Will $4 million go down the stormwater drain?

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

Fort Collins, in its recent negotiations with Timnath, has offered to help pay for a flood control project that will be redundant in a few years.

As part of the deal reached between the two communities in early February, Fort Collins will contribute up to $2 million toward a Timnath project that will remove the town from the Boxelder Creek floodplain.

But, in a matter of 10 years or less, the Timnath project will no longer be needed. That's because a larger, regional project, directed by the Boxelder Basin Stormwater Authority, will also take Timnath out of the Boxelder floodplain.

The projected cost of the regional, three-phase project is $10.5 million. Estimated cost for Timnath's local project is $4 million to $6 million, money that would not have to be spent if the town decided to participate in the regional project.

According to Rex Burns, a county engineer who has worked on the Boxelder floodplain issue for four years, "the Boxelder Authority project will achieve the same effect" for Timnath as the town project will accomplish.

Fort Collins Mayor Doug Hutchinson said the city would like to take care of the Boxelder issue "in a cost-effective way." City officials are now in preliminary discussions with Timnath to see if the regional project might satisfy Timnath's needs and save a lot of money.

It will hinge on timing, Hutchinson noted, since a 10-year time frame doesn't work for Timnath. However, he said, "If we put our resources together, maybe we can get it resolved in time for Timnath."

In a Feb. 19 interview, Timnath Town Manager Becky Davidson was asked if Timnath would consider joining the Boxelder Authority if the regional project could match Timnath's timeline, for the same amount of money or less. "I haven't heard anyone propose that," Davidson said.

Timnath was originally a participant in the regional Boxelder project. In fact, according to Burns, the town initiated the process of solving the floodplain issue. However, Timnath decided to proceed with its own project when the regional timeline was not as speedy as Timnath would like.

Timnath in a hurry

Davidson said the Timnath Town Council has directed her to move quickly on the floodplain issue. "We can't keep pushing it back," she said. The town's sense of urgency, she pointed out, stems from public safety concerns, since a Boxelder Creek flood event would impact much of Timnath. Working together with Fort Collins is a positive development, she added.

Burns said that if the Boxelder Authority had Fort Collins' $2 million, plus another $2 million from Timnath, the second phase of the regional project could be completely funded, with no bonding required, and could "move forward much more speedily." Phase two, involving construction of a new Edson Reservoir southeast of Wellington, would completely remove Timnath from the floodplain, he stated.

How long would that take? Burns asserts that it could be done just as quickly as a local Timnath project, since both would have to go through the Federal Emergency Management Agency process. He estimated construction on Edson could begin by late 2010 with an infusion of $4 million in cash.

Davidson said that if Timnath does its own project, the town hopes to begin construction by spring 2010. A final design should be ready in six months, and Timnath already has the necessary funds available for the project.

Taking heat

Hutchinson has taken some heat over the $2 million contribution to Timnath's floodplain project. The offer, Hutchinson said, was part of a "partnership to resolve long-standing problems, not a ransom payment."

He added that the stormwater issue was just one of eight major subjects addressed in the Fort Collins/Timnath negotiations. "There was some give and take" on both sides, he said, describing the overall agreement as a win-win solution.

Fort Collins and Timnath sat down with a mediator to resolve long-simmering issues after the proposed Riverwalk development southwest of the Harmony Road/Interstate 25 interchange poured fresh fuel on the fire. The area lies in Fort Collins' growth management area, but developer Jay Stoner sought to annex the property to Timnath. The new intergovernmental agreement stipulates that Riverwalk will be part of Fort Collins.

The Riverwalk dispute "gave us an opportunity to resolve other issues," said Hutchinson.

Burns would like to see Timnath's participation in the regional project. "This is not a good time to use money badly," he said.

Also, he pointed out, the other participants in the regional project would save money if Timnath were to join the larger effort.

"It would help everybody big-time," Burns said.

If Timnath were interested in joining the Boxelder Authority, the town's contribution to the regional effort would have to be negotiated, Burns said. It's possible, he added, that the town could end up paying less by participating in the larger project.

The Boxelder Authority was formed last year to build the necessary stormwater facilities for the larger project. Participants include Larimer County, Wellington and Fort Collins, all of which will pay annual fees to the authority to fund the project.

About 5,000 acres will be removed from the Boxelder floodplain as a result of the regional project. Besides Edson Reservoir, plans include an enlarged Clark Reservoir north of Wellington and channel improvements on the east side of I-25 near East Mulberry Street.

The Boxelder basin extends from southern Wyoming to south of Timnath.