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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.0 BOCC Staff Report 08.04.2008TYPE OF REVIEW APPLICANT LOCATION BOCC 08/04/08 DD PROJECT INFORMATION AND STAFF COMMENTS Special Use Permit for "Processing and Material Handling of Natural Resources" for installation of a Service Pad/ Compressor Booster Station Chevron USA, Inc The subject property is located approximately 2 miles from the end of CR 211, northwest of Debeque SITE INFORMATION 4.1 acres of approximately 54,000 acres EXISTING ZONING / ADJACENT ZONING Resource Lands (Gentle Slopes and Lower Valley Floor) I. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL The Building & Planning Department received a Special Use Permit (SUP) application for "Processing and Material Handling of Natural Resource" for the installation of two booster compressors and related communication system on an existing well pad located atop a 54,000 -acre property owned by Chevron USA, Inc. The site is located beyond the end of County Road 211, north of Debeque. The location of the approximate 4 -acre facility is 1.4 miles beyond the private gate at the end of CR 211. The Applicant requests approval from the Board for installation of a Service Pad / Booster Compressor Station and an associated communications system. The proposed facility will make use of an existing well pad (Skinner Ridge 598-25-4) and an additional 1.4 acres of previously undisturbed ground for the project. Available space on the existing pad will also be used for `frac' equipment and supplies. By adding two Caterpillar G3516 LE combination compressor / generators, two adjacent well pads under construction can transfer natural gas to the Central Production Facility. Construction Air Permits for the two compressors were approved by the CDPHE on January 29, 2008. Approval of a renewed storm water permit took place in August, 2007. Chevron USA Booster Compressor Station BOCC– 08/04/2008 Page 2 II. BACKGROUND Referral to Planning Commission Staff brought the application to the attention of the BOCC to determine if a referral to the Planning Commission was necessary. The BOCC did not refer the application to the Planning Commission. III. SITE DESCRIPTION The proposed site where the Compressor is located is situated on flat stream basin land bordering Tom Creek, northeast of the confluence of Tom Creek and Clear Creek. The Compressor is located on approximately 4 acres of a 54,000 -acre parcel owned by Chevron USA. The area where the Compressors are to be located is surrounded by steep slopes and canyon terrain. Dense, mature riparian vegetation exists along the creeks as they pass through the area. 1111111►4i 0:0111l17PAiwtomivi " Muni! 11.111 1Ifidainre A` ' r� pan" WI IrditWIP.11."11•41111171FilkirsiZr.FIVAfgaMMVOCIFAMprin Iftitamalik av!vIl�,. IMI tit Tom Creek, looking NM;,;,�A �' 1;�,`i r-.— l il III A. b� V INRs r , ,,I,ii.' �` '� 'fig' 4 1 (below) 'Hex Rig', (right) Aerial oblique looking S, arrow indicates location of 'Flex Rig', compressor booster station on Tom Creek wren - Control Production foo lity Chevron USA Booster Compressor Station BOCC— 08/04/2008 Page 3 WELL 5RE WELL SITE 09840YATN E -2, I BOOSTER 1 AREA OP • ,% iCOMPREssoR ECOSTER L _.-I PARCEL CQMPRfiSSOR I POS. 3 mammy. , WELL SITE L , .._.....1 CLEAR tl98 2S 5V _ CROCK RD. :wax ant ~, , iCR•211j WELL R s% -as WITH BOOSTER .1..,--1 POS. 2 TQM CREEK R0. t p_NpkESSOk _ L CENTRO. . • ,PRODUGTICW E+Dt1NoARYWITT-I i FACILITY CCM') COLORADO ",,_ _ I� �1 1 .e NATURE RANCH snipe Pad -----.fit.-b iiwe1H CampewaSuobn CU-CRAWu 1t,uRE • 1 L 9WE L SITE RANCH &O4 ID RY . APPROX.4.00tT rROM OFF 8 St11NEk RFJC>r -� r11'!ER \ l ROSE HOU$EON r - --- C1EvRON PROPERTY 2 \ CLEAR CREEK RD. jCR•2I1 j CLEAR CREEK ROUSE CNEWTON PROPERTY Detail of well Pad site and location for compressors r7-1 - NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDING - HOUSE OR MOBILE HOME NSA- NOISE SENSITIVE AREA 4� - MEASUREMENT POSITION -.] - WELL SITE APPROXIMATE SCALE IN FEET 0 2700 5400 10800 D81ER RIDGE SHINER RIDGE '-'so- OLEAR CREEK CLEAR ROAN) CREEK RD. CREEK RD. r CCI.211J CCR -2411 \.— XWIi OY OTHER p>r_ " . CHAPEL ~"',,.t' HQMMs --Y-." ROAN , ROM) CREEK ! _ -CREEK RD CCR -2411 C10 r RESIDENCES NOT ON CHEYRCM PROPERTY CLEAR K. \ CREEK TREES Chevron USA Booster Compressor Station BOCC— 08/04/2008 Page 4 IV. ZONING & ADJACENT USES The subject property is zoned Resource Lands (Gentle Slopes and Lower Valley Floor). The type of use requested falls under the definition of "Processing and Material Handling of Natural Resources" which are contemplated as special uses in the Resource Lands (Gentle Slopes and Lower Valley Floor) zone district. The site totals approximately 4.1 acres in size, a portion of a 54,000 acre property owned by Chevron USA. Adjacent lands under private and Federal ownership (BLM) demonstrate uses including rangeland grazing, farming, and resource extraction (natural gas