The URL can be used to link to this page

Browse Search

Home My WebLink About750632 s sits 4� i OFFICE OF BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PHONE(303)353-2212 EXT.221,222&223 P,O.BOX 758 GREELEY,COLORADO 80631 C. COLORADO October 30, 1975 Mr. Albert J. Hamilton, General Manager Platte River Power Authority 3030 South College Avenue Fort Collins, Colorado 80521 Dear Mr. Hamilton: Re: Proposed 230 KV Transmission Line Route frua Loveland to Longmont Your letter dated October 20, 1975 has been referred to Mr. Dick MacRavey, Director of the Larimer-Weld Regional Council of Governments, but I would also like to reply. I appreciate Platte River's commitment concerning radio and telephone interference and the cooperation with the agricultural people during their growing season. Concerning the location of the transmission line, it is my feeling that the committee which I appointed did decide that the transmission line would stay on Weld County Road 3 and Larimer County Road 11. At no time did those committee members indicate to me that they were in favor of bisecting farm ground in any direction. The only circumstance which would permit deviation fran that route would be if it were absolutely necessary for the proper construction of the power line. The Board of Weld County Commissioners and the Executive Committee of COG definitely favor the placing of the power poles directly on the ownership line between private property and county property. However, if it would be to Platte River's advantage, Weld County will sign a contract permitting Platte River to use the county right-of-way. We do not believe that County Road 3 will ever be upgraded to a status which would encroach upon the use of the county right-of-way as long as the poles were placed on the private/county property dividing line. I do hope that this satisfactorily answers the questions in your letter. Any further questions or cv„unents should be directed to Mr. Dick MacRavey. Re��arrds, /��j� Xd ethat EC 00/ 4 Glenn K. Billings, Board of Weld County Commissioners 750632 WELD COU,. I , VViYIIYI I JJIIJI LIh, Vm GLENN K.BILLINGS VICTOR JACOBUCCI Lull &2 ?Y ROY MOSER PLATTE RthR POWER AUTHORI 110 3030 SOUTH COLLEGE AVENUE a FORT COLLINS,COLORADO 80521 Board of DirectorsOctober 20, 1975 Telephone: (303)493-5520 Stanley R.Case Cable: "PLATTRI V ER" Robert L.Dekker Don W.Hatawey Jerry Trotter General Manager Albert J.Hamilton Mr. Glenn K. Billings, Chairman Executive Committee Larimer-Weld Regional Council of Governments 201 East 4th Street Loveland, Colorado 80537 Re: Proposed 230 kV Transmission Line Route from Loveland to Longmont Dear Commissioner Billings: On October 1 , 1975 the Larimer-Weld Board expressed a conditional pre- ference for Platte River's proposed alternative transmission route in- volving County Roads 3 and 11 and recommended that further information relating to the use of the C & S Railroad right-of-way be supplied to the COG Executive Committee for final determination as to the routing for the Southern portion of the transmission line. Prior to that action, on September 29, 1975, I had written to you enclosing the letter we received from Mr. J. W. Terrill , President of the C & S Rail- road. Another copy of that correspondence is enclosed together with an October 14, 1975 Resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Town of Berthoud. We have been unable to locate any formal governmental entity re- presenting the Campion area, but you will note that both the C & S Railroad and the Town of Berthoud are opposed to the use of the railroad right-of-way for transmission line routing. With respect to the conditions imposed on the designation of the preferred route in your letter to me dated October 2, 1975, Platte River hereby under- takes to agree and assure the Executive Committee as follows: (a) Platte River assures the Executive Committee that it will exert all reasonable best efforts to prevent or remedy radio and TV interference from its proposed transmission line. Our transmission line consultants, Commonwealth Associates, have advised Platte River that, except during inclement weather, the proposed 230 kV transmission line should not interfere with radio or TV reception in residences located beyond 50 feet from the centerline of the transmission line, and that if any interference does result the technology is available to correct the situation beyond that distance. Radio or television receivers, whether it PLATTE RIVER Mr. Glenn K. Billings POWER Larimer-Weld Regional COG AUTHORITY October 20, 1975 Page 2 fixed or mobile, which operate beneath or within 50 feet of the centerline of the transmission line may experience inter- ference problems which cannot be corrected with existing techno- logy. (b) Platte River also assures the Executive Committee, that during construction and for the first full growing season thereafter, it will restore irrigation at any place at which the proposed transmission line disrupts it. Meanwhile, we have two problems with condition "lc" about which we need clarification from your Executive Committee if we are to be certain that we understand correctly the intent of your October 2 letter. "The transmission line will stay on Roads 3 and 11 wherever possible, . ." Platte River is under the