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Infrastructure 101 Workshop

February 19, 2014

La Plata County Planning Department

Site View Regional View

Overview

The focus of this discussionWhat we typically consider in

project hearings

Overview• How has infrastructure developed in LPC?

– Geographic Features– History– Land Ownership

• Major Infrastructure Elements– Functions– Facilities– Constraints

• Enabled Development– Challenges of Current System– Approaches to Addressing Challenges

How has infrastructure come to be in LPC?

Geographic Features

History

Land Ownership

Geographic Features

• Diverse Topography

• Climate

• Rivers & Water S

Topographic Map

Sources

• Drainage Basins

• Natural Resources

History

• Mining

• Agriculture

• The Railroad

Focus on 1870’s to Date

• Oil & Gas

• Recreation & TourismCounty Population

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History: MiningGold & Silver 1870’s -1930’s

Toll Roads

Access through Rugged Terrain

History: Agriculture

County Road DevelopmentIrrigation

Service Centers

History: The Railroad1881 – 1951

Influenced Settlement Patterns

Opened Markets for Agriculture

Important for Mining

History: Oil & Gas1994 – well access road –0 homes

2011 – same well access road –5 homes

Cumulative Impacts

History: Recreation & Tourism

Subdivisions

New Growth within Historical ContextDiverse Economic Drivers

Land Ownership

Federal Land 40%Interface with Public Federal Land 40%Tribal Land 19%

Interface with Public & Tribal Lands

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Observations• Geographic, economic and jurisdictional diversity creates many

challenges

• History demonstrates interrelationship between Infrastructure and growth & development

• Recent growth has predominately occurred in the context of the hi i i f b i i i i d li i ihistoric infrastructure, bringing opportunities and limitations

Overview• How has infrastructure developed in LPC?

– Geographic Features– History– Land Ownership

• Major Infrastructure Elements– Functions– Facilities– Constraints

• Enabled Development– Challenges of Current System– Approaches to Addressing Challenges

Major Infrastructure Elements

Transportation

Drainage

Sanitary Sewer

Water

Fire Protection

Power/Electricity

Communications

TRANSPORTATIONWhat Needs Are Met?

• Accessibility

• Mobility

•Community Vitality• Safety

•Quality of life, social equity, public health

•Economic Growth

• Circulation

Regional Facilities

City of Durango75 mi.

State Hwy163 mi.

County Roads929 mi.

_____________Total 1,167 mi

Plus other roads XXX mi.

Regional Facilities

City of Durango75 mi.

State Hwy163 mi.

County Roads929 mi.

_____________Total 1,167 mi

Plus other roads XXX mi.

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Regional Facilities

City of Durango75 mi.

State Hwy163 mi.

County Roads929 mi.

_____________Total 1,167 mi

Plus other roads XXX mi.

Regional Facilities

City of Durango75 mi.

State Hwy163 mi.

County Roads929 mi.

_____________Total 1,167 mi

Plus other roadsXXX mi.

Transportation Constraints

• Cost of construction/ Maintenance

• Topography/ Drainage/ Ecological impacts

• Alignments /Accessibilityg y

• Carrying Capacity

• Other – land use regulations, cost of fuel, population growth

DRAINAGEWhat Needs Are Met?

Onsite

• Protection of structures

Offsite

• Protect stream banks

• Protect waterways

• Decrease flooding

Drainage Facilities: RegionalBig Picture:Drainage Sub-Basins

Runoff flow paths determined by topography

Downstream properties impacted by upstream uses

Development ImpactsOn Runoff Volume

Land UseRunoff from a 4-inch Rainfall

(inches)

Runoff from a 4-inch Rainfall on 1 acre

(gallons)

Meadows , grass 0.5 inch 13,600

Residential (1 l )

0.8 inch 21,700(1-acre lots)

0.8 inch 21,700

Residential(1/4-acre lots)

1.2 inches 32.600

Commercial 3.7 inches 100,520

Decreased Permeability Increased Runoff

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• Metals

• Oil

• Sediment

Potential Development ImpactsOn Water Quality

(roads and parking lots)

• Bacteria (dogs, geese)

• Fertilizers

Stormwater Management Facilities: Onsite

Stabilized Conveyance

Detention

Minimize directly connected impervious areas

Stormwater Management Facilities:Regional

• Handle detention for an overall development

• Larger and fewer facilities

• Denser development possible

Drainage Constraints

• Topography

• Soil types

• Proximity to receiving water (Closer more challenging)

• Space for detention and sediment removal

• Onsite detention – significant ratio of space

• Regional detention – land dedications & upfront costs

SANITARY SEWERWhat Needs Are Met?

