Oil & Gas Waivers Update
Public Input?  Research?

In order to claim that the public has been given an opportunity to provide input, the City recently asked its residents to complete a survey regarding the four waivers it is consistently granting to the oil and gas industry. That survey was originally published on the Planning Department’s website, not a great place if you really want the public to see it.  Fortunately, notice of the survey spread, and we published it in the September 17, 2014 edition of the MCGC Neighbors News Blast.  The results of that survey, which indicated the majority of the respondents are against the waivers, can be found here.
 
In an attempt to stop the public from objecting to the four waivers, the City is planning to amend the zoning codes to incorporate these four waivers into law.  This would eliminate the public’s ability to object, as no waivers would be granted.  This may stop objections, but the issues will still exist. 
 
This seems too important an issue to rush through changes to the zoning codes before proper study has been done and real input has been solicited.  We believe the Planning Department has been instructed to rush through these changes, and this is disturbing.  Wouldn’t it be better to live with the waivers, and the public outcry, instead of making radical changes to the zoning codes that might be regretted later, when perhaps some study has been done?
 
For example, the height of the Vapor Recovery Towers (VRT) is one of the waivers.  Current City regulations call for a maximum height of 20 feet.  The waiver requests a height of 31.5 feet.  Once this waiver is in place, there will be no grounds to object to the next tall structures ConocoPhillips wants, which are 32 feet tall, quilted noise mitigation towers.  This is NOT speculation; we heard ConocoPhillips make this statement about the height of its noise mitigation towers.
 
The 31.5 foot tall Vapor Recovery Towers are being presented as the only way to comply with air quality requirements from CDPHE.  But, no other alternatives, such as the low profile vapor recovery systems, are even being considered.  It doesn’t seem right to amend current zoning codes, based on no research.  If our concerns are unfounded and research has actually been done, it would seem appropriate that the results of that research be posted in a prominent location on the City’s website and be referenced in its justifications for the waivers and in the proposed amendments to the zoning codes.
 
The proposed modifications to the zoning codes can be seen here, beginning on Page 10, and will be discussed at the next Planning, Economic Development & Redevelopment committee meeting on October 9, 2014.  These changes will affect us for the next 30 years, so please review them yourself and let the City Council members on that committee know your thoughts.  Those Council Members are Marsha Berzins, Brad Pierce, and Molly Markert.  You are also invited to communicate with our Ward II Council Member, Renie Peterson.