impression that the October 1st action of the Larimer-Weld COG Board was a conditional designation of the Re- vised Preferred Route as proposed by Platte River. Mr. Garth Rogers, the representative of the Platte River Protective Association takes a different view. He has expressed the opinion that the COG Board designated a route precisely along County Roads 3 and 11 , for the entire distance south to the existing Tri-State transmission line, and that the phrase "wherever possible" literally means wherever physically possible without qualification. To continue south on County Road 3 for the entire distance would, in our opinion, transfer the mere visual impact from a few residences along the Preferred Route and impose a greater total impact on a larger number of residences located immediately adjacent to, and on either side of, County Road 3. Many of these residences are located quite close to County Road 3 and the proximity of the transmission line would very probably result in radio and TV interference which can not be remedied with existing technology. ". .Qreferably directly no. the private property and county right-of-way division line." We believe this clause contains a potential of difficulties for the future, for both the Weld County road system and Platte River. The county has a 60 foot right-of-way on County Road 3, and if our poles are directly on the dividing line from adjacent property this would require an encroachment by Platte River on the County's roadway to the extent of 3 or 4 feet (1/2 the width of a pole foundation). PLATTE ikRIVER Mr. Glenn K. Billings POWER Larimer-Weld Regional COG AUTHORITY October 20, 1975 Page 3 We believe that if instead we were to locate just barely off of the County's road right-of-way (within a foot of the dividing line to allow for possible survey error) the full 60 feet of road right-of- way would be available to Weld County, and Platte River would not face the potential cost of moving its poles if the road were later widened. This would result in an added 4 or 5 foot encroachment upon private land just off the road right-of-way, at each pole location 800 to 1000 feet apart, but it would have only a negligible effect on farming operations. An alternative would be for Weld County to grant Platte River an occupancy right for the 3 or 4 foot portion on its road right-of- way. This would solve Platte River' s problem, but it would curtail the maximum usable County road width by 3 or 4 feet at each pole location. Platte River would very much appreciate your clarification on behalf of the Executive Committee of these two items under "lc". Accompanying this letter are magnified aerial photos of the southern portion of the line route. These photos enable one to see the threatened impact on farm buildings and residences along the southern part of County Road 3 which we have tried to avoid but which would result from a literal interpretation of the "wherever possible" language. If you or your Executive Committee members have further questions we will be prepared to discuss them with you at your convenience. Unless you have further questions, we believe this completes our filing of information with the COG Executive Committee so that it can make its final determination on this matter. Very truly yours, PLATT ER POW AUTHO Y Albert J. Ham ton General Manager Encls: /mg PLATTE Rin POWER AUTHORIf , i I k� , 3030 SOUTH COLLEGE AVENUE • FORT COLLINS,COLORADO 80521 Board of Directors September 29, 1975 Telephone: 1303) 493.5520 Stanley R.Case Cable: "PLATTRI V ER" Robert L.Dekker Don W. Hataway Jerry Trotter General Manager Albert J. Hamilton i Mr. Glenn K. Billings, Chairman Larimer-Weld Regional Council of Governments Weld County Courthouse Greeley, Colorado 80631 Dear Mr. Billings: • We have learned from Mr. William Slimak, our Chief Engineer who accompanied your special committee on its September 24 inspection of the proposed transmission line routes, that some of your members felt they did not have sufficient information concerning Platte River's possible use of the Colorado & Southern Railroad right-of- way for the route of our proposed Loveland-Longmont transmission line. The C & S routing was suggested to us not long after the I-25 al- ternative had first been proposed. However, because the I-25 route was strongly advocated and the C & S route was not, and because our resources were limited, we did not make an environmental impact study for the C & S route. We were able to make a cost estimate for our line on the C & S right-of-way between a point near King's Corner, south of Loveland, and the northern edge of Longmont. We estimated the additional cost of our line if we used that route to be $1 ,125,000. Since the Association's emphasis was on I-25 we did not pursue the matter. The C & S route would, of course, have an impact on the communities of Campion and Berthoud, through which the C & S right-of- way passes. At some point in our discussions with the Protective Association, our representatives and theirs conferred with Messrs. Daume and Haswell , of the C & S Railroad in Denver about the use of the C & S right-of-way from Highland, a point about 22 miles north of Longmont to Longmont's Northeast Substation. It was clear to our representatives that the C & S engineers anticipated some problems with a 115 kV transmission line along any part of their right-of-way which they would prefer to avoid. Since that time Mr. Slimak and our attorney, John Wittemyer, have con- ferred with higher level C & S management about the availability of the C & S right-of-way for Platte River's transmission line. We have re- ceived the enclosed letter from Mr. John W. Terrill , President of C & S, which states his railroad's position. , hir Mr. Glenn K. B]lZ4ngs September 29, (' 1 �. 