• Disease prevention and health

• Aesthetics• Aesthetics

• Protection of groundwater and surface water

Sanitary SewerRegulatory Jurisdiction

Threshold is 2,000 gallons per day (approx 8 homes)

Less than 2,000 gpd regulated by SJBH

• ~16,000 permits in County

• Most single family residential

More than 2,000 gpd regulated by CDPHE

• 21 permitted systems in County

• Serve municipalities to mobile home parks

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Sanitary SewerOnsite Wastewater Systems (OSWS)

Typical system

• Septic tank

• Subsurface leach field

• Cost range of $10 - $20k

Regulated by SJBH

Minimum lot size requirements

• To accommodate setbacks and maintenance access

• 3 acre min. in County for individual well and septic

• 1-acre min. required by SJBH

Sanitary SewerCentral Treatment Systems

• Owned and operated by Municipalities Metro or special districts Private HOAs, individuals, etc

• Mechanical treatment

Regulated by CDPHE

• Smaller footprint

• Located at low point of development area

• Discharge to streams

• Water quality reporting

Sanitation FacilitiesProximity to Receiving Streams

Sanitary SewerCentral Treatment Systems

Water BodyNo. of

SystemsFacilities

Animas 4City of Durango; Purgatory Metro, Tamarron Metro, Hermosa San District; South Durango San District

Cottonwood Gulch 1 Loma Linda San District

Airport Edgemont Ranch Metro District;Florida 5

Airport, Edgemont Ranch Metro District; mobile home park and subdivisions

Lightner Creek 3Durango West Metro District;

Mobile home park and campground

Los Pinos 5Town of Bayfield; Forest Lakes Metro District;

Vallecito developments

Vallecito Creek 1 Upper Valley San District

Metro and Sanitation Service Districts

Sanitary Sewer Constraints

• Soil type

• Topography

• Space

• Stream standards

• Temperature-sensitive processes

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WATERWhat Needs Are Met?

• Agriculture

• Potable water Domestic

(bathing, sanitary, washing, etc.)

Commercial & Industrial –(operations, sanitary, washing, etc)

• Fire flow

• Dust Suppression

• Mining

Agricultural Water Supply

Jurisdiction: State Division of Water Resources

Source: Almost exclusively surface water

Facilities:

• Storage Reservoirs(66% f f fl(66% of surface flows occur late spring /early summer)

• Irrigation Canals

• Lateral Ditches

• Land Application

Potable Water SupplyRegulatory Jurisdiction

State Division of Water Resources• Water rights and well permits• Quantity or quality not addressed

La Plata County• Water quantity and quality• Water quantity and quality • Pre-approval stage only• No ongoing monitoring

CDPHE• Water quality for larger systems• Ongoing monitoring and reporting

Potable Water Supply: SourcesGroundwater• Approx.11,000 wells

permitted & completed

• At 2.3 persons/well, approx.25,000 residents served

• Well Cost ~ $8,000 - $15,000

Surface Water• Approx. 27,000 residents currently served• 14 total community systems• 6 systems (Durango, Bayfield, Ignacio, haulers) serve ~22,000• 8 non-municipal systems serve ~5,000

Potable Water SupplyTypes of Groundwater Wells

Exempt (from priority system)• Domestic

• Max. per lot and 15 gal/min• Commercial

• Single business • Drinking/sanitary uses only • Max. 108,600 gal/yr

Non-Exempt• Uses exceed those listed above• Min. 600 ft from another person’s well• Augmentation plans in over-appropriated areas• Irrigation, commercial, municipal, industrial, gravel pits, etc

Potable Water TreatmentCDPHE Jurisdiction

Threshold is • 15 taps or • 25 people

Above this thresholdAbove this threshold• CDPHE permit needed• 93 systems in County

Below this threshold• Almost no regulation

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Potable Water Treatment SystemsRegulated by CDPHE

Type of Service Entity

Examples (Ground and Surface Water)

Approx. PermittedService Pop.

Municipality Durango, Bayfield, Ignacio 27,000

Water Companies Animas, Lake Durango 6,000

Metro Districts Purgatory , Forest Lakes, Edgemont, El Rancho Florida 4,000

Large PrivateBar D Chuckwagon, Glacier Club, Powder House,

Colvig Camp, Vallecito Resort2,400

g p,

Mobile Home & RV Parks 1,300

Airport Durango-La Plata Airport 800

Water Haulers 3 permitted 700

Schools Sunnyside, Ft Lewis Mesa, Florida Mesa 700

Campgrounds 700

Other Private HOAs, etc 4,400

93 systems currently permitted by CDPHE

Types of Public Water SystemsCommunity Water System:

Serves same population year-round (46)• Municipalities• Metro Districts• Water companies• Private entities• Haulers

Non Transient Non Community Water System:Non-Transient Non-Community Water System: Serves 25+ of the same people 6+ months/year but not year round (7)• Schools

Transient Non-Community Water System: Provides water in a place people do not remain for long periods of time (40) • Gas Station • Campground• Bar D Chuckwagon

Potable Water Haulers

Weeks Served

Daily Usage(gpd)

