HomeMy WebLinkAbout20200748.tiffHEARING CERTIFICATION
DOCKET NO. 2020-13
RE: A SITE SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND USE BY SPECIAL REVIEW PERMIT,
USR19-0070, FOR A MAJOR FACILITY OF A PUBLIC UTILITY OR PUBLIC AGENCY
(APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES OF 115 KV TRANSMISSION LINES), THE NEW 115 KV
SISSON SUBSTATION AND CONSTRUCTION STAGING AREAS NEAR THE LLOYD
SISSON AND KEOTA SUBSTATIONS (CONSISTING OF TWO (2) CONSTRUCTION
TRAILERS, MULTIPLE STORAGE CONTAINERS AND OTHER ASSOCIATED
EQUIPMENT) IN THE A (AGRICULTURAL) ZONE DISTRICT - TRI-STATE
GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION ASSOCIATION, INC.
A public hearing was conducted on March 11, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., with the following present:
Commissioner Mike Freeman, Chair
Commissioner Steve Moreno, Pro -Tern
Commissioner Scott K. James
Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer - EXCUSED
Commissioner Kevin D. Ross
Also present:
Acting Clerk to the Board, Jan Warwick
Assistant County Attorney, Bob Choate
Planning Services Department representative, Kim Ogle
Public Works Department representative, Mike McRoberts
Health Department representative, Lauren Light
The following business was transacted:
El I hereby certify that pursuant to a notice dated January 30, 2020, and duly published
February 5, 2020, in the Greeley Tribune, a public hearing was conducted to consider the request
of Tri- State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., for a Site Specific Development Plan
and Use by Special Review Permit, USR19-0070, for a Major Facility of a Public Utility or Public
Agency (approximately 20 miles of 115 kV transmission lines), the new 115 kV Sisson Substation
and construction staging areas near the Lloyd Sisson and Keota Substations (consisting of two
(2) construction trailers, multiple storage containers and other associated equipment) in the
A (Agricultural) Zone District. Bob Choate, Assistant County Attorney, made this a matter of
record.
Kim Ogle, Department of Planning Services, presented a brief summary of the proposal,
described the location of the facility proposed, and explained the PowerPoint presentation. He
expanded on the service the transmission line will provide, and he explained two (2) alternatives
were evaluated for infrastructure enhancements to meet the power needs. Mr. Ogle described
location of the 20 mile transmission line, to the infrastructural alternatives, explained three (3)
transmission line routes were considered, and stated the selected corridor is the most direct. He
indicated the applicant contacted surrounding property owners (SPOs), utilizing several means of
communication, beginning in June 2018, and the Department of Planning Services did not receive
correspondence concerning the project. He went on to explain the number of structures installed
along the line, the space between them, and the type of framing and poles which will be installed,
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including height limits. He described types of local production and relayed there are two (2)
residences within 500 feet, and seven (7) residences within a half (.5) mile of the transmission
line route, noting there is one (1) residence approximately one (1) mile to the east of the proposed
Lloyd Sisson Substation. He explained the site is within the three (3) mile referral area of Town of
Grover, and they did not return a referral response, and he relayed the applicant will negotiate
land lease agreements with property owners within the transmission line corridor. He stated the
application was provided to twenty three referral agencies for review two (2) offered comments.
Mr. Ogle presented images of the substation sites and entered the favorable recommendation of
the Planning Commission into the record as written.
IR Mike McRoberts, Department of Public Works (PW), provided a brief overview of the
transportation plans and requirements, explained where staging will occur, and indicated the
access locations at County Road (CR) 89 and CR 130. He stated the applicant will submit
graphical and written documentation detailing the transmission line route, public rights -of -way,
road classification and surface type for each road crossed by the transmission line, once it has
been determined. PW is requiring tracking control during construction for all permitted accesses
and temporary tracking control at all accesses. He indicated no traffic counts were available in
the area for the project and stated there will be up to 42 assorted daily truck round trips in the first
eight (8) weeks of construction, approximately 27 during the second eight (8) weeks and up to 20
pickup truck daily round trips during the final four (4) weeks of construction. He noted PW is
requiring a Road Maintenance Agreement during construction only and the Lloyd Sisson
Substation requires stormwater detention and runoff. He affirmed the applicant has submitted a
proposed drainage report for review, the final Drainage Report and Detention Pond Design shall
be completed by a Colorado Licensed Professional Engineer prior to recording the USR map and
a Weld County grading permit is required if more than one (1) acre of land is disturbed. El In
response to Commissioner Moreno, Mr. McRoberts repeated the number of daily round trips
associated with the project.
