HomeMy WebLinkAbout20200646.tiffSUMMARY OF THE WELD COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
A regular meeting of the Weld County Planning Commission was held in the Weld County Administration
Building, Hearing Room, 1150 O Street, Greeley, Colorado. This meeting was called to order by Chair,
Michael Wailes, at 12:30 pm.
Roll Call.
Present: Bruce Johnson, Elijah Hatch, Gene Stille, Lonnie Ford, Michael Wailes, Richard Beck, Tom Cope.
Absent/Excused: Skip Holland.
Also Present: Kim Ogle, Department of Planning Services; Lauren Light, Department of Health; Mike
McRoberts, Public Works; Bob Choate, County Attorney, and Kris Ranslem, Secretary.
Motion: Approve the February 4, 2020 Weld County Planning Commission minutes, Moved by Elijah
Hatch, Seconded by Tom Cope. Motion passed unanimously.
CASE NUMBER: USR19-0070
APPLICANT: TRI-STATE GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION ASSOCIATION, INC.
PLANNER: KIM OGLE
REQUEST: A SITE SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND USE BY SPECIAL REVIEW
PERMIT 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
CONSTRUCTION TRAILERS, MULTIPLE STORAGE CONTAINERS AND
OTHER ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT) IN THE A (AGRICULTURAL) ZONE
DISTRICT.
LOCATION: EAST OF CR 69, SOUTH OF CR 132; WEST OF CR 89 AND NORTH OF CR
102.
Kim Ogle, Planning Services, presented Case USR19-0070, reading the recommendation and comments
into the record. Staff did not receive any correspondence or phone calls from the surrounding property
owners regarding this application. The Department of Planning Services recommends approval of this
application with the attached conditions of approval and development standards.
Mike McRoberts, Public Works, reported on the existing traffic, access to the site and drainage conditions
for the site.
Lauren Light, Environmental Health, reviewed the public water and sanitary sewer requirements, on -site
dust control, and the Waste Handling Plan.
Selina Koler, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, 1100 West 116th Avenue, Westminster,
Colorado, stated that this is to provide electric service to a couple of industrial customers that requested
service from High West Energy (a co-operative member). Originally, the application was for 12 megawatts,
however, that number has gone up to between 55 or 60 megawatts now. She added that the load currently
in the area is 6.5 megawatts and it cannot be served from the existing 34.5kV distribution system.
Ms. Koler said that the Lloyd Sisson Substation will be located at County Road 71 and County Road 130.
It will be located on 7.5 acres including one-half acre of drainage pond.
The line will be approximately 20 miles in length. There will be 100 feet of right-of-way and it will be located
exclusively on private land.
Ms. Koler said that there was a concern about the impact that this project will have on birds. However, she
said that generally larger transmission lines don't have the electrocution risks to birds as some of the smaller
distribution lines might have because they have spacing between the energized pieces of the line. She
added that they follow guidelines from the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee. She said that they
recommend 60 inches, so they make sure to maintain 60 inches between all of their energized parts. Ms.
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Koler said that they will also be installing light diverters on their optical ground wire at the top of the
transmission line that helps mark the lines for birds so that they don't collide into it.
Ms. Koler said that they plan to initiate construction in June 2020 and the line and substation would be
energized in the first quarter of 2021.
Commissioner Stille asked if they have an idea of birds killed by transmission lines versus wind turbines.
Ms. Koler said that she doesn't know that number but added that she thought their distribution lines across
the country probably kill more birds than the wind turbines. She added that transmission lines don't because
the spacing is so broad.
The Chair asked if there was anyone in the audience who wished to speak for or against this application.
The Chair asked the applicant if they have read through the Development Standards and Conditions of
Approval and if they are in agreement with those. The applicant replied that they are in agreement.
Motion: Forward Case USR19-0070 to the Board of County Commissioners along with the Conditions of
Approval and Development Standards with the Planning Commission's recommendation of approval,
Moved by Elijah Hatch, Seconded by Lonnie Ford.
Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 7).
Yes: Bruce Johnson, Elijah Hatch, Gene Stille, Lonnie Ford, Michael Wailes, Richard Beck, Tom Cope.
The Chair asked the public if there were other items of business that they would like to discuss. No one
wished to speak.
The Chair asked the Planning Commission members if there was any new business to discuss. No one
wished to speak.
Meeting adjourned at 1:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Kristine Ranslem
Secretary
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