HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.0 PC Staff Report 02.26.1997PC 2126191
PROJECT INFOR\,IATION AND STAFF COMNIENTS
REQUEST:
APPLICANT.
L Description of the Proposrl
Review of the Roaring Fork Raiiroad Holding
ALrthorit.v.' (RIRILA') acquisition of the Denl'er
Rio Grande Raiiroad ROW
Roaring Fork Raiiroad Holciing Authorit.,-
e.
II.
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The BfRH-\ is in the process oipurchasins the D & RG railroad right-ot--rva1 for
rransporlation and recreational purposes. This is all described in the letter and
attachments incitrded u'ith tltese cotrnlents.
Issues lnd Concerns
Legal Process: .\s notecl in the anached lener. the Planning Comrnission is required to
appro\ e constnrction or iruthorization of au1,"'road. park. or other ptrblic vva\'.-..". \\'hat
is pot erplained is rhe recourse of the RFRll\. shottld the Plannirlg Comnlissiort
ciisapprore rire acqLrisition of rieht-ot'-rvar'. The ibllorving is the lanetrage in CR.S i0-18-
l10t1xb):
30-28-110(1(c): If rhe pLrblic wav. groLrnd. space. buildine. strtrcttrre. or utiiit) is
one the alrthorizatiou or r-rnancing of wiriclt does not. ttnder the iar.r govemins the
septe. fall within the proriitce of the ?board of cor-rntl"commissioners or other
coLprty rtillciirls or aboarcl. the subrnission to the cotltrissiorl shall be b1 the bod','
or otflcial Itirr ing such jLrnsdiction. and the cotlt-t-tission's clisap-,proval rrla'. be
overrr.rled b1 saicl bodr br A vote olnot less than a rnajoritr of its erltire
nrenrbership or by said ottlcial...........
In other q,orcis. iithe Planning Conrmission disapproves tire proposed ptrrchase. it will
take a nrajoritr ,,ore olthe RFRI-lA to override the Courtnissiott's decision.
f)L).Garfield County Conrprehensive Plaq: The RIrRI-IA staff has subtttittecl as a part
of their analysis, a revier.v of ti-re Garfield Countl,Corlltrehensive Plan. Area I.
The revier,v focus is ott the Transportation goals, objectives, policies ancl
programs. Staff concurs lvith the analysis of the fransportation sectiort of the
Plan, but there is no additional analysis of the other sectious of the pian. To
evaluate tlie proposed purchase, it is necessary to ktrorv all of the pararneters tied
to the purchase of tl-re right-of-r,vay. At tl-iis time there are a nlulber of unktlorvrts
in terrns of the conclitions attached to the grant for the ptu'chase of the railroad
frorn GOCO. Additionally. tirere is arl easeulent lor Qw'est. a
telecommunications col-npan)-. for a fiber optics line that overla\rs the entire right-
ot--lvay. The grant and the easel-nent leave some signiticant qllestiolts as the
constraints on the use of the right-of-r.r'av. that could llave a significant impact on
the proposed land uses on the property adjacent to the right-ot'-ivay . i\t tl.iis tinte.
RFRILA cam-rot tell an1,'one what stipulations rvill be aftacl-red to the GOCO grant
or the irnpact of the Q,,vest easenlent ou the use of the right-ot-viay. If a person is
agerie,,,ed by the decision of the D & RG lailroad regarding a decisiotr on a
crossirrg. rhere is a public appeaI process throtrgh the Public Utilitres Cotlmission.
It is statf s understandine that there *otrld be no PUC or,ersieht of RFRFL\
dec isions.
CO\CLLiSIO\
.\t tiris iinte the|e iu'e to u1i-lnV Llncer-teinties Leg:rrdirrg tlie contt'o1 rttlcl ttse erltile Iieht-ol-
wa\ to leconrntenci throrebiy Titet'e lle a nuntbei proprel-1j3s llcrnq tite riuht-ot-uar illat
hare been clesignated as a ltishei.leusitr 619'"slg)pnre111 [rr the Pllrrrtritg Cotlttrlissiorl. il-iat
cotrlri be coutradictc-d br r-lecisions reqerding tite itrtil'oveltlellt or telocltitrlt oictos-.illls.
I]I.