drilling). V. AUTHORITY & APPLICABILITY Pursuant to Section 9.03.04 of the Zoning Resolution, an application for a Special Use Permit shall be approved or denied by the Board of County Commissioners after holding a public hearing thereon in conformance with all provisions of the Zoning Resolution. VI. REVIEW CRITERIA FOR SPECIAL USE PERMITS (SECTION 5:03) Pursuant to Section 5.03, as listed under the Zone District Regulations, special uses shall conform to all requirements listed there under and elsewhere in the Zoning Resolution, as well as the following standards: 1. Utilities adequate to provide water and sanitation service based on accepted engineering standards and approved by the Board of County Commissioners shall either be in place or shall be constructed in conjunction with the proposed use. Response The compressor station is described as an unmanned facility. The traffic impact section of the application, states that "no full-time employees are located on-site in relation to this operation. The compressors are monitored remotely from Chevron USA's Grand Junction office." No water or sanitation services are necessary for the proposed facility; any transient need can be met by existing facilities already permitted nearby. 2. Street improvements adequate to accommodate traffic volume generated by the proposed use and to provide safe, convenient access to the use shall either be in place or shall be constructed in conjunction with the proposed use. Response The application states that during construction the Compressor is expected to generate an average of 5 automobile trips and 1-2 tractor trailer trips per day into and out of the facility. All of the truck travel will be traveling on private roads constructed by the industry or from Debeque on CR 211. After construction there will be minimal traffic generated by the operation; its operation will be managed for the most part through the revised communication system from the office in Grand Junction. Chevron USA Booster Compressor Station BOCC— 08/04/2008 Page 5 The road to the Compressor site is an existing road that meets the County's standards and the County does not foresee a major increase in traffic flow after the construction period and the Compressor is online. No improvements to CR 211 are necessary as a result of this Compressor expansion. Because this proposed facility is the re -use of an existing well pad, is on a road vacated from the jurisdiction of Garfield County, and because the facility is proposed to be unmanned it was not sent for review by the Garfield County Road & Bridge Department 3. Design of the proposed use is organized to minimize impact on and from adjacent uses of land through installation of screen fences or landscape materials on the periphery of the lot and by location of intensively utilized areas, access points, lighting and signs in such a manner as to protect established neighborhood character. Response The property is located in a secluded portion of privately owned property. By its location and topography, it is effectively screened by steep topography. The site is located approximately one-half mile from the nearest residence, that being on Chevron USA property and leased to an individual tending grazing cattle that are part of a lease. The proposed use will have relatively limited visual impact to surrounding properties. It cannot be seen from CR 211. It is situated beyond the end of a dead-end road vacated by the County, which is used primarily for industrial traffic serving the existing industrial uses in the area with very limited general population traffic. Further, the site itself is situated in an area already characterized by intense industrial activity from the exploration / processing activities. No screening is necessary as it is already screened by steep topography. While no lighting is proposed, any future lighting shall be directed inward and downward. Section 5.03.07 [Industrial Operationsl Pursuant to Section 5.03.07 of the Zoning Resolution, a permit for Industrial Operations requires the submittal of an impact statement on the proposed use describing its location, scope, design and construction schedule, including an explanation of its operational characteristics. The impact statement is required to address the following: (A) Existing lawful use of water through depletion or pollution of surface run-off, stream flow or ground water. Response The facility site has been designed to insure protection of ground water and nearby streams through the development and implementation of a Storm Water Management Plan specific to the area which is contained at the rear of the application. Staff notes that while this plan is specific to the Compressor site, Chevron USA has also submitted a larger Storm Water Management Plan for the general area. Further, containment facilities are designed into the facility for any hazardous material stored or used during operations. A Floodplain Permit