Auburn-Comp-Plan-Compiled

C ity of A uburn C omprehensive P lan

The Northwest Pipeline Corporation and Enumclaw Gas also have gas lines in the south eastern portion of the City. While the Northwest Pipeline Corporation does not serve any cus tomers within the City, Enumclaw Gas has some residential customers in the area of the Auburn Adventist Academy. Conventional local telephone service to the City is provided by CenturyLink. CenturyLink offers ser vice to 25 million customers in 14 western states. The facilities in which calls are switched are call central offices. Typically, four main lines head out from each central office – one in each direction. Auburn’s central office is located in downtown Auburn. Long-distance service is provided in the area by several carriers. These providers have underground fiber-optic cables passing through the City of Auburn. Cellular telecommunications provide mobile tele phone. Cellular communication companies offer digital voice, messaging and high-speed wire less data services to customers. Several cellular service providers have customers and facilities in the City of Auburn. Regulation of cellular provid ers is provided by the Federal Communications Commission. Cable television service is provided by Comcast through a combination of aerial and underground cables. Several satellite dish companies also pro vide service within the City but facilities are lim ited to the satellite dishes affixed to homes. The City is currently negotiating with CenturyLink on a potential cable franchise. Investor-owned utilities in the state of Washington are regulated by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. State law regulates charges, services, facilities, and practices of util ities. Any changes in policies regarding these as pects of utility provision require WUTC approval. Private utilities include electricity, telecommuni cations, natural gas, and non-city-owned sewer, and water.

P rivate U tilities Goals

Character : Utility corridors serve multipurpose functions such as nonmotorized connectivity and recreational amenities. Wellness : The extension and provision of utility service extends throughout the entire community who has access to safe and reliable utility service. Service : Residents and businesses have access to all forms of reliable utility service including com munication, water, sewer, and storm systems. Economy : Through planning, franchise agree ments and partnerships, capital improvements are occurring in conjunction with development and redevelopment. Celebration : Technology and amenities are in place that support community events and en hance awareness and accessibility that results in broader participation. Environment : Utility users are leaders in the re gion and have embraced and deployed alterna tive energy solutions and conservation measures. Sustainability : New development fully pays for utility extensions and upgrades that are of a quality that is in the best long-term interest of the City and avoid ratepayer subsidies. Description The primary responsibility of planning for private utilities rests with the utility providers. Clearly, this planning cannot take place without open lines of communication between the City and the utility providers. Puget Sound Energy provides electrical and natu ral gas service to most of the City of Auburn. PSE is an investor-owned private utility, which provides service to approximately 1.2 million customers in a service area that covers 6,000 square miles. With respect to electrical service, PSE builds, op erates, and maintains an electrical system con sisting of generation, transmission, and distribu tion facilities.

CORE PLAN

C4-12