Severance partially lifts building-permit moratorium

SEVERANCE — The Severance Town Council Tuesday voted to lift a moratorium on building permits in areas outside the town’s water service area.

Severance owns its own water but relies on the North Weld County Water District for treatment and delivery. Severance residents receive water either from the town directly or through North Weld. North Weld imposed a tap moratorium Sept. 29 but partially lifted that moratorium Feb. 14, allowing 50 tap permits initially and 10 per month thereafter, through the end of the year.

Severance’s action was approved 6-0, with councilmember Tad Stout, who also serves on the North Weld County Water District board, recusing himself from the discussion and vote.

The decision means that the town will allow building permits within its boundaries in areas served directly by North Weld water, including the subdivisions of Belmont Farms, Bridal Hill/Saddler Ridge, Casa Loma, Golden Eagle Acres, Hidden Valley Farm and Soaring Eagle Ranch.

But the building-permit moratorium continues within the town’s water service area.

“This moratorium will continue until May 31, 2022, or until North Weld County Water District grants the Town of Severance the requested 184 plant investments needed to deliver the proper volume of water to our Town,” according to a summary submitted by Town Manager Nicholas Wharton.

Wharton spoke at the Feb. 14 North Weld meeting, arguing that the town should receive 184 plant investments that it has requested. North Weld district manager Eric Reckentine countered at that meeting that the town should first sign a new water service agreement with the district.

Severance Town Council members entered an executive session Tuesday to obtain legal advice regarding the water service agreement.

North Weld’s partial lifting of its tap moratorium included certain criteria:

• Property must be subject to a water service agreement with the district.
• Requirements of the water service agreement have been met and accepted by the district.
• Water required to be dedicated to the district has been dedicated and accepted.
• The person or property owner seeking the water tap must own the deed to the property to be served.
• The person or property owner seeking a water tap must be seeking a building permit from the appropriate jurisdiction.

North Weld imposed its tap moratorium in September, blaming the 1041 regulatory process in Fort Collins and Larimer County related to the district’s NEWT III pipeline, to be built from North Timberline Road in north Fort Collins east into unincorporated Larimer County. The district has subsequently acknowledged capacity issues for water treatment and delivery, citing rapid population growth and expansion of dairies within the region.

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