By Will Cornelius
The Surveyor

After extending a series of 180-day oil and gas moratoriums over the past few years, the Board of Trustees for the Town of Berthoud is getting closer to a final public hearing for new regulations. With a few areas trustees still wanted to be addressed, a public hearing for potential Berthoud oil and gas rules is expected in April.

At the fifth meeting of the year, the town board discussed Arbor Day, municipal codes for signs, a clarification of design standards language for the First Street Corridor and a proposal for oil and gas regulations. All members were in attendance except May Albrecht.

A $449,000 contract with WENK consultants for the conceptual design of the arboretum at Waggener Farm Park was approved as a part of the consent agenda. Designs will complete the project through the construction document phase.

Berthoud’s 41st Arbor Day was then approved after a presentation by Paul Furnas, the town’s forester after Mayor Will Karspeck read out a proclamation. The event will be held on Apr. 27, starting at 10 a.m. in Bein Park.

The board then considered a code amendment for sidewalk signs in town with an emphasis on Mountain Avenue. Anne Johnson, Berthoud’s community development director said the ordinance concerned code consolidation and ensuring the town’s adherence to content neutrality.

Municipalities can regulate signs for reasons like safety and aesthetics but not content. For example, flashing neon signs can be restricted in residential areas but not political lawn signs.

Ensuring signs do not become eyesores or fly away in the Colorado wind was the main concern of the board during a loquacious debate. Some discussion was given on the merit of plastic, wood and metal signs.

In the end, the board approved it along with two amendments, allowing businesses to display large promotional signs for 15 days every three months and sanctioning plastic sandwich board signs on sidewalks.
Another code update was presented by Johnson, this time it concerned clarifying language around design standards for the First Street Corridor. With little comment or concern, the board collectively approved it.

Mike Foote returned with a proposal for oil and gas regulations in Berthoud. He said the big concerns he was hearing from Berthoud over the past couple of years were for a 2,000-foot setback requirement along with zoning restrictions.

While the board was appreciative of Foote’s work, they still had some concerns they wanted to address surrounding setbacks near waterways, directional drilling, underground flowlines, the level of regulation and how informed consent would be gathered.

“Clearly this is an area that still needs to be looked into,” Foote said. The board’s next March meeting was deemed too soon to make the necessary changes to the ordinance, so it was pushed into April.

During official reports, Town Administrator Chris Kirk confirmed that Sen. John Hickenlooper had contacted the town to confirm that Berthoud will receive grant money for a micro-transit program. The town is now awaiting the President’s approval of Congress’ latest budget bill which appropriates a total of $864,000 to create a pilot program. Kirk said that Rep. Yadira Caraveo had been a big help in securing the federal request. “It’s been a long time coming,” he said.

The board then entered an executive session to discuss ‘First Street Sewer Easements.’