HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Planning Commission 1972-08-08Estes Park Planning Commission
Town of Estes Park
Gentlemen:
More than three years ago,Phillips,Carter,Reister and Associates,
engineering consultants of Denver,completed their “Plan for Growth of
the Estes Park,Colorado Water System”.
Based upon cost estimates at that time,the complete implementation
of the water department “Capital Improvement Program”would cost $2,934,500
to meet the growth demands that are foreseen to 1987.
At a cost of more than $1,000,000,the Town has just completed the
initial phase of that program with plant improvements at Glacier Creek
and Black Canyon,and installation of an 18-inch pipeline from the Glacier
Creek plant to the distribution system.
But additional water at the plants is of no value if it cannot be
delivered to the ultimate consumer...the new home,the new motel or other
business in the area served by the Estes Park water system.
Several factors were considered by the engineers when they tried to
project the “normal”demand growth of the system.They,of course,had
figures on the water usage demanded by homes and businesses that had been
constructed before 1969.
They knew that there were hundreds of lots within the confines of
the system that would see the bulldozer and the carpenter’s hammer in
the 70’s and the 80’s and tried to project the growth of the system when
a great deal of this “raw land”was sold and developed.They tried to
project a program which would enable the Town water department to furnish
that essential ingredient to any growth --WATER.
Eites Park,Colorado 80617 P.0.Box 1200 Telephone (Area 303)586.4461
August 8,1972
0cm (J)
Estes Park Planning Commission
August 8,1972
Page two
They said that about $195,000 should be spent on the distribution
system in 1972 and $270,000 on it in 1975.Storage tanks and larger
pipes were included in the plans.
But there was one factor that they could not possibly envision---
lot splitting,or creating more demand than normal in neighborhoods that
were already platted and developed.
In the early days of Estes Park,most subdividers were “generous”
with the size of lots in their development;many of them were more than
an acre in size.HotEes were widely spaced and the attractiveness of
the Estes Park area was enhanced by this “open space”.
Splitting of lots in these already—developed areas (while of doubtless
virtue to the purse of the owner)puts an immediate strain on a water dis
tribution system.Developers of new subdivisions are required to install
mains that will meet the needs of the possible homes and businesses on
that particular acreage,even if they have to run their principal supply
main several hundred feet back to a city main that is large enough to
serve the development.
This is not true when lots are split in an already-developed section
of the town.“One more tap won’t make any difference”is not a valid
reasoning when lot splitting becomes widespread The available pressure
is quickly reduced and long-time customers of the system are greatly
inconvenienced
The Water Committee of the Town of Estes Park asks the Planning
Commission to have these facts in mind when they consider applications
for lot splitting by special review,rather than by normal subdivision
regulations.
Sincerely,
TOWN OF ESTES PARK
WATER COMMITTEE
Glenn Prosser,Chairman \\
H.Bernerd Dannels \\
Rollen Sutter \\
GP:eks