was required as part of the previous Special Use Permit, and the related information/requirements is valuable to the safety of personnel working the site. (B) Impacts on adjacent land from the generation of vapor, dust, smoke, noise, glare or vibration, or other emanations. Chevron USA Booster Compressor Station BOCC— 08/04/2008 Page 6 Response Compressors produce considerable volumes of noise and vibration but whose acceptable levels are regulated by the Colorado Revised Statutes. Noise generated will have very little impact on adjacent properties since the compressor is located in a canyon area that will prevent any sound from traveling as well as being located well within the boundaries of the subject property far from adjacent properties. The former farmhouses that were purchased with the in -holdings are occupied by hands managing herds of cattle on the site. A preliminary acoustic analysis was performed by Hoover & Keith, Inc. that included the Central Production Facility down the road. The sound analyses for that site which houses several operating compressors, as well as an operating well site 598 -26 -AV, indicated that the operations will perform within required residential Dbl levels on the Chevron -owned property sound, and well within those residential thresholds at the nearest residential location. Chevron USA shall adhere to the noise standards specified by the Colorado Revised Statutes and the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission rules. Given the remote location of the new facility, Staff agrees that noise will not be a nuisance to area residents. The nearest resident is the occupants of the leased residence belonging to Chevron USA. (C) Impacts on wildlife and domestic animals through the creation of hazardous attractions, alteration of existing native vegetation, blockade of migration routes, use patterns or other disruptions. Response The site is located within winter rangeland for mule deer, elk, and turkey as identified on the Division of Wildlife's wildlife distribution maps. The 2.7 -acre site is currently disturbed; the open flat area is taken up with the occupation of the facility, but the riparian zone remains intact. The roadways have been located away from the drainages. Much of the cover and forage is being utilized by a cattle lease. The Applicant has fenced the dumpsters to minimize conflicts with wildlife, and dumpsters containing foodstuffs are emptied more often to prevent the attraction and habituation of black bears. (13) Affirmatively show the impacts of truck and automobile traffic to and from such uses and their impacts to areas in the County. Response There will be several different phases of the operation, each with differing trip generation. All traffic will travel up County Road 204 to County Road 211, to the point where it has been vacated and becomes Chevron USA property. This existing road meets the County's standards, and is presently under a program for surface maintenance performed by Hyland Enterprises to treat fugitive dust, and to maintain surface through grading, sanding and snow -plowing. The initial traffic is related to construction. This will involve the transport of earth -moving equipment, construction materials and association personnel. The delivery of the compressor Chevron USA Booster Compressor Station BOCC— 08/04/2008 Page 7 equipment and related materials will follow. Vehicles range from pickup trucks to semi -trucks with trailers to transport heavy loads, such as compressor and parts. As noted earlier, the compressor facility, once fully operational, is expected to generate limited vehicle trips per day into and out of the facility because most of the monitoring of the Compressor's performance will be done remotely. Also as mentioned above, most of this truck travel will be coming from Debeque on CR 211 which is capable of handling the additional trips. There is no proposed increase of occupancy of the site. Chevron USA does not foresee a major increase in traffic flow after the construction period and the additional compressors are online. No improvements to CR 211 are necessary as a result of this compressor station. (E) That sufficient distances shall separate such use from abutting property which might otherwise be damaged by operations of the proposed use(s). Response The operations at the facility will not involve any abutting property. The proposed facility will not encroach upon existing setbacks or reduce current separation distances to abutting properties. Staff agrees that the existing facility is located well within required setbacks and is sufficiently separated from adjacent properties in all directions. (F) Mitigation measures proposed for all of the foregoing impacts identified and for the standards identified in Section 5.03.08 of this Resolution Special Use Permits may be granted for those uses with provisions that provide adequate mitigation for the following: (A) A plan for site