El Lauren Light, Department of Public Health and Environment, relayed that screened, portable
toilets can be used along the construction route and must be removed when construction is
complete. She stated the usual dust and waste restrictions will be required if over 25 acres is
disturbed and an Air Pollution Emissions Notice (APEN) is required. Ms. Light stated Development
Standards (DS) #14 - #20 address Environmental Health items.
Selina Koler, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., (Tri-State), displayed
a PowerPoint presentation (Exhibit D) with a list of the representatives present and their titles,
including engineers, the Project Manager and the Senior Manager. She described the company
and its services, indicated initially there was a request for 12 megawatts of service from some oil
and gas facilities, and stated as the project was being developed, that number grew to 55 or 60
megawatts. She conveyed 115 kV is being converted to 345 kV distribution at the Lloyd Sisson
Substation and went on to describe the line to be installed, mile by mile. She explained the current
contract with the landowner is to purchase seven and one half (7.5) acres of land, the actual
substation will be on two and one half (2.5) acres, with a one half (.5) acre drainage pond and
described the access locations. She stated the 20 miles of transmission line will be built in a
100 -foot right-of-way, described the land the line will run along, and the types of structures that
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will be put into place along the 20 -mile line. Ms. Koler described the process of analysis to
determine how the line is routed, and explained letters, phone calls and personal meetings were
initiated with SPOs and indicated the outcome of the route was determined by working with the
landowners. Ms. Koler relayed the surveys that had been conducted and their results, explained
the weed infestations that will be sprayed, and mentioned the Raptor survey which will be
conducted again this spring to ensure there are no active nests within the centerline buffer
distance. Ms. Koler outlined the permits that will need to be obtained and stated construction will
begin in June with hopes to be in service in early 2021.
El In response to Commissioner Ross, Ms. Koler confirmed the divergence of the existing
right-of-way was to avoid the Pawnee National Grasslands and went on to clarify the amount of
upgrade, confirming 115 kV will be transforming to a 345 kV level. Ms. Koler disclosed there are
currently no contracts with landowners secured and explained the adjustment of the line was
made at the request of some of the SPOs.
In response to Commissioner James, Mr. Ogle stated that the proposed substation will be
located on a Recorded Exception (RE) lot that is currently under review, but the plat has not yet
been recorded, which is a Condition of Approval. Ms. Koler went on to explain the reason behind
the timing of their application and Mr. Choate explained the legal aspect of not having to record a
lot if the need is not here and, reiterated they do not have to create a lot if there is no need for
one. In response to Commissioner Moreno, Ms. Koler explained the requirements of an APEN.
No public testimony was offered concerning this matter.
In response to Chair Freeman, Ms. Koler indicated she had reviewed, and the applicant
agrees to abide by, the Conditions of Approval and Development Standards, as amended.
After discussion among the applicant and the Board, no changes or corrections were made
to the Conditions of Approval or the Development Standards.
In response to Commissioner Moreno, Ms. Light explained DS #18 covers the whole line, not
just the substations, which could be over 25 acres and confirmed the requirement is "if applicable".
El Commissioner Moreno moved to approve the request of Tri-State Generation and
Transmission Association, Inc., for a Site Specific Development Plan and Use by Special Review
Permit, USR19-0070, for a Major Facility of a Public Utility or Public Agency (approximately
20 miles of 115 kV transmission lines), the new 115 kV Sisson substation and construction staging
areas near the Lloyd Sisson and Keota Substations (consisting of two (2) construction trailers,
multiple storage containers and other associated equipment) 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 entered into record. The motion was
seconded by Commissioner James, and it carried unanimously. There being no further
discussion, the hearing was completed at 10:35 a.m.
2020-0748
PL2739
HEARING CERTIFICATION - TRI-STATE GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION
ASSOCIATION, INC. (USR19-0070)
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This Certification was approved on the 16th day of March, 2020.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
ATTEST: dia„ w ;ok.
Weld County Clerk to the Board
BY:
Deputy Clerk to the Board
EXCUSED DATE OF APPROVAL
Mike Feeman, Chair
Stev" oreno, Pro -Tern
S : •tt K. James
Kevin D. Ross
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