HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.0 Staff ReportBOCC 7/16/01
PROJECT INFORMATION AND STAFF COMMENTS
REQUEST: Application for Site Approval for
Construction of Sewage Lift Station
APPLICANT: City of Glenwood Springs
ENGINEERS: Schmueser Gordon Meyer, Inc.
LOCATION: A site located in a portion of Section 9,
T6S, R89W; located between the
Glenwood Springs Community Center
and Municipal Operations Center on
Midland Avenue
I. RELATIONSHIP TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
The Garfield County Comprehensive Plan of 2000 identifies this area of the lift station as a
Low Density Residential - 10 ac. or more per d.u., due primarily to geologic constraints. It is
also within the City's sphere of influence.
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL
The City of Glenwood Springs proposes to place a lift station on the south side of the Midland
Avenue, between the City Community Center and the City Municipal Operations Center. The
lift station will allow the City to serve the Community Center, MOC and the Wulfsohn Ranch
development with the existing sewage treatment plant. The total projected population
equivalent to be served by the facility is projected to be 2242 people. At total buildout, the
average daily flow will be 109 gpm, with a maximum daily flow of 272 gpm. Until the
Wulfsohn Ranch development adds to the loading, the average daily flow is projected to be
23.4 gpm, with a maximum flow of 58.5 gpm from the Community Center and MOC.
The City's existing sewage treatment plant has a permitted capacity of 2.3 mgd, with the
highest observed daily flow of 1.2 mgd. The lift station would add 0.16 mgd to the existing
flows, leaving adequate capacity for other demands on the treatment facility. The application
does note the treatment plant failed the quarterly WET test, but is not operating under a
Notice of Violation or Cease and Desist Order from the CDPHE. They are working on
determining the cause of the WET test failure.
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III. MAJOR ISSUES AND CONCERNS
A. State Statutes: C.R.S. 25-8-702, 1981, defines the parameters by which the Colorado
Department of Health, Water Quality Control Division can review and approve or
deny a site application for sewage treatment works (See application form included in
overall application). The applicant is required to obtain a recommendation of
approval, denial or no comment from the County Board of Health and County Board
of County Commissioners and various other local and regional agencies.
Garfield County's involvement in the process is to determine whether or not the
proposed wastewater treatment works are consistent with "the long-range
comprehensive plan for the area as it affects water quality and any approved regional
wastewater management plan for the area". The Comprehensive Plan identifies the
site as Low Density Residential area, within the City's Sphere of Influence
The Garfield County Comprehensive Plan provides some guidance through the goals
and objectives section of the plan. The Water and Sewer Services goal is:
"To ensure the provision of legal, adequate, dependable , cost effective and
environmentally sound water and sewer services for new development."
Plan objective 7.5 provides the most direct guidance to the issue, which states :
"Discourage the proliferation of private water and sewer systems and special districts",
The City of Glenwood Springs has initiated the process of amending their 201
Facilities Plan, to determine the location and capacity of any future expansions of their
treatment capacity. The City and the West Glenwood Sanitation District have entered
into discussions about the need to create a regional facility on the Cardinell Ranch
property, directly across the river from the West Glenwood treatment facility. If a
regional facility is built on the Cardinell Ranch property, it appears that the City may
have to reverse the lift station design. There is no discussion of this issue in the
application, so it is not clear whether or not the new facility could be incorporated into
a regional treatment facility
V1. RECOMMENDATION
That the Board of County Commissioners recommend approval of the site application with
the comment, that the new lift station should be consistent with the City of Glenwood Springs
plans to develop a regional facility and incorporated into the City's 201 Facilities Plan.
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