rehabilitation must be approved by the County Commissioners before a permit for conditional or special use will be issued; Response The application does not include a reclamation plan for the additional 1.4 acres that will be affected. There must be a demonstration that a plan would govern treatment of the site once the useful life of the facility (20+ years) has expired which includes: 1) Removal of all surface equipment; 2) Restoration and re -contouring of grade to approximate original conditions; 3) Replacement of stockpiled topsoil; and 4) Compliance with all prevailing Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and Garfield County regulations governing final reclamation. The Applicant will need to provide Garfield County with an updated reclamation plan that includes this additional affected acreage, as well as provide a permit bond at the rate of $4,000 per acre, as per the Garfield County Vegetation Manager. Chevron USA Booster Compressor Station BOCC— 08/04/2008 Page 8 (8) The County Commissioners may require security before a permit for special or conditional use is issued, if required. The applicant shall furnish evidence of a bank commitment of credit, bond, certified check or other security deemed acceptable by the County Commissioners in the amount calculated by the County Commissioners to secure the execution of the site rehabilitation plan in workmanlike manner and in accordance with the specifications and construction schedule established or approved by the County Commissioners. Such commitments, bonds or check shall be payable to and held by the County Commissioners; Response In the past, the Board has required, as a condition of approval that "A sufficient monetary security, determined by the Board of County Commissioners, to ensure rehabilitation of the site once operation has ceased shall be provided by the Applicant." The Applicant has provided the Garfield County Treasurers Office with permit bonds at the rate of $4,000 per acre, an amount determined by the Garfield County vegetation manager for similar projects. It is unclear at the time of this writing as to whether the former well pad currently exists under a permit bond. It is anticipated that additional bond monies will be needed to ensure that the additional 1.4 acres of previously undisturbed acreage that is to provide the site for the compressors. If the former well pad is administered by an existing reclamation plan and secured by an existing security it is felt that no additional action need be taken for that acreage, but a bond and updated reclamation plan for the 1.4 acres must be secured. The security shall be held by Garfield County until vegetation has been successfully reestablished according to the Reclamation Standards in the Garfield County Weed Management Plan. It is the responsibility of the Applicant to contact the County, upon successful revegetation establishment, to request an inspection for bond release consideration. Section 5.03.08 !Industrial Performance Standards) Pursuant to section 5.03.08 of the Zoning Resolution, all Industrial Operations in the County shall comply with applicable County, State, and Federal regulations regulating water, air and noise pollution and shall not be conducted in a manner constituting a public nuisance or hazard. Operations shall be conducted in such a manner as to minimize heat, dust, smoke, vibration, glare and odor and all other undesirable environmental effects beyond the boundaries of the property in which such uses are located, in accord with the following standards: (1) Volume of sound generated shall comply with the standards set forth in the Colorado Revised Statutes at the time any new application is made. (2) Vibration generated: every use shall be so operated that the ground vibration inherently and recurrently generated is not perceptible, without instruments, at any point of any boundary line of the property on which the use is located. (3) Emissions of smoke and particulate matter: every use shall be operated so as to comply with all Federal, State and County air quality laws, regulations and standards. (4) Emission of heat, glare, radiation and fumes: every use shall be so operated that it does not emit heat, glare, radiation or fumes which substantially interfere with the existing Chevron USA Booster Compressor Station BOCC— 08/04/2008 Page 9 use of adjoining property or which constitutes a public nuisance or hazard. Flaring of gases, aircraft warning signals, reflective painting of storage tanks, or other such operations which may be required by law as safety or air pollution control measures shall be exempted from this provision. (5) Storage area, salvage yard, sanitary landfill and mineral waste disposal areas: (A) Storage of flammable or explosive solids or gases shall be in accordance with accepted standards and laws and shall comply with the national, state and local fire codes and written recommendations/comments from the appropriate local protection district regarding compliance with the appropriate codes; (B) At the discretion of the County Commissioners, all outdoor storage facilities may be required to be enclosed by fence, landscaping or wall adequate to conceal such facilities from adjacent property; (C) No materials or wastes shall be deposited upon a property in such form or manner that they may be transferred off the property by any reasonably foreseeable natural causes or forces; (D) Storage of Heavy Equipment will only be allowed subject to (A) and (C) above and the following standards: 1. The minimum lot size is five (5) acres and is not a platted subdivision. 