LWSD Administration is well aware of the petroleum pipeline running on proposed Rose Hill JH border, By Kathryn Reith, LWSD

Meeting information:   A second  STEM School Hearing is scheduled for mid-April at Alcott El.   Please know the STEM Hearing will be taped and recorded as required by law and is available upon request.   BY

LWSD Administration is well aware of the petroleum pipeline running on proposed Rose Hill JH border, By Kathryn Reith, Communications Director, LWSD

LETTER:  Lake Washington School District and the City of Redmond are well aware of the ordinance around the petroleum pipeline referenced by Ms. Gentry and are working together to ensure student and staff safety in the new school building. Let me provide some additional background as well as the actions being taken.

In 1964, the petroleum pipeline operated by the Olympic Pipeline Company was installed near the east property line of the school property. The Rose Hill Junior High School building was constructed in 1969 near the west property line. The school has operated continuously since construction without any interference between operation of the pipeline and operation of the school.

In 2002, the City of Redmond enacted ordinance number 2136 related to the pipeline and land use permitting. The City of Redmond has indicated that the modernization of Rose Hill, as an existing facility near the pipeline, will be subject to that section of the code requiring that the new building “shall at a minimum be designed to avoid increasing the level of risk in the event of a pipeline failure, and where feasible, reduce the risk.”


The ordinance states that the design of the new facility shall take into account “measures such as site planning that reflect anticipated flow paths for leaking hazardous materials and emergency procedures to help reduce the likelihood of fire and injury in the event of a pipeline failure.” Both the existing and the proposed building are well uphill from the pipeline and flow patterns would direct any leaking fuel away from the school.

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As such, the District has worked with the modernization architects and engineers to develop a plan for the new building that:

•Is farther away and further uphill from the pipeline than the current building, and places classroom wings on the opposite side of the site from the pipeline.

•Is fully equipped with fire sprinklers and fire alarms.

•Has fewer and smaller door and window openings facing the pipeline.

•Has non-combustible, double-wall construction facing the pipeline.

The District has provided the City with a risk analysis and facility comparison for the existing versus proposed structures and the City is currently completing their final review of this analysis as part of the pre-application review for the land use permit.

Kathryn Reith, 4/4  Posted on 4/3
Communications Director
LWSD

ATTN Readers:  If you want to comment for the record on any of the meetings send your comments to Chip Kimball ckimball@lwsd.org before 6PM, 4/4 for the STEM meeting and before 7PM, 4/6 for the RHJH meetings.