The Colorado Springs City Council voted Tuesday 8-1 in favor of a resolution to formally recognize the commitments in the terms and conditions of the Pueblo County 1041 land-use permit. The resolution will preserve Colorado Springs' ability to construct the Southern Delivery System (SDS) Preferred Alternative - a pipeline from Pueblo Reservoir.
Even with the assurances that the pipeline will originate in Pueblo County, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) officials intend to hang onto their approval for a Fremont County route along Highway 115 should problems develop.
Colorado Springs Utilities CEO Jerry Forte said "Where we are today is the culmination of more than a decade of planning. SDS will provide the water our city needs well into this century." Forte said the city is fortunate to have a Preferred Alternative and a back up plan through Fremont County.
Councilwoman Margaret Radford, on her last day serving on the Council, acknowledged the challenges in obtaining permits to build SDS. She described the Pueblo 1041 permit as "historic". She also acknowledged the "spirit of friendship and cooperation that has developed with our neighbors in Fremont County."
Radford added, "The County Commissioners, the County staff, the City of Florence, and the Boards of the Penrose Water District and the Beaver Park Water Company have all treated us fairly during our efforts to plan for an alternate alignment for the SDS on the chance that our preferred alignment could not become a reality."
To formalize those intentions, she made a motion to ratify the city's obligation to follow through on commitments that have been made to Fremont County that are not directly related to the construction and use of the SDS within Fremont County. The motion passed unanimously.
The Fremont County Commissioners met informally on April 10th with Colorado Springs Utilities officials to get a status report on the anticipated approval of the Pueblo County SDS route. At that meeting CSU officials again expressed their thanks for the cooperation shown by Fremont County's Planning and Zoning Department staff and the Board of Commissioners.
Even with the assurances that the pipeline will originate in Pueblo County, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) officials intend to hang onto their approval for a Fremont County route along Highway 115 should problems develop.
Colorado Springs Utilities CEO Jerry Forte said "Where we are today is the culmination of more than a decade of planning. SDS will provide the water our city needs well into this century." Forte said the city is fortunate to have a Preferred Alternative and a back up plan through Fremont County.
Councilwoman Margaret Radford, on her last day serving on the Council, acknowledged the challenges in obtaining permits to build SDS. She described the Pueblo 1041 permit as "historic". She also acknowledged the "spirit of friendship and cooperation that has developed with our neighbors in Fremont County."
Radford added, "The County Commissioners, the County staff, the City of Florence, and the Boards of the Penrose Water District and the Beaver Park Water Company have all treated us fairly during our efforts to plan for an alternate alignment for the SDS on the chance that our preferred alignment could not become a reality."
To formalize those intentions, she made a motion to ratify the city's obligation to follow through on commitments that have been made to Fremont County that are not directly related to the construction and use of the SDS within Fremont County. The motion passed unanimously.
The Fremont County Commissioners met informally on April 10th with Colorado Springs Utilities officials to get a status report on the anticipated approval of the Pueblo County SDS route. At that meeting CSU officials again expressed their thanks for the cooperation shown by Fremont County's Planning and Zoning Department staff and the Board of Commissioners.