2. The equipment storage area is not placed any closer than 300 ft. from any existing residential dwelling. 3. All equipment storage will be enclosed in an area with screening at least eight (8) feet in height and obscured from view at the same elevation or lower. Screening may include berming, landscaping, sight obscuring fencing or a combination of any of these methods. 4. Any repair and maintenance activity requiring the use of equipment that will generate noise, odors or glare beyond the property boundaries will be conducted within a building or outdoors during the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon. Fri. 5. Loading and unloading of vehicles shall be conducted on private property and may not be conducted on any public right-of-way. (E) Any storage area for uses not associated with natural resources shall not exceed ten (10) acres in size. (F) Any lighting of storage area shall be pointed downward and inward to the property center and shaded to prevent direct reflection on adjacent property. (6) Water pollution: in a case in which potential hazards exist, it shall be necessary to install safeguards designed to comply with the Regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency before operation of the facilities may begin. All percolation tests or ground water resource tests as may be required by local or State Health Officers must be met before operation of the facilities may begin. Staff Response Should the Board approve the request for the Compressor Station, Staff suggests the industrial performance standards be considered conditions of approval as they are specifically intended to ensure that any industrial use such as the proposed Compressor function in accordance with the proper best management practices and within the parameters of the State statutes. The Chevron USA Booster Compressor Station BOCC— 08/04/2008 Page 10 requirement for screening should not be required as the site is remote and the topography effectively shields the operation from applying an adverse visual impact on adjacent parcels. Section 9.03.05 (Periodic Review of SUP1 Pursuant to section 9.03.05 of the Zoning Resolution: Any Special Use Permits maybe made subject to a periodic review not less than every six (6) months if required by the County Commissioners. The purpose of such review shall be to determine compliance or noncompliance with any performance requirements associated with the granting of the Special Use Permit The County Commissioners shall indicate that such a review is required and shall establish the time periods at the time of issuance of a Special Use Permit. Such review shall be conducted in such manner and by such persons as the County Commissioners deem appropriate to make the review effective and meaningful. Upon the completion of each review, the Commissioners may determine that the permit operations are in compliance and continue the permit, or determine the operations are not in compliance and either suspend the permit or require the permittee to bring the operation into compliance by a certain specified date. Such periodic review shall be limited to those performance requirements and conditions imposed at the time of the original issuance of the Special Use Permit. VII. RECOMMENDED FINDINGS 1. Proper posting and public notice was provided as required for the meeting before the Board of County Commissioners. 2. The meeting before the Board of County Commissioners was extensive and complete, that all pertinent facts, matters and issues were submitted and that all interested parties were heard at that meeting. 3. The above stated and other reasons, the proposed special use permit has been determined to be in the best interest of the health, safety, morals, convenience, order, prosperity and welfare of the citizens of Garfield County. 4. The application has met the requirements of Special Use (Sections 5:03, 5:03:07, 5:03.08 and 9:03) the Garfield County Zoning Resolution of 1978, as amended. VIII. