Livermore Water

[Zach Thode]

Laurie, update on the Livermore Water:

We applied for some money with the recent grant cycle:

1. to help with a community character plan, 
2. water utility grant for augmentation plan and sewer design.

Is there a time that we could meet with you before Christmas to discuss getting the committed water that R&B owns separated to the water association to secure the water system in Livermore?

Thanks

Zach

[Laurie Kadrich]

Hi Zach,

Glad to hear you moved forward with grant applications.  Not sure that I am the "right" person to meet with - Road and Bridge does not own any water, rather the water is owned by the County and the plant is managed by the Health Department so I would not want to engage in conversations without their input.  I think you have met with Chris Manley previously and I think he would be the best to discuss both the water plant and any sewer design ideas that you may have.  I copied him on this email in the event he has a different approach than I do, laurie

--

	Laurie M. Kadrich CPIR Director
	Community Planning, Infrastructure and Resources 200 W Oak St, Fort Collins, 80521 | 3rd Floor W: (970) 498-5741 | M: (970) 589-0674 Kadr...@co.larimer.co.us | www.larimer.org

[Zach Thode]

Thanks Chris.

As I understand, the water that is accounted for in the augmentation plan for Livermore is a part of a larger portfolio of water that the County owns. It is mixed with the water that Road and Bridge uses for maintenance and all accounted for and reported through ELCO.

The end goal is to carve the correct amount of water that was committed to Livermore out of that portfolio to create the opportunity for the County to get out of the water provider business.  Then the Livermore Community could look at putting in a park on the water supply parcel and work with the county to plan out how to use the 2acre R&B parcel. 

We just need to know who to talk to and how to initiate this process?

Thanks

Zach

On Tue, Dec 7, 2021 at 10:52 AM Chris Manley <manl...@co.larimer.co.us> wrote:

Zach, 

I know we discussed this back in June and it seemed there were some water rights implications associated with the Livermore facility that go back to the original construction of the plant. 

My knowledge of the system is limited to the plant and it's operation, I really don't have the background on the water rights and how those are currently appropriated. If there are changes needed to water rights we'll have to identify who at the county can best speak to those and how any changes could be considered. 

	Chris Manley, REHS Environmental Health Services Director
	Department of Health and Environment 1525 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80524  W: (970) 498-6784 cma...@larimer.org | www.larimer.org

[Laurie Kadrich]

Hi John,

I will follow up with Linda and then let you know, laurie

On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 9:38 PM John Kefalas <kefa...@co.larimer.co.us> wrote:

It seems that the county attorneys could weigh in on the water rights issue. Laurie, please reach out to LInda to see what she thinks and then we can connect with Bill Ressue (county attorney) to clarify this matter so the Livernore folks know who they can talk to and initiate the process for accessing the water to meet the Livermore Community's needs. Thank  you.

	John Kefalas County Commissioner, District 1
	Commissioners' Office 200 W Oak St | 2nd Floor PO Box 1190, Fort Collins, CO 80522-1190 W: (970) 498-7001 Cell:  (720) 254-7598 jkef...@larimer.org | www.larimer.org

[Laurie Kadrich]

Hi John,

I was able to visit quickly with Linda regarding this request.  She is hoping that Zach could describe more what his concept is.  For example, what does Zach mean by the Livermore Community owning the water rights since there is no legal entity that is the Livermore Community.  So hopefully Zach could fill in more of the details of this request and then we can better understand what the next steps are, thanks in advance, laurie

On Wed, Jan 5, 2022 at 10:57 AM John Kefalas <kefa...@co.larimer.co.us> wrote:

Thank you Laurie, and another thought is to reach out to the Colorado Division of Water Resources, https://dwr.colorado.gov/.

[Zach Thode]

The end goal of this project is to develop a plan to make the Livermore Water Users Association completely independent of Larimer County.  

This includes:

1. Identifying and allocating the appropriate water that is currently in the general portfolio (as we understand the reporting/augmenting of water used in Livermore is included in the R&B water use reports handled by an agreement with ELCO) of Larimer County to transfer to the Association.

2. Developing a plan for the 2 parcels of land in Livermore that the County currently owns; we envision a park on the water collection property in the floodway, and some kind of commercial use of the old shop property?

FYI:

There were 2 grants submitted in November to the County Covid Funds for Livermore to have funds to improve the augmentation plan once we can get the water sorted out, and another for a character planning effort for Livermore.

Hope this helps clarify things.

Zach Thode

[Zach Thode]

Laurie, and Linda.

What do we need to do to keep this conversation going forward?

Thanks

Zach

On Thu, Jan 6, 2022 at 6:51 PM John Kefalas <kefa...@co.larimer.co.us> wrote:

Does this help Linda and Laurie?

[Linda Hoffmann]

Zach, we are intrigued by your innovative ideas. However, as I understand the underlying facts of the water system, and limitations on the use of public resources for private benefit, I'm not sure what additional conversations would be worthwhile regarding the water association. Water rights the County once controlled that were associated with the Water Association system were turned over some time ago. Our remaining water rights are necessary for road and bridge purposes, such as dust suppression for air quality management. Simply stated, the County no longer directly owns water rights as you assume.  Perhaps, a possible next step would be for the Association members, or perhaps for the broader community, to talk about future needs including long-term options for the water system. The park idea could be explored in an area-wide plan, or character plan. The Community Development Department presented their 2022 work plan to the Commissioners earlier this month. It is extensive and squeezing additional projects into the workload would be challenging. The department workplan does recognize the value and desire for community area plans for Livermore, LaPorte or elsewhere. The Commissioners could consider prioritizing one or more of these community area plans over other projects competing for staff attention during 2022 or perhaps 2023.

Any next steps in this conversation should focus on the possibility of initiating work on a Livermore area plan similar to the one the County developed some time ago for Red Feather Lakes. Continued conversation about the water rights the County no longer controls, or site planning work for commercial development on publicly owned property would not be a productive use of staff time.

	Linda Hoffmann County Manager
	Commissioners' Office 200 W Oak St, Fort Collins, CO  80521 | 2nd Floor W: (970) 498-7004 lhof...@larimer.org | www.larimer.org