HomeMy WebLinkAbout20201877.tiffHEARING CERTIFICATION
DOCKET NO. 2020-42
RE: A SITE SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND USE BY SPECIAL REVIEW PERMIT,
USR20-0007, FOR OIL AND GAS SUPPORT AND SERVICE, INCLUDING A CLASS II
SALTWATER DISPOSAL FACILITY AND RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE, ONE (1)
80 -FOOT BY 100 -FOOT STEEL BUILDING WITH OFFICE, A TANK WASHOUT AREA
ON THE CONCRETE UNLOAD PAD AND UP TO FIVE (5) CONSTRUCTION TRAILERS
AND FIVE (5) CONEX CONTAINERS FOR TEMPORARY USE DURING
CONSTRUCTION IN THE A (AGRICULTURAL) ZONE DISTRICT - EWS #12 DJ
BASIN, LLC
A public hearing was conducted on June 24, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., with the following present:
Commissioner Mike Freeman, Chair
Commissioner Steve Moreno, Chair Pro -Tern
Commissioner Scott K. James
Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer
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, Melissa King
Health Department representative, Lauren Light
The following business was transacted:
I hereby certify that pursuant to a notice dated May 1, 2020, and duly published May 6, 2020,
in the Greeley Tribune, a public hearing was conducted to consider the request of EWS #12 DJ
Basin, LLC, for a Site Specific Development Plan and Use by Special Review Permit,
USR20-0007, for Oil and Gas Support and Service, including a Class II Saltwater Disposal Facility
and related infrastructure, one (1) 80 -foot by 100 -foot steel building with office, a tank washout
area on the concrete unload pad and up to five (5) construction trailers and five (5) conex
containers for temporary use during construction in the A (Agricultural) Zone District. Bob Choate,
Assistant County Attorney, made this a matter of record.
e Kim Ogle, Department of Planning Services, presented a brief summary of the proposal,
described the site location and relayed there is a pending Recorded Exemption application. He
stated the site is located within the three (3) mile referral area of the Towns of Ault and Pierce,
and reviewed the Pierce referral comments, noting Ault did not respond to the referral request.
Mr. Ogle indicated the property has a moderate slope to the east toward the intersection of County
Road (CR) 90 and CR 39, stating the facility site is native grass and has a barbed-wire fence
perimeter. He relayed there are four (4) USRs within one (1) mile of the site and described the
surrounding uses. He stated 12 surrounding property owners (SPOs) were sent Notices with one
(1) response received (Exhibit D), which raised several questions, including what type of facility
would be construction on the parcel, whether the applicant had conducted the appropriate studies
and analysis of the project such as seismic evaluations, mitigation of nuisance conditions, and
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the economic viability of the facility. He confirmed, due to social distancing requirements, a
neighborhood meeting was not held, but an email was sent to the City of Thornton on June 1,
2020, inviting them to visit an existing facility (Exhibit F). Mr. Ogle described the Conditions of
Approval (COA) and Development Standards (DS) required for this application. He explained the
facility structures and relayed a pipeline is proposed to be constructed, reducing the amount of
traffic for the facility. He stated the facility will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with ten
(10) full-time employees over three (3) shifts. He added the proposed COA will require an
Improvements Agreement, Final Drainage Report, Final Traffic Study, Decommissioning Plan,
Communication Plan and Lighting Plan. He stated 14 referrals were sent out, with four (4) offering
comments, entered the favorable recommendation of the Planning Commission into the record
as written, and displayed images of the site and surrounding views.
IE Melissa King, Department of Public Works (PW), provided a brief overview of the
transportation plans and requirements, stating construction access to the site will be on CR 39,
and operational access to the site will be on CR 90. She explained CR 39 is a gravel, local road
and CR 90 is a paved, collector road, she described traffic counts for each road and the 85th
percentile speeds for CR 90 and stated there is not traffic data for this portion of CR 39. She
reviewed revised traffic information dated April 21, 2020, including 70 daily round trips during
operation along the haul route, Ms. King relayed PW received an acceptable Traffic Impact
Analysis, subsequent to drafting of the Resolution; therefore, she suggested COA #1.E, be
deleted. She stated the applicant will be required to submit an Improvements and Road
Maintenance Agreement for dust control and damage repairs to specified haul routes and
triggered off -site improvements, a final Drainage Report and Detention Design completed by a
Colorado Licensed Professional Engineer, and a Weld County Grading Permit, if more than one
(1) acre of land is disturbed during construction.
