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Home My WebLink AboutPRPA HARMONY-PORTNER-BOYD LAKE TRANSMISSION LINE - SPAR - 9-09 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTPlatte River Power Authority 230kV Transmission Line Project - Site Plan Advisory Review, #9-09 March 19, 2009 P & Z Meeting Page 5 RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning and Zoning Board approve the Platte River Power Authority Harmony-Portner-Boyd Lake 230kV Transmission Line Project - Site Plan Advisory Review, #9-09. Attachments: Submittal documentation from the applicant Platte River Power Authority 230kV Transmission Line Project - Site Plan Advisory Review, #9-09 March 19, 2009 P & Z Meeting Page 4 The transmission line itself will be entirely below ground and there are no concerns with regard to the proposed location. There will be two (2) new replacement poles to make the necessary transition from the existing overhead to the new underground transmission line at the east end of the line, in the Union Pacific Railroad right-of- way. The poles will be approximately 100' and 200' south of East Trilby Road. There will be a 230kV substation termination structure in the Portner Substation at the west end of the line. B. Character — The proposed transmission line is below grade and, once completed, will not be visible to the naked eye. The two (2) new poles at the east end of the line will be replacing older poles for the existing overhead line. The 230kV substation termination structure at the west end of the line will be in the confined area of the new Portner Substation. C. Extent — The extent to which this proposal affects the City's ability to carry out City Plan and other adopted plans is minimal. No existing buildings are impacted by this proposal. Within the City of Fort Collins existing residences are avoided. Alignment of the transmission line through vacant parcels does not split developable land or by its location preclude future development or redevelopment options. Any necessary easements will be acquired from private property owners. For the property owned by the City of Fort Collins, the Platte River Power Authority will seek appropriate permits and pay any necessary impact fees and permit fees. The construction in the City of Fort Collins is expected to occur in one phase and will be completed by April, 2010. There will be temporary minimal physical, environmental, or health impacts on affected and adjacent properties during construction. CONCLUSIONS: After reviewing the Platte River Power Authority Harmony-Portner-Boyd Lake 230kV Transmission Line Project - Site Plan Advisory Review, staff offers the following conclusions: The location of the Platte River Power Authority Harmony-Portner-Boyd Lake 230kV Transmission Line is appropriate since it entirely parallels the existing East Trilby Road right-of-way without impacting any residential or non-residential uses or facilities. 2. The Platte River Power Authority Harmony-Portner-Boyd Lake 230kV Transmission Line is underground and will not be visible to the naked eye once completed. 3. The extent to which the Platte River Power Authority Harmony-Portner-Boyd Lake 230kV Transmission Line affects the City's ability to carry out City Plan and other adopted plans is minimal. No existing buildings are impacted by this proposal. Alignment of the transmission line through vacant parcels does not split developable land or by its location preclude future development or redevelopment options. Platte River Power Authority 230kV Transmission Line Project - Site Plan Advisory Review, #9-09 March 19, 2009 P & Z Meeting Page 3 Under the statute, if the Fort Collins Planning and Zoning Board disapproves the site plan such disapproval may be overturned by a two-thirds vote of the Platte River Power Authority members. A review meeting has been held with City Staff members in all affected departments to identify potential issues and to coordinate the proposed route. 3. Neighborhood Meeting A neighborhood meeting was not conducted by the Platter River Power Authority and a City - facilitated neighborhood meeting was not held. 4. Purpose and Need In 2007, the City of Fort Collins requested that Platte River Power Authority provide transmission service to a new substation site in south central Fort Collins to be called the Portner Substation. The Portner site is located in a mixed residential/commercial area across Portner Road to the west of the City's Transfort facility. Platte River's standard for transmission service to all of the municipally -owned substations is to provide two transmission circuit connections to each substation for long term service reliability. 5. Environmental Assessment The transmission line is being routed along the south and north sides of East Trilby Road, partially in street right-of-way and partially in easements on open space land or private property. The route of the transmission line will cross the Fossil Creek Wetlands Natural Area, the Stanton Creek Homeowners Association open space area, and travel approximately % mile along the East Trilby Road right-of-way to the substation location. The potential environmental issues have been evaluated by City staff and determined that there are no known sensitive environmental resources within the City limits that would be affected by the proposed project. 