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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 11/8/2022 - Memorandum From Cassie Archuleta Re: October 25, 2022 Work Session Summary - Oil And Gas Development 1 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.