El Lauren Light, Department of Public Health and Environment, stated water will be provided by
the North Weld County Water District (NWCWD) and the applicant will install an engineered -
designed septic system for the office building, she indicated an Air Pollution Emissions Permit
(APEN), a Ground Water Monitoring Plan and Design Plans for the off-load area are required
prior to construction. She elaborated a Waste Handling Plan and Dust Abatement Plan were
submitted, and a Secondary Containment and Leak Detection System are required. She stated
a Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan will be kept on site and mentioned
DS #19 - 40 address Environmental Health items, typical of commercial injection wells. In
response to Commissioner Kirkmeyer, Ms. King stated she would research what is planned for
the access at CR 90 and U.S. Highway 85.
e Eric Wernsman, Wernsman Engineering and Land Development, LLC, represented
Expedition Water Solutions (EWS) #12 DJ Basin, LLC, and relayed EWS is expanding its
operations in Weld County, going to great measures to pick sites that have minimal impact to
neighboring properties. He described the proposed buildings and noise levels, tank washout
area, concrete containment area, leak detection system, stormwater detention facility, and
restrooms for employees and truck drivers. He relayed if the pipeline is not constructed, then the
facility will not be constructed and, described the backup plan for another facility. He noted EWS
will acquire all the necessary permits from Weld County, the State of Colorado and the Colorado
Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), and stated EWS has seismic monitoring on all
their injection wells, with no measurable seismic activity found. Mr. Wernsman stated the City of
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Thornton was invited to tour the EWS #6 facility on CR 19; however, no response was received.
He stated, in response to an email form the City of Thornton (Exhibit D), the application was
revised providing clarification with regard to the COGCC approval. He relayed EWS operates
several sites in Weld county with no violations, described the function and depth of the injection
well, and elaborated on the work with PW regarding a safe access location. He stated EWS will
provide a Decommission Plan, and in response to Commissioner James, Mr. Wernsman
reiterated if the pipeline is not constructed, the facility will not be needed, hence the low count of
truck traffic.
ID No public testimony was offered concerning this matter.
ID In response to Chair Freeman, Mr. Wernsman confirmed COA # 1.E may be removed, and
responding to Commissioner Kirkmeyer's earlier question, Ms. King stated the Access Control
Plan recommends a traffic signal for the intersection of CR 90 and U.S. Highway 85. Responding
further, she stated CR 88 adjoins the property, is a paved, local road and Chair Freeman
confirmed the haul route is 50% CR 90 to U.S. Highway 85 and 50% CR 90 to State Highway 14.
In response to Commissioner Kirkmeyer, the applicant confirmed a Noise Study was not
presented, because the noise levels outside other facilities are at 50 db(A) or less, and Mr. Ogle
confirmed there are four (4) surrounding residences. Responding further to Commissioner
Kirkmeyer, Mr. Wernsman stated the lighting will be downcast fixtures, will follow a Dark Sky
Policy, the applicant will plant trees, for screening/landscaping, if necessary and there will be
outside storage. a In response to Commissioner James, Ms. King confirmed the concerns
raised by PW have been addressed in COA #1.J.11, so COA #1.B. (access locations) may be
deleted. Chair Freeman confirmed deletion of COA #1.E. In response to Commissioner
Kirkmeyer, Mr. Wernsman detailed the Communication Plan they have utilized with the other
locations, providing a cell number to the surrounding neighbors. There was discussion of adding
the Dark Sky Policy verbiage to COA #1.H and amending COA #1.1, to read: "A Screening Plan
shall be submitted to, and approved by, the Department of Planning Services that screens the
site and any outside storage from the surrounding property owners and public rights -of -way". In
response to Commissioner Moreno, Mr. Wernsman confirmed there is a gated entrance, and
Commissioner James recommended a change in DS #4 (number of employees), removing the
number of shifts. Commissioner Kirkmeyer requested a modification to DS #7 to read, "The
proposed screening on the site shall be maintained in accordance with the approved Screening
Plan", additionally modifying DS #8 by removing Communications Plan and adding a new DS #9
(Communication Plan). In response to Commissioner Kirkmeyer, the applicant acknowledged
portable toilets will be at the facility only during construction. It was agreed upon to delete DS #36
(permissible noise level) and insert the Dark Sky Policy in DS #42 (sources of light). The Board
agreed to all of the aforementioned changes.
IR In response to Chair Freeman, Mr. Wernsman, on behalf of the applicant, indicated they have
reviewed, and agreed to abide by, the Conditions of Approval and Development Standards, as
amended.
El No public testimony was offered regarding changes made to the Conditions of Approval and
Development Standards.
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HEARING CERTIFICATION - EWS #12 DJ BASIN, LLC (USR20-0007)
PAGE 4
-�-- Commissioner Moreno moved to approve the request of EWS #12 DJ Basin, LLC, for a Site
Specific Development Plan and Use by Special Review Permit, USR20-0007, for Oil and Gas
Support and Service, including a Class II Saltwater Disposal Facility and related infrastructure,
one (1) 80 -foot by 100 -foot steel building with office, a tank washout area on the concrete unload
pad and up to five (5) construction trailers and five (5) conex containers for temporary use during
construction 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 Ross, and it carried unanimously. There
being no further discussion, the hearing was completed at 10:32 a.m.
This Certification was approved on the 29th day of June, 2020.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
ATTEST: didiet) jdo•il
Weld County Clerk to the Board
Mike Freeman, Chair
arbara Kirkme
o-Tem
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Kevin D. Ross
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