6. Estimated Project Schedule Current plans call for project construction to start in July, 2009. The trenching work should be complete by February, 2010, barring weather delays. The cable installation work is planned to be complete by the end of April, 2010. 7. Location. Character and Extent: A. Location — The location of the route for the transmission line does not trigger any concerns in regard to the City's ability to execute its adopted plans including City Plan and various subarea and master plans. The entire proposed transmission line (1.0 mile) is located within the City of Fort Collins Growth Management Area. It is not in any proposed or adopted subarea plan. The transmission line project as proposed will follow East Trilby Road from east to west, between the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and the new Portner Substation. Platte River Power Authority 230kV Transmission Line Project - Site Plan Advisory Review, #9-09 March 19, 2009 P & Z Meeting Page 2 RECOMMENDATION: Staff has concluded that the proposed facility location, character and extent of impacts are appropriate and recommends approval. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This request for review from the Platte River Power Authority is submitted to the Planning and Zoning Board as a Site Plan Advisory Review pursuant to State Statute Section 31-23-209, which limits the City's review to the location, character and extent of the improvements. COMMENTS: Backqround The Platte River Power Authority Harmony-Portner-Boyd Lake 230kV Transmission Line Project covers approximately 1.0 mile of land in the City of Fort Collins, within the City's established Growth Management Area. Please refer to the submittal documentation for more details on the proposed route. Surrounding zoning and land uses are: Zoning ......... POL, Public Open Lands in the City of Fort Collins (south of East Trilby Road along the easterly portion of the proposed transmission line); LMN, Low Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood in the City of Fort Collins (south of East Trilby Road east of South Lemay Avenue, north of East Trilby Road west of South Lemay Avenue; RL, Low Density Residential in the City of Fort Collins (north of East Trilby Road east of South Lemay Avenue) Land Uses .... Residential, church, and open space to the north Residential, church, and open space to the south The route for the underground transmission line within the City of Fort Collins has been determined by Platte River Power Authority. The proposed route is within or parallels existing street right-of- way and easements for its entire length. No buildings will need to be demolished to install the underground transmission line along the proposed route. Conflicts with utilities are being avoided. 2. Process The Platte River Power Authority has agreed with the City of Fort Collins to process this review under Section 31-23-209, C.R.S., which states: "When the commission (Planning and Zoning Board) has adopted the master plan of the municipality or of one or more major sections or districts thereof, no street, square, park, or other public way, ground or open space, public building or structure, or publicly or privately owned public utility shall be constructed or authorized in the municipality or in such planned section and district until the location, character and extent thereof has been submitted for approval by the commission." Frt\Coll \ of Planning & Zoning Board STAFF REPORT Item #: A Meeting Date a b 4 f) Staff: W, 0 /> PROJECT: Platte River Power Authority Harmony-Portner-Boyd Lake 230kV Transmission Line Project - Site Plan Advisory Review, #9-09 OWNERS: Platte River Power Authority 200 East Horsetooth Road Fort Collins, CO 80525 APPLICANT: Same as Owner PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Within the City of Fort Collins, Platte River Power Authority is proposing to construct approximately 1.0 mile of a 230kV underground transmission line in a trench along a line that is between the Union Pacific Railroad tracks that cross East Trilby Road east of South Lemay Avenue and the Portner Substation on the north side of East Trilby Road just west of the City of Fort Collins Transfort facility west of South Lemay Avenue. The proposed transmission line will be within the City of Fort Collins Growth Management Area. All of the transmission line will be parallel to East Trilby Road. It will be in street right-of-way and in easements on private property. The line will be partially on the south and north sides of East Trilby Road. The physical facilities associated with the Platte River Power Authority Harmony-Portner-Boyd Lake 230kV Transmission Line Project are as follows: * A double circuit 230kV transmission line. * A conduit system consisting of eight (8) 6" PVC pipes. Six (6) of the conduits will hold conductor for the double circuit transmission line. Two (2) conduits will be left empty as spares in case a faulty cable needs to be replaced and cannot be extracted from its original conduit location. * A trench 4' wide and 5' deep to house the conduit. * Six (6) concrete vaults installed along the transmission line to allow for the cable to be spliced. * Two (2) new replacement poles to make the necessary transition from the existing overhead to the new underground transmission line at the east end of the line, in the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way. The poles will be approximately 100' and 200' south of East Trilby Road. * A 230kV substation termination structure in the Portner Substation at the west end of the line.