Through 40, Block 6, Addison Heights, RPC #35-008-001, in exchange for the conveyance by Dominion to the County Board of a

parcel located at the northeast intersection of 18th Street S. and S. Ives Street, said parcel being portions of Lots 59 through 62, inclusive, Block 6, Addison

Heights, RPC #35-005-001;

2. Authorize the Resubdivision of the County Parcel known as Part of Lots 12 and 13, and All of Lots 14 Through 40, Block 6, Addison Heights, RPC #35-008-001 to

create the County Exchange Parcel as described in the Exchange Agreement;3. Approve the License Agreement attached as Exhibit I to the Exchange

Agreement, for Dominion’s post-exchange use of the Dominion parcel located

at the northeast intersection of 18th Street S. and S. Ives Street, said parcel being portions of Lots 59 through 62, inclusive, Block 6, Addison Heights, RPC

#35-005-001;4. Authorize the Real Estate Bureau Chief, Department of Environmental

Services, or his designee, to execute, on behalf of the County Board, the

attached Exchange Agreement and the License Agreement, and to execute and accept all other agreements and deeds contemplated in the Exchange

Agreement, and all related documents, all subject to approval as to form by the County Attorney. 27

Staff Recommendations

B. GP-351-20-1 Adopt the attached Resolution to amend the General Land Use Plan (GLUP) Public Facility Map and the GLUP booklet Public Facility Table to

add Dominion Energy electrical substations as public service corporation

facilities.

C. 1. Z-2622-20-1 Adopt the attached ordinance to rezone the property known

as 1720 S. Fern Street (RPC# 35-008-232) from the RA7-16 zoning district to the

C-O-2.5 zoning district, and related update to ACZO Map 13-1 to indicate the Zoning District and extend Line A around the property boundary where

necessary.2. Consent to include a portion of County-owned property identified as RPC#

35-008-001 and located on S. Hayes Street in Use Permit Amendment

Application U-1815-69-1 by Dominion Energy.3. U-1815-69-1 Approve the use permit amendment for an expansion of an

existing substation (Crystal Substation), subject to new Conditions #1-17.

D. U- 3591-20-1 Approve the use permit for a temporary off-site contractors’ storage and staging yard for up to three (3) years, subject to the proposed

conditions.

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Staff Recommendations

E. Enact the ordinance (attached to the staff report) to vacate an easement for sanitary sewer purposes adjacent to S. Fern Street on Two Parcels Known as: i)

Part of Lots 2, 12 and 13, and All of Lots 3 Through 11, Block 6, Addison Heights;

and ii) Outlot A, Subdivision of Pentagon Tract Development Corporation, RPC #35-008-232, with conditions. In addition, authorize the Real Estate Bureau

Chief, Engineering and Capital Projects Division, Department of Environmental Services, to execute, on behalf of the County Board, all documents necessary

to effectuate the ordinance of vacation, subject to approval as to form by

the County Attorney.

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