Elbert County planning commission hears public opposition, staff recommends denial for Xcel Energy transmission route

Elbert County planning commissioners on June 3 heard hours of public comment on Xcel Energy’s proposed segment of the Colorado Pathway transmission project and from staff received a formal recommendation to deny the company’s permit applications.

Stephanie Blachoviak, a certified land-use planner with SWCA Environmental Consultants contracted by Elbert County, told the commission that staff found multiple approval criteria for the county’s major 1041 permit and special-use review were not adequately addressed. "Staff recommends the Planning Commission make a recommendation of denial for the Excel Colorado Power Pathway major 1041 permit application," Blachoviak said, and repeated that recommendation for the county SUR (special use review) application.

Why it matters: The project would place about 48 miles of new 345-kilovolt, double-circuit transmission line across largely agricultural and rural-residential zones in Elbert County. Staff told commissioners that unresolved items—chiefly signed fire-prevention agreements with local volunteer fire districts, a sufficient analysis of wildfire risk and the potential fiscal burden for local emergency services—left the county unable to find several statutory approval criteria met.

What staff said: Blachoviak summarized technical elements of the application and the county review. The submitted route crosses primarily A (agriculture) and RA (residential-agriculture) zoning and would use typical monopole steel structures 105 to 140 feet tall within a 150-foot-wide right of way. Staff reported the applicant identified roughly 275 new steel poles in-county, about 310 acres of temporary construction disturbance and about 97 acres of permanent disturbance (figures given by staff as approximate). Blachoviak said the applicant had not provided signed fire-prevention and safety agreement forms from Kiowa and Big Sandy fire protection districts; staff described unresolved comments from the county OEM (Office of…