The Fremont County Planning Commission resumes discussion on the Southern Delivery System (SDS)at their January 6th monthly meeting. Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) is seeking approval of a Special Review Use permit to allow the construction of a water intake, three pump stations and 17 miles of 66-inch diameter pipeline in Fremont County. Once completed, the utility would transmit up to 78 million of gallons of water a day from the Arkansas River to Colorado Springs, Security and Fountain.
Bruce McCormick, CSU Water Services Officer, detailed potential benefits to Fremont County from the $1 billion SDS project at the December Planning Commission meeting but the Commission postponed voting on a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners saying the matter needs more study.
CSU has stated that a pipeline from Pueblo Reservoir is the preferred and least expensive route but they are pursuing the Fremont County option in the event a Pueblo West route does not pan out.
Although the December meeting was not a public hearing, Chairman Tom Piltingsrud allowed public comment as McCormick answered a number of questions. Residents questioned the project's impact on surrounding environment, wildlife, water supply and delivery systems.
Fremont County and CSU signed an intergovernmental agreement under which CSU agreed to pay $50,000 as a deposit to cover the county's costs during the permit review process.
The Planning Commission Tuesday will also consider a Special Review Use permit for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility for illegal immigrants on a 7 1/2 acre parcel west of the Fremont County Airport. The developer of the property, J.I.O.L. LLC, completed purchase of the parcel at the Airport Industrial Park on the west side of Highway 67 from Fremont County a couple of months ago. Site preparation work has already begun as the developer has a strict time line from the General Services Administration to get the ICE facility built and in use by early this summer.
The Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 6th in the Commissioners Board Room, LL-3, of the Fremont County Administration Building.
Bruce McCormick, CSU Water Services Officer, detailed potential benefits to Fremont County from the $1 billion SDS project at the December Planning Commission meeting but the Commission postponed voting on a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners saying the matter needs more study.
CSU has stated that a pipeline from Pueblo Reservoir is the preferred and least expensive route but they are pursuing the Fremont County option in the event a Pueblo West route does not pan out.
Although the December meeting was not a public hearing, Chairman Tom Piltingsrud allowed public comment as McCormick answered a number of questions. Residents questioned the project's impact on surrounding environment, wildlife, water supply and delivery systems.
Fremont County and CSU signed an intergovernmental agreement under which CSU agreed to pay $50,000 as a deposit to cover the county's costs during the permit review process.
The Planning Commission Tuesday will also consider a Special Review Use permit for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility for illegal immigrants on a 7 1/2 acre parcel west of the Fremont County Airport. The developer of the property, J.I.O.L. LLC, completed purchase of the parcel at the Airport Industrial Park on the west side of Highway 67 from Fremont County a couple of months ago. Site preparation work has already begun as the developer has a strict time line from the General Services Administration to get the ICE facility built and in use by early this summer.
The Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 6th in the Commissioners Board Room, LL-3, of the Fremont County Administration Building.