Berthoud Weekly Surveyor | Covering all the angles in the Garden Spot

Trustees approve sewer service to western subdivisions

February 12, 2015 | Local News

By Rudy Hemmann
The Surveyor

The Berthoud Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a resolution formalizing an agreement to provide urban level sewer service to two rural residential developments as recommended by town staff, at its Tuesday meeting.

An information sheet provided to the trustees by town staff states: “Over the last few years several rural residential developments in Berthoud’s outlying 208 (wastewater) service area have been encountering some degree of difficulty in the relicensing of their sewer treatment systems.”

The agreement was reached between representatives of the Western Mini-Ranches/Vaquero Estates Sewer Association and town staff. The two rural subdivisions are located at the intersection of Larimer County Road (LCR) 21 and LCR 6, and together have 85 homes.

In a brief presentation of the agenda item Town Administrator Mike Hart noted the town had previously negotiated a similar agreement between the town and two other rural subdivisions, River Glen Estates and River Glen Farms.

Under questioning by members of the board, Hart stated there would be no cost to the town for the infrastructure required to connect each of the residences in the subdivisions to the nearest Berthoud main sewer line. The cost of installing the required sewer lines is estimated to be $1,720,000, with funds for the project made available to the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment through a Colorado Revolving Loan Fund. The loan is to be repaid over a 20-year period by the residents of the two subdivisions. The town will be entitled to collect sewer tap fees for all residences within the two subdivisions as well as monthly sewer fees at the same rates as town residents.

Ed Schem of the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment thanked the board profusely for considering the proposal.

Questions from trustees revolved around the issues of cost to the town. Schem stated all of the cost would be borne by the residents of the subdivisions through a Local Improvement District which had already been approved by the county.

In other board news:

The Berthoud Common property is effectively for sale again. Walt Elish, the town’s director of business development, in a Jan. 26 memorandum to Hart stated he had sent Requests for Proposal (RFP) to seven commercial brokers with experience in land sales in the Northern Front Range region.

Two proposals were received from the seven RFPs sent. Elish explained there was interest from other brokers on the list, however after placing phone calls to the town for more information most decided to self-eliminate themselves.

The two proposals were evaluated by Elish, Town Clerk Mary Cowdin and Community Development Director Sherry Albertson-Clark. Their recommendation was to go forward with a proposal issued by Nathan Klein of Loveland Commercial. Klein estimated in his proposal that the property would be worth $650,000 to $700,000.

Following general questions concerning the R-3 zoning attached to the property, the source of the estimated cost, the sale process and a concern regarding the 12-month listing period for the tract, a motion to authorize the town administrator to sign a commercial services listing agreement with Loveland Commercial was made, seconded and approved unanimously.

Trustees also approved a Limited Use and License Agreement for an event which is to take place on the Berthoud Common property on March 22 in conjunction with the annual Alex Sabados Day of Kindness celebration.

The event consists of nationally known motocross rider Danny Walker providing basic instruction to young motorcycle riders in the techniques of motocross.

The trustees also ratified the decision by the Berthoud Community Library Board of Directors to appoint Diane Brotemarkle to a seat on the library board. Brotemarkle will fill a position left open by the resignation of Davon Cook. Her term will end Dec. 31, 2015.

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