The purpose of this chapter is to identify means of siting essential public facilities within Lewis County. Essential public facilities include those facilities that are typically difficult to site, such as airports, state education facilities and state or regional transportation facilities, regional transit authority facilities, state and local correctional facilities, solid waste handling facilities, drug treatment programs, recovery residences, mental health facilities, and community transitional facilities.
(Ord. 1170B, 2000; Ord. 1269 § 36, 2016; Ord. 1367 (Exh. C), 2025)
The standards and procedures apply to institutional, utility and transportation facilities allowed pursuant to Chapter 17.42 LCC. The facility may be run by either a public or private entity.
(Ord. 1367 (Exh. C), 2025)
(1) 
Essential Public Facilities - Major. All major essential facilities may be considered through a Type V comprehensive plan amendment and rezone per Chapter 17.05 LCC. The sponsoring agency may request such an amendment. Areas of specific consideration shall include the need for the facility, the ability of the community to provide adequate public facilities and meet concurrency requirements, the impact on designated resource lands, and the ability of the community to adequately mitigate, or compensate, where appropriate, local residences significantly impacted by the project.
(2) 
When consistent with requirements in the comprehensive plan and zoning code, future development of essential public facilities may be considered as part of a Type III master plan submitted pursuant to Chapter 17.120 LCC[1].
[1]
Code reviser's note: Chapter 17.120 LCC was repealed by Ord. 1292.
(3) 
Essential Public Facilities - Local. All facilities identified as essential public facilities - local shall be processed as a Type III application per Chapter 17.05 LCC.
(a) 
Special Conditions.
(i) 
The use is located in accordance with the criteria identified in a comprehensive plan adopted by the service provider.
(ii) 
If outside a UGA, the use can be accommodated without requiring urban services or promoting urban growth in rural areas.
(Ord. 1170B, 2000; Ord. 1179, 2002; Ord. 1269 § 36, 2016)