HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 11/8/2022 - Memorandum From Cassie Archuleta Re: October 25, 2022 Work Session Summary - Oil And Gas Development
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Community Development &
Neighborhood Services
281 North College Ave.
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580
970.221.6750
970.224.6134 - fax
fcgov.com/planning
MEMORANDUM
DATE: October 28, 2022
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
THRU: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Caryn Champine, Planning, Development, and Transportation Director
Paul Sizemore, Community Development and Neighborhood Services Director
Rebecca Everette, Planning Manager
FROM: Cassie Archuleta, Air Quality Program Manager
SUBJECT: October 25, 2022 Work Session Summary
Attendees
Caryn Champine, Cassie Archuleta and Rebecca Everette presented a summary of draft
regulations for oil and gas development. All City Councilmembers except Councilmember
Pignataro were present.
Discussion Summary
Staff presented an overview regarding (1) an adoption schedule for zoning and setback restrictions
for new or modified oil and gas facilities in the Land Use Code, (2) updates regarding recent
regional oil and gas regulations and compliance issues for existing oil and gas facilities, and (3)
recommendations for refinements to reverse setback regulations for new land development near oil
and gas facilities.
Staff heard support for:
1. Proceeding with proposed adoption schedule for new code related to zoning and setback
restrictions for new oil and gas facilities.
2. Continuing to leverage State and County regulations and resources to ensure regulatory
compliance for existing facilities.
3. Updating reverse setback code to reflect recent changes in COGCC regulations and
lessons learned over the past 4 years, including:
o Apply reverse setbacks to all occupiable buildings, not just residential uses
o Explicitly , rather than refer generally to COGCC regulations
o Create a more predictable pathway for abandoned well types
o Eliminate the buffer exemption for crossings of arterial roadways
Next Steps
Draft code updates for zoning and setback restrictions will be published in November 2022
and considered for adoption on December 6, 2022.
Larimer County will use City funds to purchase an Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) camera to
support leak detections and subsequent compliance actions at existing oil and gas facilities.
Staff will submit a request to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
(COGCC) asking that low and non-producing wells within City limits be plugged and
abandoned. Staff will inform Council of any COGCC decisions on this item via memo
(anticipated Q1 of 2023).
Staff will develop draft code updates for reverse setbacks, and schedule for consideration in
Q1 of 2023.