Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.02 StandardsStandards ■ HUNTER RIDGE ENERGY SERVICES LLC ARTICLE 7: STANDARDS DIVISION 1. GENERAL APPROVAL STANDARDS FOR LAND USE CHANGE PERMITS. SECTION 7-101. COMPLIANCE WITH ZONE DISTRICT USE RESTRICTIONS. The subject site is located in the Resource Lands — Plateau Zone District of Garfield County. The 003 Story Booster facility is classified as a Material Handling use in the Garfield County Unified Land Use Resolution (ULUR) of 2008, as amended. This type of use requires a Limited Impact Review (LIR) in the Resource Land zone districts according to Table 3-503 of the ULUR. SECTION 7-102. COMPLIANCE WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS. The 2030 Comprehensive Plan - Future Land Use Map designates the site as Agricultural Production / Natural (35+AC /DU). The land use designation in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan that describes the site and surrounding area is Resource Production Natural (RPN) primarily accommodating agricultural uses and grazing with natural resource extraction as the primary activities. The following Comprehensive Plan policies apply to the request: Section 9 — Mineral Extraction — Policies 2. Mineral resource extraction activities will protect critical wildlife habitat as identified by state and federal agencies. Development within these designations that cannot be designed, constructed and conducted so as to have a minimum adverse impact upon such habitat or these wildlife species shall be discouraged. 4. Facilities that are appurtenances to oil/gas development activities (compressors, etc.) are considered appropriate in all land uses so long as they meet the respective mitigation requirements of the ULUR to maintain compatibility with surrounding land uses. These issues will be addressed in the following Standards narrative. There are no known intergovernmental agreements associated with this site. SECTION 7-103. COMPATIBILITY. The subject site is located on a 26,445 acre parcel owned by the applicant, Hunter Ridge Energy Services LLC (HRES). The surrounding area is primarily uses for natural gas production by the property owner and contains pad sites with gas wells, compressor stations, pipelines and water impoundments. The site and, the operations on-site, are compatible with the surrounding area. SECTION 7-104. SUFFICIENT ADEQUATE, LEGAL, AND PHYSICAL SOURCE OF WATER. This facility is not manned on a regular basis and does not require a source of water to properly function. This standard is not applicable. Produced water at this facility is generated by HRES's natural gas production assets in the Piceance region. Water delivered to the facility will not infringe on any existing water rights. The produced water generated from HRES's natural gas production operations is a result of HRES's drilling operations within the Williams Fork Formation. Williams Fork Formation is classified as a nontributary formation. The proposed facility will not place a demand on local groundwater resources SECTION 7-105. ADEQUATE CENTRAL WATER DISTRIBUTION AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS. The Story Booster facility is not manned on a regular basis and does not require a water distribution and wastewater system to properly function. This standard is not applicable. SECTION 7-106. ADEQUATE PUBLIC UTILITIES. This facility does not require public utilities. The facility is powered by on-site electric generators and solar panels. The generators will comply with appropriate Colorado air emissions permitting regulations as applicable. SECTION 7-107. ACCESS AND ROADWAYS. A. ACCESS TO PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY This facility will be accessed from the north end of County Road (CR) 215 via a series of private roadways that begin near the HRES Guard Shack. This private road system crosses property owned by the Exxon Mobile Corporation and HRES. The Exxon Mobile Corporation has granted HRES the right to use this road across their property to access HRES's facilities. This roadway provides adequate and suitable private access to the Story Booster facility and natural gas operations in the general area. Additional information is available in the Basic Traffic Analysis. B. SAFE ACCESS The private access roads were designed and maintained by the natural gas industry for their exclusive use and is not designed for public access. The roadway is constructed of gravel and native materials. It is treated with a dust palliative as needed. This roadway