Synopsis of NEPCO Meeting 19 January 2019
This synopsis is intended to provide the highlights of the NEPCO General Membership meeting to all residents of NEPCO member Homeowner Associations. Also see the full minutes and presentations on www.nepco.org.
Transportation and Land Use Committee Report (Chairman Tom Vierzba) Tom Vierzba, Chairman of the NEPCO Transportation and Land Use Committee, provided a status report on the land use referral projects currently reviewed. NEPCO provided substantive review of 25 projects in 2018. In addition, he provided an update on the following projects being reviewed by NEPCO: The Ranch: This is 610 acres at the far eastern extension of Briargate Parkway. Current zoning (RR-5) would allow 173 lots, and the re-zone request is for 433 acres to contain 2100 lots. NEPCO has submitted its review to EPC. Grandwood Ranch: 48 2.5 acre lots on 147 acres north of Higby Rd and east of Fairplay Dr.; wells on the Dawson Aquifer; they’ll start moving dirt in May 2019. Home Place Ranch: South of Higby Road, north of Promontory Pointe and west of Sanctuary Pointe; potential for 600 lots on 427 acres; 298 homes in phase 1 with lots of wetland and greenspace; construction traffic is still an issue. Winsome (formerly McCune Ranch): 770 acres total north of Hodgen Rd and west of Meridian Rd; 54 5acre lots; 89 2.5-acre lots; all on individual wells in Dawson Aquifer; deep aquifer rights sold to Sterling Ranch. Gleneagle Golf Course Infill No. 2: Drainage project completed and 12 lots approved on Tract G. True North Commons: The City of Colorado Springs requested annexing 180+ acres at the north gate of the Air Force Academy for the City of Champions USAFA Visitor Center.
A total of 3,152 new homes from 2017 to 2020 will be about 10,086 new residents (a growth of 43%) bringing the projected population in area code 80132 to 32,558 residents in 2020.
County Master Plan and Water Master Plan. Mark Gebhart, Deputy Director for El Paso County Planning and Community Development, presented many charts on the El Paso County master planning process, the status of the new County Master Plan, and the contents of the newly approved County Water Master Plan. All the detailed info for the master plans are on the web at www.elpasoco.com then search “Master Plan”. Current County Master Plan includes a Land Use Guide and 10 “Small Area Plans” including our 2000 Tri-Lakes Comprehensive Plan that NEPCO uses for guidance in reviewing land use and transportation proposals. The new County Master Plan will be developed by a contractor under guidance by county staff, steering committee and working groups, and approved by the Planning Commission and BoCC – expected completion in two years. Current “Small Area Plans” will be reviewed and the info considered in development of the new County Master Plan but they will no longer exist in name. The Water Master Plan needed to be completed first since it is a driver for other elements of the County Master Plan. Purposes of Water Master Plan are: Understand water supply & demand conditions, ID possible efficiencies, Encourage best practices - water demand mgmt & conservation, Balance efficient use of limited supplies with need for reliability, Cooperate with water providers in their planning efforts, Provide basis for review of planned water supplies for new development, Evaluate a range of alternatives to meet demand, Integrate water supply into short and long-range land use planning, Integrate water conservation and landscape planning, Provide guidance for review of 1041 or other utility permit apps, Implement local aspects of Colorado’s Water Plan.
The plan includes: Water Supplies (Denver Basin Groundwater and Renewable Water), EPC Water Plan Regions, Current Supplies, CS Utilities Water Supplies, Regional Planning, Expected Growth Areas, Projected Water Demands, and Strategies (Reuse, Aquifer Storage and Recovery, and Land Use with Water Demand). It is completed and certification about mid-February. The Water Master Plan will be an advisory document for the BoCC. Developers should review their plans against the Water Master Plan.
The charts provided by the speakers have more detailed information on these topics and can be accessed on the NEPCO website at www.nepco.org at Members Login, Meeting Presentations.
