The Fremont County Commissioners approved a bid award for installation of a new phone system in the county’s Administration Building, voted to modify speed limits on Copper Gulch Road, and tabled consideration of amendments to the Fremont County Zoning Resolution that deal with wind energy systems and contractor's yards at the board's regular July 13th meeting.
The proposed amendments to the zoning resolution focus on both large commercial wind energy farms as well as small wind energy systems used by individual homeowners. During a public hearing on the amendments County Engineer Don Moore raised questions about minimum setbacks for small wind energy systems as well as minimum heights, flood plain restrictions, lighting restrictions, and signage. Commission Chairman Ed Norden also suggested the board needs to have more discussion about the restriction of one small wind system for each 40 acre tract of property. He compared it to ranchers dependence on windmills for livestock and the need make the regulations reasonable.
No comment was offered on an amendment dealing with contractor's yards which is intended to address small contracting operations which might have one or two pieces of heavy equipment as a home occupation. The commissioners decided they needed more detailed study of the amendments and more time to allow public review of the amendments. The board tabled consideration of the amendments dealing with commercial and small wind energy systems and contractor's yards as home occupations until October 12th. The board tabled consideration of an amendment dealing with temporary wind monitoring towers until the August 10th meeting. The temporary tower issue is more urgent because of an anticipated application from a company that wants to erect monitoring towers on a ranch near Portland.
The Commissioners approved a resolution modifying some speed limits on Copper Gulch Road southwest of Canon City following requests from a resident earlier this spring to conduct speed studies on the road. County Transportation Director Tony Adamic said motorists' speeds were sampled along the road in May and June and then he drove the entire distance of the road with County Manager George Sugars to check site distances and road conditions. Pam Duffee urged the commissioners to increase the speed limit along the entire stretch of the road from 35 to 45 miles per hour saying that would be in line with what motorists are typically driving and would be a safe speed.
The recommendations adopted by the board increases the speed limit to 45 miles per hour along a 2.4 mile stretch of the road just south of the Highway 50 intersection at Parkdale, over a 1.7 mile straightaway distance just north of the Deer Mountain Fire Station, and on a 1.3 mile stretch of Road Gulch directly west of the intersection with County Road 27A. The remainder of Copper Gulch Road will remain posted at a 35 mile per hour speed limit. Commissioner Norden noted that at a June 24th town hall meeting at Deer Mountain 25 people favored a speed limit increase while 14 people urged there be no increase in the speed limit.
The commissioners voted to approve a bid award of $54,407 to West Tech purchase a new N.E.C. telephone system for the county Administration Building. I-T Director Lisa Ring said the bid recommendation came after an exhaustive committee review of equipment and technical features from five different companies. Ring said the existing 13-year old phone system in the Administration Building has repeatedly been suffering from technical problems noting that at times the entire phone system would shut down.
The commissioners at their July 13th meeting also voted to approve a resolution referring to the November ballot a question asking the voters to consider lifting term limits for the District Attorney in the 11th Judicial District. District Attorney Thom LeDoux said he had support for the ballot question from commissioners in Custer and Park Counties but still must convince the Chaffee County Commissioners to place the question before the voters. Commissioners must agree to place the question before the voters in all four counties or the issue will not proceed to the ballot.
In other business at the July 13th meeting the Board of Commissioners:
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Approved a Special Review Use Permit for Van Diest Supply Company of Iowa for a distribution warehouse along the west side of Highway 67 north of Florence. The company expects to employ about six people in its herbicide distribution business;
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Approved a Special Review Use Permit for A.T.& T. Wireless for a wireless communications tower along Highway 115 on state school land about three miles south of the Fremont-El Paso County line;
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Approved a Special Review Use Permit for River Mountain Recreation to allow seasonal employees camping behind their fenced rafting business. The site is located along the road to the Royal Gorge a quarter mile south of Highway 50;
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Approved a Special Review Use Permit for Innovative Structures on the northwest corner of Highway 50 and 'N' Street at Penrose. Devon Eicher builds small garages, sheds, and gazebos on the site;
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Reappointed Brian Rupp of Canon City to a seat on the Fremont County Building Code Board of Appeals.