Glenwood Springs Post Independent 02/10/2014
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Post Independent
WPX could seek
permission to
build 7 gas pads
in Rifle watershed
Staff Report
WPX Energy plans to seek an amendment to its city
of Rifle Beaver Creek watershed permit that could allow
them to build up to seven new natural gas wellpads
between now and 2018, Rifle City Council members
learned Wednesday night.
At a workshop meeting, WPX officials outlined the history of the 12-square-mile, 8,000-acre watershed area, which
is the source of 9 percent of Rifle’s drinking water. The vast
majority of the city’s water comes from the Colorado River.
Several years ago, the city established a watershed district in the Beaver Creek area and considers permits for
certain industrial activities to help protect the water source.
WPX spokeswoman Susan Alvillar said the company
expects to release its 2014 operational plans within the
next few weeks, followed sometime afterwards with a
request to amend the permit. Maps presented to the
council showed the seven new well pads could be located within and near the watershed district boundaries.
Jason Raley, a regulatory specialist with WPX, said
the first gas wells in the district — nine miles southwest
of Rifle — were drilled in 1999, but that since 2009,
only 13 out of a planned 53 new wells had been drilled
by the company.
HOUSING
From page A1
overlooking the Roaring Fork
Valley.
“The concept plan restricts
development to 68 acres (approximately 13 percent) of the overall
506 acres,” according to an overview of the project included in the
application. “As a result, over 86
percent of Glenwood Ridge will
remain as park land, active open
space, or passive open space.”
That would include a 16.7-acre
public park at the main entrance
off Four Mile Road, featuring
three baseball fields and parking,
according to the development
plan.
“The variety of housing options
provided will serve to accomplish
the city’s goal of a lower-cost
housing component without the
necessity of deed restrictions,” the
proposal also states.
Currently, the city’s affordable
housing requirements are on
temporary hold as a means of
spurring economic development
following the recent recession
and downturn in the real estate
market.
“The neighborhoods created
8
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CLEER, CORE to host utility
rebate workshops Feb. 13, 20
Cam Burns
CLEER
Building and energy efficiency contractors are invited to attend one of
CLEER and CORE’s two free combined 2014 Utility Rebate Workshops
and Trade Shows to learn about updates to local rebate programs, utility
rebate programs, and loan programs
Feb. 13 in Glenwood Springs and Feb.
20 in Basalt.
The workshops will feature speakers from local electric and natural
gas utilities and energy coaches from
CORE and CLEER. The associated trade shows will feature energy
efficiency products from a variety of
suppliers in the region. Contractors
and other attendees will have time to
browse the booths and network with
suppliers.
The Glenwood event will offer a free
light breakfast, and the Basalt event
will include a free buffet lunch.
The first workshop and trade
show will be Thursday 8-11 a.m. at
the Glenwood Springs Community
Center, 100 Wulfsohn Road. Speaker
within the Glenwood Ridge concept plan are efficient, pedestrian
friendly, sensitive to the environment, responsive to the needs of
the marketplace with an emphasis on affordability and design,
and provide significant areas for
recreation,” developers state in the
application.
“We believe, as crafted, Glenwood Ridge provides a mixture of
housing styles and sizes, residential density, and open space preservation that is both necessary
and appropriate, and will serve as
an asset to the city of Glenwood
Springs,” the project’s developers
conclude.
Two rather large carrots are
being dangled in the proposal in
an effort to convince the city to
approve the plans.
The first would be to convey
to the city approximately 1,140
acres of land that was part of the
“Upper Bershenyi Ranch,” but is
not included in the annexation
request. The area could be used
for recreation, or be left as undisturbed wild lands, the developers
suggest.
“This means that, upon approval of Glenwood Ridge, more
than 95 percent of the former
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Due to the success of
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West Rifle
Glenwood Springs
947-1670
Sun - Thurs 11-10 • Fri & Sat 11-11
| Monday, February 10, 2014 | A3
presentations will be between 8:30
and 10:45 a.m. Presenters will include Holy Cross Energy, Xcel Energy
and the Commercial Refrigeration
Efficiency Program, CLEAResult,
SourceGas, MesaPoint Energy, City of
Aspen Utilities, CORE/Energy Smart
Colorado, and CLEER/Garfield Clean
Energy/Glenwood Springs Electric.
Attendees are asked to register for the
event at http://utility-workshop-gs.
eventbrite.com. There will be a free
light breakfast for early birds at 8
a.m.
The second workshop and trade
show will be Feb. 20, noon to 2:30
p.m. at the Basalt Library, 14 Midland
Ave. Speaker presentations will be
between 12:30 and 2 p.m. Presenters will include Holy Cross Energy,
City of Aspen Utilities, SourceGas,
MesaPoint Energy, and CORE/Energy
Smart Colorado. Attendees are asked
to register for the event at http://
utility-workshop-basalt.eventbrite.
com. There will be a free lunch buffet
at noon.
The 2014 Utility Rebate Workshops and Trade Shows are hosted by
Bershenyi and Martino ranches
will be preserved as open, undeveloped land,” according to the
proposal.
Secondly, in order to address
both existing and future traffic
concerns on the route to Glenwood Ridge, the developers are
offering to construct, or fund the
construction of, a four-legged
roundabout at the intersection
of Four Mile Road and Midland
Avenue.
A roundabout at that location
is already envisioned as part of
the city’s South Bridge project, for
which an environmental assessment has been completed but for
which no construction funding
has been identified.
The roundabout would also
include a new, direct access to
Sopris Elementary School, which
the developers said is in an effort
to reduce traffic congestion at Mt.
Sopris Drive.
The Planning and Zoning
Commission and City Council, in
reviewing the annexation and development proposal, will have an
opportunity to discuss the merits
of the project, and to hear what
citizens think about it.
“Discussions will focus on
Soul Flower
CORE, Energy Smart and CLEER,
and Garfield Clean Energy.
Vendors for the Feb. 13 Glenwood Springs Trade Show include Airius AirPear (destratification fans), A&E Building
Systems, Transformative Wave
(rooftop units “smarts in a box”),
Wilo Group (efficient motors and
pumps), All-Phase Electric Supply
Co. (lighting), Brite Ideas Bulb Recycling, One Source Lighting, Eco
Source (LED retrofit kits), FridgeWize, GreenTech Refrigeration,
Xcel Energy Commercial Refrigeration Efficiency Program, Amatis
Controls (monitoring and controls), and Refuel Colorado Fleets
(CNG fleet conversions).
Vendors for the Feb. 20 Basalt
Trade Show include All-Phase Electric
Supply Co., Brite Ideas Bulb Recycling, Eco Source, FridgeWize, and
GreenTech Refrigeration.
For more information, and information on how to become a sponsor
or host a vendor booth, call Lucy
Kessler at 963-1090 or Maisa Metcalf
at 704-9200
JOHN STROUD / [email protected]
The view from Four Mile Road, as seen last fall, across what would become part of the Glenwood Ridge development. The annexation and
development plan are currently being reviewed by city of Glenwood
Springs planning staff, and is scheduled for public hearings beginning
in March.
benefits and impacts of the proposed development on municipal
and other public services, including traffic and transportation
networks, police and fire, school
district, infrastructure and capacity to serve the development,
and open space and recreational
facility dedications,” according to
a city staff memo outlining the
review process.
The annexation and development proposal, which is on file
at the Glenwood Springs Community Development office for
public inspection, includes fiscal
impact and engineering reports,
both of which were paid for by the
developers.
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