provides a safe access to the site for the applicant. C. ADEQUATE CAPACITY The private access road is 20 to 30 feet wide in most places, and contains pull-outs near areas where opposing traffic can wait for other vehicles to clear narrow road sections or switchbacks. This roadway provides adequate capacity for the natural gas industry. SECTION 7-108. NO SIGNIFICANT RISK FROM NATURAL. HAZARDS. A. USE OF LAND SUBJECT TO NATURAL HAZARDS According to the Garfield County on-line maps the subject site is located outside of the areas studied for slope, soil and surficial geology hazards. The site is also located in a Zone D area where FEMA has not analyzed the flood hazard and has not printed a flood map. The facility is located in an area of moderate wildfire risk according to the Wildfire Map available on-line from the GIS office at Garfield County. The site is located where it is not at risk of rock falls or avalanches. The facility is not subject to significant risk from natural hazards and will not exacerbate existing hazards. A. PLATTING OF LAND SUBJECT TO NATURAL HAZARDS This proposal is not requesting the platting of the property. This standard is not applicable. DIVISION 2. GENERAL RESOURCE PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR LAND USE CHANGE PERMITS. SECTION 7-201. AGRICULTURAL LANDS. A. No ADVERSE AFFECT TO AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS The subject area is generally used for natural gas production. This facility will create no adverse impacts on agricultural operations. B. DOMESTIC ANIMAL CONTROLS HRES does not allow dogs and other domestic animals at their facilities. The operation of the proposed facility will comply with this standard. C. FENCES The site is fenced. The facility will not impact livestock operations. D. ROADS The location and layout of this facility will not negatively impact public roads. Irrigation Ditches There are no irrigation ditches near this facility or in the general area. This standard is not applicable. SECTION 7-202. WILDLIFE HABITAT AREAS. HRES commissioned WestWater Engineering to prepare a Wildlife and Sensitive Areas Report which is included with this application as an attachment. A. BUFFERS The Wildlife and Sensitive Areas Report does not recommend the use of buffers to mitigate the impact on wildlife in the area. B. LOCATIONAL CONTROLS OF LAND DISTURBANCE According to the Wildlife and Sensitive Areas Report, because the facility will not require any new disturbance, no significant effects are anticipated. No locational controls are recommended. C. PRESERVATION OF NATIVE VEGETATION The site will be reclaimed after the facility is no longer utilized and will be revegetated with native plant species. Noxious weeds will be controlled during the life of the facility and during the re-establishment of native plants. D. HABITAT COMPENSATION No critical wildlife habitat was disturbed in developing this site. E. DOMESTIC ANIMAL CONTROLS HRES does not allow pets at their production facility. SECTION 7-203. PROTECTION OF WETLANDS AND WATERBODIES A. MINIMUM SETBACK The facility is located near the top of the Middle Fork of Story Gulch. This is an ephemeral or intermittent stream that only flows during rain storms or periods of run-off. The site is more than 35 feet from any natural waterbody. Engineering controls and stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) will be used to protect waterbodies from the impacts of stormwater runoff. B. STRUCTURES PERMITTED IN SETBACK There are no structures located in the 35 -foot setback. C. STRUCTURES AND ACTIVITY PROHIBITED IN BUFFER ZONE There will be no structures or activities in the 35 -foot buffer zone. SECTION 7-204. WATER QUALITY FROM POLLUTANTS. A. COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS HRES will comply with all applicable state and federal water quality regulations. Implementation and adherence to HRES's Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP) BMPs and Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures Plan (SPCC) will assure that natural vegetation and waterways are protected. B. STORAGE NEAR WATERBODIES RESTRICTED There will be no storage associated with this facility within 100 feet of any waterbody. C. SPILL PREVENTION HRES has a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan in place for the area where this facility is located. D. MACHINE MAINTENANCE There will be no maintenance of vehicles or mobile machinery occurring within 100 feet of any waterbody. E. FUEL STORAGE AREAS All stored fuel