HomeMy WebLinkAbout16 - Letter from BOCC to Harris Sherman 06.19.2009•
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June 19, 2009
Mr. Harris Sherman, Chairman
Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
1313 Sherman Street, Room 718
Denver, CO 80203
BUILDING & PLANNING DEPARTMENT
RE: Natural Gas Exploration and Production Activity within the Battlement Mesa Planned Unit
Development in Garfield County
Dear Chairman Sherman,
Garfield County recently met with Antero Resources and learned of their plans to begin drilling
for natural gas within the Battlement Mesa community in Garfield County. The purpose of this
letter is to provide you with an understanding of the regulatory authority afforded to Garfield
County by the zoning requirements found in the Battlement Mesa Planned Unit Development
(the PUD) District Regulations. This is the same position provided to Antero Resources at that
meeting.
The Board of County Commissioners approved the PUD in 1982 where the master controlling
regulations were codified in Resolution 82-121. That document provided the land use
regulations that are used to guide the development of the PUD as administered by Garfield
County. More specifically, the PUD District Regulations provides that "Extraction and Processing
of Natural Resources" requires a Special Use Permit from the Garfield County Board of County
Commissioners. Garfield County defines the activity of drilling for natural gas as "Extraction and
Processing of Natural Resources." In order to obtain approval for drilling for natural gas in the
PUD, the land owner shall be required to demonstrate that they are able to adhere to industrial
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performance standards in public hearings before the County Planning Commission and the
Board of County Commissioners.
Additionally, through discussions with the Board of County Commissioners, it was agreed that
Garfield County Commissioner Tresi Houpt shall sit as a County Commissioner for any hearings
that would occur for drilling activity in the Battlement Mesa community and would recuse
herself from acting on these matters should they be specifically discussed by the Colorado Oil
and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC).
Finally, by this letter, we are requesting this letter be distributed to the other Commission
members to advise them prior to a potential public discussion on July 14th in Glenwood Springs.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Very truly yours,
John Kiri, Chairm
Z afield County B.. rd of ounty Commissioners
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Cc Garfield County Board of County Co miss pae's
Garfield County Manager, Ed Green
Garfield County Attorney, Don DeFord
Garfield County Oil and Gas Liaison, Judith Jordan
Garfield County Building & Planning Director, Fred Jarman
COGCC Director, David Neslin