SUBJECT: General Business
Title
Oil and Gas Policy Statement - Draft Review
Body
DEPARTMENT: Administration
PRESENTER: Farrell Buller, Deputy Town Administrator
TIME ESTIMATE: 30 Minutes
only required for non-consent items
FISCAL INFORMATION: N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Request that Board discuss and provide direction to staff on policy statement
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
At the August 20, 2019 Board of Trustees study session, and in response to the Board's previous direction, staff shared with the Board a draft policy statement (Attachment 2) on oil and gas development. Staff asked the Board to comment on two specific questions: does this initial draft policy statement reflect the Board's desires, and does the Board want the policy to be incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan or just used as a statement of the Board to be posted on the Town's website and used in other communications.
In response to staff's questions, most Trustees stated they wanted a shorter, more concise policy statement, and they wanted to incorporate the policy into the Town's Comprehensive Plan. The attached revised draft (Attachment 1) is staff's attempt at crafting a revised policy reflecting the Board's expressed desire for a more concise statement.
As mentioned at the study session, some neighboring municipalities have policy statements that outline the agency's position on oil and gas and what the agency is working towards. The following are statements from other agencies:
* "With regard to oil and gas development near the City's populated areas and within the City's boundaries, such powers shall include but not be limited to plenary authority to regulate all aspects of oil and gas development, including land use and all necessary police powers. As such, Broomfield shall condition oil and gas development permits to require oil and gas development to only occur in a manner that does not adversely impact the health, safety, and welfare ...
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