7 Page 2 We have estimated the additional cost of our facilities on both the long and short routing segments of the C & S right-of-way and have determined that these alternatives would involve the additional expenditures shown by the following table, if Platte River is to provide the same service to Longmont that would be available from the Revised Preferred Route. Added Cost for C & S Route Routing to Reduced Longmont From Initial Future Capacity Total Boyd via King's Corner $104,000 $935,000 $ 86,000 $1 ,125,000 and C & S; Substation at Highland Boyd via Preferred $325,000 $455,000 $206,000 $ 986,000 Route and Southern Substation; West to Highland then South If you need additional information on this or any other aspect of the transmission line routing problem, we will be pleased to cooperate with your committee and furnish it to you. We will greatly appreciate, of course, anything that can be done to expedite your committee's decision and that of the Larimer-Weld COG, in order that Platte River may proceed to acquire the necessary right-of-way and negotiate the construction con- tracts to build this line. Very truly yours, PLAT IVER P WER AUTH RITY Czi,..,r< , Albert J. Tiamilton General Manager Encl : /mg , THE COLORADO AND SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY A SUBSIDIARY OF BURLINGTON NORTHERN 2000 EXECUTIVE TOWER / 1405 CURTIS STREET / DENVER, COLORADO 80202 BURLINGTON NORTHERN JOHN W. TERRILL President Platte River Power Authority September 26, 1975 3030 So College Av Fort Collins CO 80521 Gentlemen Relative to your proposal for possible use of Colorado and Southern right of way between Longmont and Highland, (Mile Posts 46.0-49.5), for the installation of a 115KV transmission line. This request has been reviewed by our various departments and we have encountered several objections. We presently are ex- periencing communication and signal difficulties due to inter- ference of Public Service Company's existing 44KV transmission line, as well as in other areas where our right of way is shared by overhead transmission lines. Further, the versatility of our industrial property adjacent to the Railway could be limited, as the transmission line towers create a permanent encumbrance. Unfortunately, we must advise that the Colorado and Southern Railway will oppose any overhead electric transmission line use of our right of way in this area. Sincerely "' Jr W Terrill President -) RESOLUTION RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 230 KV TRANSMISSION LINE ON RAILROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY OF THE COLORADO AND SOUTHERN RAILROAD THROUGH BERTHOUD, LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO. WHEREAS, due to the number of buildings located near the railroad right-of-way which possibly could cause interference with television and radio reception; and WIMEAS, a power line of 230 KV possibly could create a danger to the residents along and near the right-of-way: NOW,THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and Town Board of Trustees of the Town of Berthoud feel that it is not in the best interest of the Town of Berthoud to construct this facility on the railroad right-of-way through Berthoud and, that the Mayor and Town Board of Trustees strongly oppose the construction of same. PASSED AND ADOPTED, SIGNED AND APPROVED, this Pr"' day of ©( Ap4J 1975. TOWN OF BERTHOUD BY x E�-) ' .t ` '1�.Mayor ATTEST: ^ (L1^A -n a. /c! 1n Town Clerk o PLATTE RIVER POWER AUTHORITY Added Cost of Building Transmission Line on County Road 3 - Newell Lake to Calkins Lake Line Description Amount Additional cost to minimize impact of farms and residences along route: 1 10 medium angle structures, single circuit @ $11,700 each $117,000 2. 4 light angle structures, double circuit @ $17,600 each 70,400 Removal of 1/2 mile of Tri-State 115 kV single circuit and reconstruction as double circuit: 3 1/2 mile removal @ $40,000 per mile 20,000 4 1/2 mile construction of double circuit 115 kV, steel pole @ $155,000 per mile 77,500 5 Subtotal - Additional Costs $284,900 CREDIT Special facilities required in Platte River preferred route which would not be needed: 6 4 heavy angle structures, single circuit @ $19,700 each (78,800) 7 2 long span structures, double circuit @ $14,000 each (28,000) 8 Net added cost of using County Road 3 for line route - Newell Lake to Calkins Lake $178,100 • c n ve-COUNTY ROAD RIGHT OF WAY TRANSMISSION POLE FOUNDATION - 4' RADIUS POLE ALIGNMENT AS RECOMMENDED BY LARIMER-WELD REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS. COUNTY ROAD RIGHT • OF WAY TRANSMISSION POLE FOUNDATION 3' - 4' RADIUS 4/ ROADWAY I ) POLE ALIGNMENT AS PREFERRED BY PLATTE RIVER POWER AUTHORITY. al PLATTE RIVER POWER AUTHORITY TRANSMISSION POLE FOUNDATION I _ ALIGNMENT Jerc 10/20/75 Hello