By Natalie Barszcz
At the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD) special meeting on Feb. 17, the board approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) and Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) for construction cost sharing associated with the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) pipeline project.
Attending via teleconference were FLMD Manager Ann Nichols, Tom Blunk of CP Real Estate Capital representing Forest Lakes LLC and Forest Lakes Residential Development, district consul Nicole Peykov of Spencer Fane law firm, and the following board directors: President George Lenz, executive vice president of finance for Classic Homes, Secretary Joe Loidolt, president of Classic Homes, Treasurer/Secretary Douglas Stimple, chief executive officer of Classic Homes, Director/resident James Boulton, vice president/project manager of Classic Homes, and Director Steve Schlosser, a project manager for Classic Homes.
Note: There were no public comments made during the meeting.
NMCI update
Nichols said the district is working with CSU and TMD to consider moving its wastewater treatment process to Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) via the proposed NMCI pipeline. The NMCI pipeline project 30% design phase was completed in November and revealed the preliminary cost estimate from the general contractor to be about $92.8 million. Initially, the thought was to split the cost three ways between CSU, TMD, and FLMD, and although the district and TMD were ready to go in December, CSU decided to lock in the cost sharing with an IGA, with CSU responsible for 65% of the cost and the northern entities responsible for 35%.
But CSU decided to break out the sections, and FLMD and TMD would also be responsible for the cost of the portion of pipeline that serves only the northern entities (about 1,200 to 1,300 feet extending north of the Air Force Academy boundary). The additional pipeline footage pushed the northern entities’ share up to 35.9%, with TMD paying the larger portion of the share because FLMD has only about 500 homes.
Nichols requested the board approve the IGA to lock in cost sharing that breaks out the two sections of the interceptor pipeline, with the upper section participants contributing $33.4 million, up from $32.5 million. CSU believes the project is very important with long-term benefits, and a decision to proceed to a 100% design will be made around mid-December, but the district and TMD are fully committed, said Nichols. See https://wp.ocn.me/v25n1flmd/ and the TMD article on page < 10 >.
Peykov said the IGA is largely in line with the first design agreement, and it is important to continue pushing the project design through and not delay any further.
Stimple said this is a logical extension of where the district has been over the last few years.
The board unanimously approved the IGA.
Peykov said that by end of year the design will be 90% complete, and if the final price is different an addendum can be executed. The district will not be stuck moving forward with the project if the costs are higher than anticipated, said Peykov.
Nichols said it is an expensive project, and all parties are sensitive to the cost, but after running the numbers against continuing to use the Upper Monument Creek Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF), it is still a reasonable cost and it will benefit the customers, said Nichols.
Note: The proposed pipeline would transport the district’s wastewater to CSU’s J.D. Phillips Water Resource Recovery Facility (JDPWRRF) near the intersection of Mark Dabling Boulevard and Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs. Participating in the NMCI pipeline project would avoid the cost of making the required pending regulatory upgrades to the UMCRWWTF.
The meetings adjourned at 4:11p.m.
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Meetings are usually held quarterly or when necessary on the first Monday of the month at 4 p.m., via teleconference. Meeting notices are posted at least 24 hours in advance at https://forestlakesmetrodistrict.com. For general questions, contact Nichols at 719-327-5810, anicholsduffy@aol.com.
Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.
Other Forest Lakes Metro District articles
- Forest Lakes Metropolitan District and Pinon Pines Metropolitan District 3, March 3 – Bonds approved for commercial district; covenant policy enforcement (4/5/2025)
- Forest Lakes Metropolitan District and Pinon Pines Metropolitan District 1, 2, and 3, Dec. 2 – Rates increase for 2025; mill levies certified; high cost revealed for pipeline construction (1/4/2025)
- Forest Lakes Metropolitan District and Pinon Pines Metropolitan District 3, Aug. 14 – Debt authorization ballot initiative approved (9/7/2024)
- NDS ribbon cutting, Aug. 14 (9/7/2024)
- Forest Lakes Metropolitan District/Pinon Pines Metropolitan Districts 2 and 3, July 15 and Pinon Pines Metropolitan District 1, July 22 – 2023 audits receive clean opinions (8/3/2024)
- Forest Lakes Metropolitan District and Pinon Pines Metropolitan Districts 2 and 3, June 14 – 2023 budgets amended (7/6/2024)
- Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, Pinon Pines 1, 2, and 3, Dec. 4 and 13 – District participates in Northern Delivery System; rates increase for 2024; budgets approved (1/6/2024)
- Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, Pinon Pines 1, 2, and 3, Aug. 7 and 14 – 2022 audits approved; contract services cost increases; water reuse project possible (9/2/2023)
- Forest Lakes Metropolitan District & Pinon Pines Metropolitan Districts 1, 2 and 3, Dec. 5 – Rate increases for residents; 2023 budgets and mill levies adopted (1/7/2023)