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Due to the following conditions: • 1) the limited nature of potential impacts to surrounding properties, • 2) the remote location of the property such that it is situated at the end of a dead-end county road which is used primarily for industrial traffic serving the existing industrial uses in the area with very limited general population traffic, • 3) and the fact that the site itself will be situated in an industrial area already characterized by intense industrial activity from processing activities, • 4) the proposed expansion is to an existing facility, Staff recommends the Board approve the request for a Special Use Permit for a Service Pad/ Booster Compressor Station with the following conditions: Chevron USA Booster Compressor Station BOCC— 08/04/2008 Page 11 1. That all representations of the Applicant, either within the application or stated at the hearing before the Board of County Commissioners, shall be considered conditions of approval unless explicitly altered by the Board. 2. That the operation of the facility be done in accordance with all applicable Federal, State, and local regulations governing the operation of this type of facility. 3. That the Applicant shall comply with the fire protection provisions included in the rules and regulations of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) and the International Fire Code as the Code pertains to the operation of this facility. 4. Volume of sound generated shall comply with the standards set forth in the Colorado Revised Statutes. 5. Vibration generated: the Compressor shall be so operated that the ground vibration inherently and recurrently generated is not perceptible, without instruments, at any point of any boundary line of the property on which the use is located. 6. Emissions of smoke and particulate matter: the Compressor shall be so operated so as to comply with all Federal, State and County air quality laws, regulations and standards. 7. Emission of heat, glare, radiation and fumes: the Compressor shall be so operated that it does not emit heat, glare, radiation or fumes which substantially interfere with the existing use of adjoining property or which constitutes a public nuisance or hazard. . 8. Any storage area for uses not associated with natural resources shall not exceed ten (10) acres in size. 9. Any lighting of storage area shall be pointed downward and inward to the property center and shaded to prevent direct reflection on adjacent property. 10. Water pollution: in a case in which potential hazards exist, it shall be necessary to install safeguards designed to comply with the Regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency before operation of the facilities may begin. All percolation tests or ground water resource tests as may be required by local or State Health Officers must be met before operation of the facilities may begin. 11. That all proper building permits are obtained for the structures associated with the operation of the Compressor prior to the issuance of a Special Use Permit. 12. Additional permit bonding shall be put into place for the previously undisturbed 1.4 acres of the compressor site, and an updated reclamation plan for this acreage shall be submitted prior to the issuance of the permit. IX. RECOMMENDED MOTION "I move to approve a Special Use Permit for a Natural Gas Booster Compressor Station for Chevron USA Inc with the conditions provided by Staff." BOCC - 6/2/2008 DD PROJECT INFORMATION AND STAFF COMMENTS TYPE OF REVIEW: Referral of Special Use Permit ("SUP") SUMMARY OF REQUEST: The Applicant requests a SUP for construction of a well pad for the construction of two (2) booster compressors to transport gas from two adjacent pads currently under construction. APPLICANT/PROPERTY OWNER: Sally Cuffin, PE, URS, Washington Division for Chevron USA LOCATION: Approximately two and one-half (2.5) miles NNW of the end of County Road 211 near the confluence of Clear Creek and Tom Creek, northwest of Debeque, generally described as portions of the NE Y, NW'/. and SE %, NW 1/4 of Section 36, Township 5 South, Range 98 West of the 6th PM. 3.58 acres of a 54,000 -acre tract County Road 211 RL (Resource Lands) SITE INFORMATION: ACCESS: EXISTING & ADJACENT ZONING: I. REQUEST This proposal is permit construction of an additional well pad (adjacent to an existing well pad) to provide for two (2) booster compressors that will be used to transport gas from two adjacent pads currently under construction nearby. This facility will support drilling and gas production in the Tom Creek area of Chevron's Skinner Ridge Natural Gas Field. II. AUTHORITY Section 9.03.04 of the Zoning Resolution of 1978, as amended, requires that Special Use Permit applications be initial y brought to the Board so that the Board may determine if a recommendation from the Planning Commission is necessary. MINIM IIIINE1111111 �thieLlia11,te� as anile, ®®�i0�� thettl NSW III. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff finds that because this use type is unchanged, and the project is limited in its complexity, it is appropriate to recommend that the Board direct Staff to schedule a public hearing for the Board, and not refer the matter to the Planning Commission.