To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: Donna Ferguson, Planner I, Development Services
Title
Ordinance: Approving an Easement Agreement between the Town of Castle Rock and Intermountain Rural Electric Association (Woodlands Boulevard) (Second Reading)
Body
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Executive Summary
This ordinance was approved as presented on first reading on August 4, 2015 with a vote of 5 to 0 with no changes.
The purpose and intent of this memorandum is to present for Adoption by Town Council an ordinance (Attachment A) which would grant an easement on Town owned property to Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA) to allow an existing overhead tie line to be replaced with an underground electric feeder line.
Notification and Outreach Efforts
A referral was sent to the Utilities, Public Works and the Parks Departments and an appropriate location for the easement was agreed upon. A referral was also sent to Black Hills Energy, Century Link and Comcast Cable with no concerns being reported. The language in the easement agreement has been approved by the Town Attorney’s office.
Discussion
The Town owned property is currently unplatted and is located in the northwest quarter of Section 1, Township 8 South, Range 67 West of the 6th Principal Meridian (Attachment B). There is no known easement for the current overhead tie line which is located on Town property and travels north/south along the east side of the 85-foot wide platted, yet unbuilt, Woodlands Boulevard.
This portion of Woodlands Boulevard may potentially be widened in the future as the Transportation Master Plan shows this as a 111-foot wide minor arterial, however, there are no immediate plans to expand the roadway. Additionally, the Parks Department has no immediate plans for the Town owned property.
While 10-foot public utility easements along roadways are typical, IREA is asking for a 15-foot non-exclusive easement. The easement will also allow other utility companies to utilize the easement area in the future.
If and when Woodlands Boulevard is expanded, grading activity may cause the underground line to be buried as dirt is placed upon it to achieve necessary grades. As such, Public Works requested that IREA agree to relocate the line at their own expense if relocation of the line is necessary due to grading and construction of the new roadway.
Staff asked that the location of the easement be moved 26-feet to the east to accommodate a potential widening of Woodlands Boulevard in the future and to revise the language in the easement agreement.
The request complies with the Town of Castle Rock Vision 2020 by meeting the Town’s Community Planning Cornerstone to ensure the Town is carefully planned to accommodate the needs of existing and future residents while preserving and protection Castle Rock identity and quality of life.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends that Town Council approve the ordinance granting an easement to IREA in the revised location.
Proposed Motion
I move to approve an ordinance approving an easement agreement between the Town of Castle Rock and Intermountain Rural Electric Association.
Attachments
Attachment A: Ordinance
Attachment B: Map