HomeMy WebLinkAbout20251274.tiffHearing Certification
Docket No. 2025-19
Board of County Commissioners
Weld County, Colorado
Use by Special Review Permit, USR24-0029, for a 1041 Major Facility of a Public
Utility (115/12.47 -kV Substation) in the A (Agricultural) Zone District —
Vima Partners, LLC, c/o Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc.
A public hearing was conducted on May 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., with the following
present:
Commissioner Perry L. Buck, Chair — Excused
Commissioner Scott K. James, Pro-Tem
Commissioner Jason S. Maxey
Commissioner Lynette Peppier
Commissioner Kevin D. Ross
Also present:
Acting Clerk to the Board, Jess Reid
Deputy County Attorney, Karin McDougal
Department of Planning Services Representative, Diana Aungst
Development Review Representative, Mike McRoberts
The following business was transacted:
I hereby certify that pursuant to a Notice dated April 16, 2025, and duly published
April 18, 2025, in the Greeley Tribune, a public hearing was conducted to consider the
request of Vima Partners, LLC, c/o Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association,
Inc., for Use by Special Review Permit, USR24-0029, for a 1041 Major Facility of a Public
Utility (115/12.47 -kV Substation) in the A (Agricultural) Zone District. Karin McDougal,
Deputy County Attorney, made this a matter of record.
Chair Pro-Tem James reviewed for the applicant and the public, the procedures to
follow should this case result in a tie vote due to four (4) Commissioners being present
and Commissioner Buck being excused. In response to Pro-Tem James,
Isabella Beshouri, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State),
indicated she had not had contact with any of the Commissioners regarding this case.
Diana Aungst, Department of Planning Services, presented a brief summary of the
proposal, provided the general location of the site and stated 29 referrals were sent out
and 15 agencies responded. She explained why the site location was selected and
relayed the site was created with a Public Facility Division (PFD), therefore, she
requested the legal description be changed to incorporate Public Facility Division,
PFD24-0001. She stated the substation will establish a new delivery point in which
cc'. PL(DE/mo /D A/DA/KR)
06/2.5/25
2025-1274
PL2953
Hearing Certification (USR24-0029) — Vima Partners, LLC, c/o Tri-State Generation and
Transmission Association, Inc.
Page 2
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., will provide energy to the
Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA). She cited Weld County Code
Section 23-3-340.A.3, which required the applicant to provide a reasonable alternatives
analysis, and explained why the applicant chose the subject site. She described the
surrounding land uses, noted construction will take approximately 11 months, conveyed
the number of employees during construction, and indicated the site will be monitored
remotely during operation. Ms. Aungst reviewed the comments of the Department of
Planning Services — Development Review staff, mentioned there are 21 adjacent
properties, with 14 unique property owners, within one -quarter (1/4) mile of the parent
parcel, and noted, per the request of neighboring owners, Tri-State will construct an
eight (8) -foot wall for screening. She relayed the site is within the three (3) mile referral
area of the Towns of Windsor and Johnstown, the City of Greeley, and Larimer County,
and shared, per the Department of Public Health and Environment staff, there will be no
permanent employees, therefore, portable toilets are acceptable during construction and
operation. She stated the applicant will utilize a water truck for dust control, an
Air Pollutant Emissions Notice (APEN) may be required, and she provided the Noise
Analysis details. She entered the favorable recommendation of the Planning Commission
into the record, as written, and displayed images of the site and surrounding views. In
response to Commissioner Ross' question regarding the fence, Ms. Aungst deferred to
the applicant, and confirmed the pond on the north side of the site is for
detention/retention.
IE Mike McRoberts, Department of Planning Services — Development Review, stated
access will be onto County Road (CR) 15. He provided the daily traffic counts and speeds
in the area and summarized the traffic associated with construction, including the delivery
of materials during construction. He relayed they are requesting a Road Maintenance
Agreement during construction and noted the site will be required to have permanent
tracking control.
Ms. Beshouri introduced her team and presented a PowerPoint presentation
(Exhibit F). She outlined Tri-State as a company, reiterated Tri-State serves PVREA,
described the purpose of, and need for, the expansion, and described the reliability and
capacity the expansion will provide. She elaborated on the siting alternatives, explained
Tri-State, based on feedback from surrounding landowners, revised its Screening Plan to
incorporate an eight (8) -foot wall around the substation, and provided project details. She
outlined the surveys performed and the permits required, in preparation of the expansion,
displayed images of the visual simulations of the site, and provided a detailed construction
schedule.
Responding to Commissioner Ross, Ms. Beshouri explained the wall will surround
the entire substation and will be some form of stone, and in response to
Commissioner Maxey, she provided clarification on the site alternatives and confirmed
2025-1274
PL2953
Hearing Certification (USR24-0029) - Vima Partners, LLC, c/o Tri-State Generation and
Transmission Association, Inc.
Page 3
there will be room for additional growth. Commissioner Ross questioned if the substation
would serve Cascadia, a new development located to southwest of Greeley, to which
Ms. Beshouri deferred to a representative from PVREA. After receiving confirmation from
a member of her team, she relayed the wall will be concrete, and the surrounding
landowners are aware.
Troy Richter, PVREA, confirmed the substation will serve Cascadia, eventually, but it
was not a part of the initial plan, and confirmed the site's future ability to expand.
Ms. Beshouri described the wall material as a pre -cast concrete that will look like stone
and stated the site has the ability to accommodate an additional 40 megawatts.
El No public testimony was offered concerning this matter.
The Board reviewed the Conditions of Approval (COA) and Development Standards
(DS). There was discussion among Commissioner Ross and staff regarding COA #1.G.6
(right-of-way requirements), but no changes were made. Commissioner Ross suggested
deleting DS #26 (sources of light), as it is similar to DS #5 (Lighting Plan) and Ms. Aungst
suggested deleting DS #27 (Building Permits), as the site is exempt from that requirement
due to an exception for public service agencies. The Board agreed to all of the
aforementioned changes.
No public testimony was offered regarding changes made to the Conditions of
Approval and Development Standards.
In response to Pro-Tem James, Ms. Beshouri, on behalf of the applicants, indicated
she had reviewed, and agreed to abide by, the Conditions of Approval and Development
Standards, as amended.
Commissioner Ross moved to approve the request of Vima Partners, LLC,
c/o Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., for Use by Special Review
Permit, USR24-0029, for a 1041 Major Facility of a Public Utility (115/12.47 -kV
Substation) in the A (Agricultural) Zone District, based on the recommendations of
Planning staff and the Planning Commission, with the Conditions of Approval and
Development Standards, as amended. The motion was seconded by
Commissioner Maxey, and it carried unanimously. Ms. Aungst reminded the Board of the
change to the Resolution to incorporate the PFD in the legal description and the hearing
was completed at 10:38 a.m.
2025-1274
PL2953
Hearing Certification (USR24-0029) — Vima Partners, LLC, c/o Tri-State Generation and
Transmission Association, Inc.
Page 4
The Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, approved the above
and foregoing Hearing Certification, on motion duly made and seconded, by the following
vote on the 11th day of June, A.D., 2025:
Perry L. Buck, Chair: Aye
Scott K. James, Pro-Tem: Aye
Jason S. Maxey: Aye
Lynette Peppier: Aye
Kevin D. Ross: Aye
Attest:
Esther E. Gesick, Clerk to the Board
2025-1274
PL2953
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