Duke granted permtit from U.S. 441 Council
Members of the U.S. 441 Gateway Planning Council Monday (Oct. 26) unanimously granted Duke Energy a conditional use permit, allowing the company to build a power substation in Whittier.
The 441 Corridor ordinance, passed by commissioners in early August, requires a conditional use permit for this type of development, which must be approved by the planning council. The proposed plant will be built on a 23-acre parcel at the intersection of U.S. 441 and Camp Creek Road. Duke officials stated that the building will be built on 6 acres of the site.
Discussing the issue with council members, county land development compliance officer Jeff Wilson said Duke had done everything to meet the conditional use requirements set out in the ordinance. The planning department recommended that the permit be granted, he said.
“This type of development is allowed in that area,” he said. “Their plans far exceed our requirements for landscaping and buffer zones.”
Jim Mentze, Duke’s construction and maintenance supervisor for the site, said that the substation is needed to accommodate growth along the U.S. 441 corridor.
“If we wait too much longer, the station we have in Whittier will be at its maximum capacity,” he said. “That area is starting to grow. There would be no (planning council) for this corridor if we didn’t think it would grow. We need the additional capacity to improve reliability and take some of the load off of our Gateway station.”
Mentze also said the substation would give Duke options in the case of a power outage.
“If we lose a line now, it may take six or seven hours to get power back up,” he said. “If we get this new station up, we can use that feed to provide power should there be an outage.”
Discussing how the substation would affect the aesthetics of the area, power delivery engineer Randy Voltree said Duke is doing everything it can to make sure that residents won’t be able to see the building from the road.
“We picked the portion of the site to build on because it has the lowest elevation,” he said. “Along with what we’re doing with the landscaping and the trees, you virtually won’t be able to see this.”
Cashiers appraiser Rick Robeson also addressed council members, saying he had looked over the plans to see how the substation would affect properties surrounding it. Given the efforts Duke is taking to make sure that the substation is not viewable from the road or surrounding areas, he said that the project would have no negative affect on values of those properties.
Council member Bill Gibson said he thought Duke was doing everything required by the 441 Corridor ordinance, if not more.
“The ordinance seems to be working,” Gibson said. “It looks like Duke is doing right by this site.”
Council Chairman Jason Lambert agreed, saying that the substation would allow for more businesses and development in the area.
“Part of this whole ordinance is to attract private investment,” he said. “If we’re going to do that, we need the utilities.”
Council member Debby Cowan said the plans submitted by Duke seem to preserve the character of that area.
“We’re fortunate to live in an area with such beautiful viewsheds,” she said. “That valley floor is in one of the areas we want to protect. These plans look to be consistent with what we’re looking for.”
