Planning commission tables Comcast site plan over missing power details

Fairfield — Commissioners at the Fairfield Town Planning and Zoning meeting discussed a Comcast site-plan application but tabled action after finding the submitted plans did not show how the small utility building would be powered.

Commissioners said the drawings show a roughly 25-by-20-foot equipment building and a concrete pad for a generator but do not identify the location of power lines or a meter. “They'll have to meet with Rocky Mountain Power and come up with a plan of how they're gonna power it,” said a staff member during the meeting. Town attorney Todd (last name not specified in the record) told the commission he would be surprised if the generator alone would operate the facility and advised the commission to resolve power-supply questions before granting approval.

Why it matters: Without the power-line and meter locations on the site plan, commissioners said they cannot confirm compliance with zoning checklist items (setbacks, utilities, fire protection) and that approving the plan now could create enforcement problems later. Commissioners also noted the plan lists an HVAC unit and a generator, which implies a reliable utility feed will be needed for everyday operation.

What the commission decided: The commission formally tabled the Comcast site plan “until Comcast can get their power, lines and meters on their print,” per the meeting record. No formal vote totals were recorded in the transcript for the tabling action. Commissioners also asked staff (including Kent, who was on the phone) to follow up with the applicant and Rocky Mountain Power about whether the building will be fed overhead or underground and whether the generator is intended only for backup.

Details the commission requested: Commissioners listed missing or unclear items they expect to see on a resubmittal: clear location of power lines and meter, identification of whether power will be fed overhead across Allens Ranch Road or run underground to the building, confirmation of any water or plumbing requirements (the plans show a water lateral callout but commissioners questioned whether water service or a bathroom is needed), and the generator specification (fuel type and whether it is only backup). The transcript records a lot size and zoning context mentioned during the review (the lot is over 1 acre, in the Light Industrial West zone), but commissioners emphasized that those facts do not substitute for the missing utility details.

Next steps: Staff was asked to request a revised site plan showing power/meter locations and any other missing checklist items before the commission considers the application again. The commission did not approve the plan at the meeting.