will be contained to prevent release to any waterbody. F. WASTE STORAGE All temporary storage of wastes will be designed to prevent discharge from the site. SECTION 7-205. EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION. The site is an existing facility. No additional surface disturbance is planned. BMPs will be used to protect waterbodies from stormwater runoff during the operation of this facility. SECTION 7-206. DRAINAGE. A. SITE DESIGN TO FACILITATE POSITIVE DRAINAGE This standard requires that lots be laid out to provide positive drainage. The proposal will not be creating lots. This standard is not applicable. B. COORDINATION WITH AREA STORM DRAINAGE PATTERN The proposal will not be creating lots. This standard is not applicable. SECTION 7-207. STORMWATER RUN-OFF. This facility is more than 100 feet from a waterbody and it does not create more than 10,000 square feet of impervious area. This standard is not applicable. HRES has a Stormwater Master Plan (SWMP) for the subject area with an extension granted to the permit by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The SWMP and permit extension are provided as an attachment to this application. SECTION 7-208. AIR QUALITY. This facility will not cause air quality to be reduced below acceptable levels established by the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division and will comply with appropriate Colorado air emissions permitting regulations as applicable. SECTION 7-209. AREAS SUBJECT TO WILDFIRE HAZARDS. A. LOCATION RESTRICTIONS The site is located in an area of moderate wildfire hazard according the County Wildfire Hazards Map. It is located in an area of low to moderate wildfire hazard on the Colorado Wildlands Urban Interface Hazard Assessment map provided by the Garfield County GIS office. This standard is not applicable to this request. B. DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT INCREASE POTENTIAL HAZARD The facility will not increase the potential intensity or duration of a wildfire, or adversely affect wildfire behavior or fuel composition. C. FUEL MODIFICATIONS There is no need to modify fuel sources for this site. The standard is not applicable. D. ROOF MATERIALS AND DESIGN The roofs of the existing buildings are sloped and are constructed from a noncombustible material. E. SAFETY AREAS IN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT This site is not in a residential area. This standard is not applicable. F. DEAD-END ROADS This request does not include dead-end roads. This standard is not applicable. G. HAMMERHEAD This request does not propose hammerhead turnarounds. This standard is not applicable. H. ROAD GRADE This request does not propose to dedicate new roads to the subject site. This standard is not applicable. SECTION 7-210. AREAS SUBJECT TO NATURAL HAZARDS AND GEOLOGIC HAZARDS. A. UTILITIES There are no utilities serving this site. This standard is not applicable. B. DEVELOPMENT IN AVALANCHE HAZARD AREAS The subject site is not located in an avalanche hazard area. C. DEVELOPMENT IN LANDSLIDE HAZARD AREAS The subject site is not located in a landslide hazard area. D. DEVELOPMENT IN ROCKFALL HAZARD AREAS The subject site is not located in a rockfall hazard area. E. DEVELOPMENT IN ALLUVIAL FAN HAZARD AREA The subject site is not located in an alluvial fan hazard area. F. SLOPE DEVELOPMENT The subject site is not located on a slope of 20% or greater. G. DEVELOPMENT ON CORROSIVE OR EXPANSIVE SOILS AND ROCK The subject site is located on soil classified as Parachute -Rhone loams by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This soil type has a low corrosion of concrete properties and moderate corrosion of steel properties. This soil type does not limit the development of the site for natural gas operations. H. DEVELOPMENT IN MUDFLOW AREAS The subject site is not located in a mudflow area. I. DEVELOPMENT OVER FAULTS The subject site is not located over a known fault. SECTION 7-211. AREAS WITH ARCHEOLOGICAL, PALEONTOLOGICAL, OR HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE. A Class 1 Cultural Resource Study was prepared for the subject site by Flattops Archaeological Consultants. Eight Class III cultural resource studies have taken place in the general area between 2005 and 2011. No paleontological, prehistoric or historic cultural resources were recorded. The consultant finds that no historic properties will be affected by the facility. SECTION 7-212. RECLAMATION. After the completion of HRES's natural gas production in the area, the