HomeMy WebLinkAboutPresentation Gas Well Drilling Town of Westlake
Proposed Gas Drilling and
Production Or dinance
Workshop
September 22, 2008
Topics of Discussion
• Definitions
• Setbacks
• Water
• Roadway usage
• Permits
Definitions
• Gas Well Pad Site - The area used for all
operational activities associated with gas
drilling and production .
• Drill Zone - The area within an approved Gas
Well Pad Site designated to drilling well bores.
• Gas Well production Site — The area
designated for containment of all equipment
and activities associated with gas production
and well maintenance .
Gas W II P ad Site and Drill Zone
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Setbacks - discussion points
Distance from drill zone to habitable structure
• Why not just adopt the greatest setback that any
of our neighboring cities are using?
• The purpose of setbacks — safety and quality of
life or nuisance mitigation .
• Unintended consequences of larger setback
requirements.
Examples of setback impacts on
developable property
• 1000 foot
1000 + 1000 + 100 = 2100; 2100 X 2100 = 4,410,000 / 43560 = 101.24 acres
• 600 foot
600 + 600 + 100 = 1300; 1300 X 1300 = 1,690,000 / 43560 = 38.8 acres
• 300 foot
300 + 300 + 100 = 700; 700 X 700 = 490000 / 43560 = 11.25 acres
Formula: h*w/ 43560 = acres, where:
h= The setback from one side added to the setback for the opposite side plus the
depth of the well bore zone.
w= The setback from the front side added to the setback for the back side plus the
depth of the well bore zone.
Setbacks Proposed
Distance from drill zone to habitable structure
• 600 feet — base line minimum standard .
• 1,000 feet — voluntary and results in the
relaxation of some regulations and will be easier
for operator to comply with quality of
life/nuisance regulations.
Setbacks Proposed - continued
Distance from drill zone to habitable structure
• 300 feet — absolute minimum setback. Requires
approval from all property owners with structures
closer than 600 feet and Board approval . Results in
more restrictive regulations and allows property
owners with greater potential of negative impact
from well operations to negotiate directly with the
operator for creative options to address their
specific concerns.
Setbacks Proposedm continued
Distance from drill zone to habitable structure
• After a Gas Well Pad Site has been approved,
the required setback from future habitable
structures will be 300 feet. This reduction
allows for more options for development of
surrounding properties .
Setbacks from other uses
• Proposed distance from drill zone to
street right-of-way is 200 feet.
Hwy 114 and 170 — Also requires 100 foot setback for the
Gas Well production Site perimeter fence from the right-of-
way for landscape in the Town Edge Open Space Zone.
Hwy 377 — Also requires 50 foot setback for the Gas Well
production Site perimeter fence from the right-of-way for
landscape in the Town Edge Open Space Zone.
All other street right-of-ways — The perimeter fence
must be behind the established building setback line for the
zoning district.
Setbacks from other uses
• The proposed requirement for the Drill Zone
to be a minimum of 75 feet from the
perimeter of the Gas Well Pad Site, along with
a minimum required 50 foot separation of the
Gas Well Pad Site perimeter fence from
adjacent property lines, results in a minimum
125 foot setback from any structures or other
uses not related to the gas well drilling or
production operations .
Setbacks - continued
• Variances to the setback requirements, or
deviations from any other regulations
governing the drilling and production of gas,
may be authorized during the Specific Use
Permit approval process after receiving a
recommendation from the Planning and
Zoning Commission and approval by the Board
of Aldermen .
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Roadway Usage
• Roadway Improvement / Repair agreement
— Town will have roadways along the approved truck
route assessed for suitability for use by heavy
truck traffic and determine if roadway must be
improved prior to the increased usage. Repair or
replacement costs will be estimated and
arrangements for payment of those costs will be
addressed in the agreement.
Roadway Usage
• Approved truck routes — Truck routes will be
approved during the Gas Well Pad Site permitting process.
— Encourage use of State owned Highways and Access Roads by reducing
roadway improvement/repair fees.
— Prohibit usage of certain roads based on safety factors and traffic
studies.
— Coordinate efforts with neighboring cities to regulate truck routes for
gas well sites located in the Town of Westlake and in neighboring
cities.
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Water
• Fresh water supply for gas drilling operations .
— Water will not be provided by Town of Westlake
because the increased water demand would result
in the peak limits being exceeded and a possible
increase in water fees for all Westlake water
customers.
— Freshwater wells may be drilled on site or water
may be trucked or piped in and stored on site.
Waste Water
• Waste water from Gas well drilling and
production operations must be disposed
of properly.
— Option A is to have all water trucked out of town
for disposal . Most likely the waste will be pumped
into a nearby Salt Water Disposal Well .
— Option B is to permit the drilling of a Salt Water
Disposal Well within the Town of Westlake but
limit it's usage to disposing of water produced
within the Town of Westlake.
Permitting
• There is a two pronged approach to regulating
Gas Well Drilling and Production activities
requiring two separate ordinance amendments.
— Regulatory standards are similar to the Building Codes
as they relate to new buildings. Dealing with safety
and operational facets of the operation .
— Zoning regulations are used to regulate the Land Use
aspects and insure conformance with the Master
Plans for Land Use, Open Space, Thoroughfares, and
Water & Sewer Utilities.
Permitting
• The proposed Gas Well Drilling and Production Ordinance
will cover the regulatory standards and will contain some
land use related items that are specific to this unique use.
• To address the remainder of the zoning related issues, an
ordinance will be proposed to amend the Comprehensive
Zoning Ordinance to permit Gas Drilling in all zoning
districts with a Specific Use Permit. All Gas Well Pad Site
Permits will only be approved following notification of all
property owners within 1,000 feet and a public hearing
before the Planning and Zoning Commission followed by a
hearing before the Board of Aldermen.
• Gas wells located within the designated Drill Zone of an
approved Gas Well Pad site will be permitted
administratively.
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