No. Deliveries / Month

Monthly Cost

2 143 2.1 $ 321

3 95 1.4 $ 214

Residential Delivery• Three permitted• Approx. $150 / 2,000 gal load

3 95 . $

4 71 1.1 $ 161

Water Dock Loads• County residents can also go to City’s water dock• Typically 300 gal loads to supplement domestic wells

(Residential Tap Cost Range: $5,000 - $10,000)

Operating Metro and Water Service Districts

Municipal Extensions of Potable Water Lines

Developing and Potential Service Areas

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Water Critical Areas

Water Supply Constraints

• Well production at onset and over time

• Actual yield of water rights

• Availability of augmentation water

• Expense of hauling

• Lack of reliability for hauling

• Right-of-Way for centralized systems

• Capital costs of central systems

FIRE PROTECTIONWhat Needs Are Met?

• Safety

• Eliminate or reduce loss of property and life

• Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Plans

Abili b i h i• Ability to obtain home insurance

Fire DistrictsFire ProtectionDistricts

Fire ProtectionDistricts

4 Districts

35 Stations

Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Plans

Example: “La Plata County Community Wildfire Protection Plan”

• Protects existing i finfrastructure

• Raises residents awareness about fire mitigation

• Provides basis for receiving grants.

Fire Protection Constraints

• Greater than 5 road miles from station, high International Organization of Standards (ISO) rating high and insurance challenging (high or not achievable)

• Thus, larger subdivisions or commercial projects may need to construct stationsto construct stations

• Emergency and fire response service become weakened when dispersed

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POWER & COMMUNICATION SERVICES

Electricity

Heating

Communications

ElectricityWhat Needs Does it Meet?

• Required by building code

• Utility electricity more popular than small renewable systems

• Used for artificial lighting, communications, heating and cooling cooking entertainmentcooling, cooking, entertainment

TransmissionLines

Transmission andDistribution Lines

Transmission Lines,Distribution Lines, Vacant Parcels (~9,500)

Vacant parcels overa mile from 1-phasedistribution lines(299)

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Designatedcommercial orindustrial areas and 3-phasedistribution lines

Electricity Constraints

• Constrained by Public Utilities Commission (natural monopoly) and construction costs

• 1 mile of single-phase distribution line: $74,000

• 1 mile of three-phase distribution line: $185,000

• Subject to location and extent review by local governments

HeatingWhat Needs Does it Meet?

• Required by building code

• Significant cost difference between utility gas and tank gas (1:3 ratio)

• Utility gas: 9,976 (48%)y g ( )

• Tank gas: 5,327 (26%)

• Electricity: 3,001 (14%)

• Wood: 1,993: (10%)

Utility Gas TransmissionLines

Utility Gas Transmission Lines, Service Areas,Distribution Lines

Utility Gas Transmission Lines, Service Areas,Distribution Lines,Vacant Parcels (~9,500)

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Vacant parcels overa mile from utility gas(~4,000)

Heating Constraints

• Constrained by Public Utilities Commission (natural monopoly) and construction costs

• Construction costs are highly variable

• Subject to location and extent review by local governments

CommunicationsWhat Needs Does it Meet?

• Used socially, for business, shopping, entertainment, and emergency communication

• 96% of homes in county have access to landlines

• Worldwide, 6 billion people have cell phones and 4.5 billion have toiletshave toilets

• Nationally, 91% of people have cell phones and 72% use the internet

TelecommunicationTowers and Antennae in La Plata County(760)

Communication Constraints

• Federal Communications Commission, local land use regulations, and topography

• People want telecommunications but do not see it as a desirablebut do not see it as a desirable land use or scenic feature

Overview• How has infrastructure developed in LPC?

– Geographic Features– History– Land Ownership

• Major Infrastructure Elements– Functions– Facilities– Constraints

• Enabled Development– Challenges of Current System– Approaches to Addressing Challenges

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Enabled Development

• Occurs when critical infrastructure elements are present

• Challenge is to enable critical elements to come together

• Accomplished by planning for areas of more intense use so resources can be channeled

Challenges of Current SystemFor the Public

• Public service expenses become reactionary Some have overall public benefit (Oxford)

Others have less overall public benefit (CR 225A)

• Public services become weakened

Due to being spread out (emergency services, road maintenance)

• Public services rise in costs

With public paying the cost in taxes or mill-levies.

“Last one to the party picks up the check”

• Infrastructure benefits exhausted on first-come basis

• Subsequent developers face impractical costs

Challenges of Current SystemFor the Developer

Limited opportunities for developers to benefit from economy of scale

Benefits of Enabled Development

• Private developer investments can be coordinated for economy of scale, security, predictability

• Public funds can be prioritized & directed to areas where the greatest value will be created

• Business access to more reliable and affordable options

• Infrastructure operates in a more organized, logical pattern

• Long-range security and value evolves with time

Enabled Development

Transportation

Drainage

Tele Communications

Electricity & Gas

Fire ProtectionSanitaryWater