facility will be decommissioned and reclaimed in accordance with the reclamation plan provided in the Supplemental Materials. All of HRES's surface disturbances (final reclamation requirements) are covered under a statewide bond. DIVISION 3. SITE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS SECTION 7-301. COMPATIBLE DESIGN A. SITE ORGANIZATION The site was designed to accommodate the functional and efficient operations, monitoring and maintenance of the facility. B. OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS Operation of the proposed facility will be consistent with nearby uses. Adjacent lands will not be impacted by the generation of vapor, dust, smoke, glare, noise or vibration. The facility will be unmanned. There will be minimal impacts, if any, to the existing roadway system during the operational phase. C. LIGHTING Lighting will comply with Garfield County standards. Any lighting utilized at the site will meet the requirements for downcast, shielded, flashing, and hazardous lighting. D. BUFFERING Buffering will not be necessary. This site is within a large and remote parcel and is surrounded by similar uses. E. MATERIALS Exterior facades are not constructed of materials that detract from adjacent buildings or uses. F. BUILDING SCALE Buildings on the site are constructed to a scale that relates to the nature of the proposed and surrounding uses. The site was designed to accommodate the functional and efficient operations, monitoring and maintenance of the facility. SECTION 7-302. BUILDING DESIGN A. ENTRYWAY The facility is located in a remote and rural area of the county and within a large parcel. The public will not have general access to the facility. This standard is not applicable. B. SOLAR ORIENTATION This standard was created to encourage buildings to utilize passive and active solar energy. The buildings at this facility will not be manned or conditioned. This facility does contain some solar panels to supply power for monitoring of equipment and other needs when the electric generators are not operating. SECTION 7-302. DESIGN AND SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT A. ENTRYWAY The facility is located in a remote and rural area of the county and within a large parcel. The public will not have general access to the facility. This standard is not applicable. B. SOLAR ORIENTATION This standard was created to encourage buildings to utilize passive and active solar energy. The buildings at this facility will not be manned or conditioned. This facility does contain some solar panels to supply power for monitoring of equipment and other needs when the electric generators are not operating. SECTION 7-304. OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING STANDARDS A. EXCESSIVE SITE DISTURBANCE The site was designed to create the minimal amount of disturbance for the facility. B. MINIMIZE ADVERSE INFLUENCES BY AIRPORT OPERATIONS This facility will not be impacted by local airport operations. C. EFFICIENCY IN PROVISION OF SERVICES AND ACCESS TO FACILITIES The facility was designed to operate without the need for utilities. The facility is on an existing COGCC permitted well pad. The road to the facility was built with the wellpad. SECTION 7-305. LANDSCAPING STANDARDS No landscaping will be installed. The site is located in a remote and rural part of the county within a large parcel owned by the applicant. The public does not have regular access to the site. This standard is not applicable and HRES has requested a waiver from this standard. SECTION 7-306. LIGHTING STANDARDS A. DOWNCAST LIGHTING Lighting will be directed inward, towards the interior of the site. B. SHIELDED LIGHTING Exterior lighting will be shielded so not to shine directly onto other properties. C. HAZARDOUS LIGHTING Light from the site will not create a traffic hazard or be confused as traffic control devices. D. FLASHING LIGHTS The facility will not contain flashing lights E. HEIGHT LIMITATIONS There will be no light sources exceeding 40 feet in height on the site. SECTION 7-307. SNOW STORAGE STANDARDS Snow will be stored in a vacant section of the existing disturbed area. The site is graded to accommodate snowmelt to insure sufficient drainage. SECTION 7-308. ROADWAY STANDARDS A. SUBDIVISION ACCESS The proposed request is not a subdivision. This standard is not applicable. B. REQUIREMENTS FOR ROADWAY INFRASTRUCTURE The primary roads servicing the facility are CR 215 and HRES's private road system. These existing roadways is already accommodating natural gas development operations and will not require modifications to grade, or surface in order to sustain the facility. The site is currently served by an adequate road system. Additional roadway infrastructure is not required. C. CIRCULATION AND ALIGNMENT The road system provides adequate and efficient circulation and provided reasonable access to the public highway system. D. INTERSECTIONS No intersections are being planned. This standard is not applicable. E. STREET NAMES No street names are being proposed. This standard is not applicable. F. CONGESTION AND SAFETY The road system was designed to provide safe access to HRES's operations in the area. G. CONTINUATION OF ROADS AND DEAD-END ROADS No new roadways are required for this facility. This standard is not applicable. H. RELATIONSHIP TO TOPOGRAPHY No new roadways are required for this facility. This standard is not applicable. I. EROSION AND DRAINAGE County Road 215 is maintained by the County. The private road system is maintained by HRES. J. COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL The site is located in a rural and remote area of Garfield County. There will not be pedestrian traffic to consider at this location. K. EMERGENCY ACCESS AND EGRESS The existing road system provides emergency access and egress. L. ROAD SURFACE County Road 215 has an asphalt road surface and is considered to be in good condition by the Garfield County 2011 HUTF report. The series of private roads has a surface consisting of native materials and gravel. Table 7-308 does not have a standard for private roads that service the natural gas industry facilities. M. TRAFFIC CONTROL AND STREET LIGHTING Access to the private road system is controlled at the HRES Guard Shack. Additional traffic control devices and roadway improvements are not required at this time. N. DRAINAGE STRUCTURES Additional drainage structures for the private road system are not required at this time. This standard is not applicable. SECTION 7-309. TRAIL AND WALKWAY STANDARDS The subject site is located in a rural and remote area of the county. The facility is within a 15,800 acre parcel owned by the applicant. This standard is not applicable. SECTION 7-307. UTILITY STANDARDS This facility does not require utility services. This standard is not applicable. DIVISION 11. ADDITIONAL STANDARDS FOR INDUSTRIAL USES SECTION 7-1101. INDUSTRIAL USE A. RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISIONS This site is not located in a platted residential subdivision. B. SETBACKS This site is located in a large parcel and is more than 100 feet from an adjacent residential property line. C. CONCEALING AND SCREENING This site is located in a large and remote parcel. Screening from dissimilar uses in the area is not required. D. LOADING AND UNLOADING All loading and unloading of materials will be conducted on private property and not in the public right-of-way. E. STORING All products will be stored in compliance with all national, State and local codes and will be a minimum of 100 feet from adjacent property lines. F. HOURS OF OPERATION This facility will operate 24 -hours a day. It will not generate noise, odors or glare beyond the property boundaries. G. INDUSTRIAL WASTES All industrial wastes will be disposed of in a manner consistent with Federal and State statures and requirements of the CDPHE. H. NOISE Noise will not exceed COGCC noise standards. The nearest property boundary (Exxon) is over % miles away with no line of site, providing significant geographic relief. Approximately 100 vertical feet of elevated terrain above the facility separate the line of site between the facility and the nearest property boundary. The Exxon property is also primarily used in the capacity of Oil & Gas extraction operations. Surrounding ambient noise is consistant with industrial opertations and, while there have been no noise studies done near the existing facility, there have been no complaints from surrounding landowners. If further mitigation of noise becomes necessary, upgrades to noise mitigation (muffelers, acustic insulation of enclosures, etc...) would be applied to maintain compliance. The compressors are enclosed, providing significant reduction to decibel levels. I. GROUND VIBRATION This facility will not generate ground vibrations perceptible beyond the boundary line of the property. J. INTERFERENCE, NUISANCE, OR HAZARD This facility will not emit heat, glare, radiation or fumes which will interfere with uses on adjacent properties or constitute a public nuisance or hazard.