During the Westminster City Council Study Session on Monday, March 4, staff recommended an end to a 12-month moratorium on the acceptance of new development applications for projects proposed for the area generally north of 92nd Avenue in Westminster. The moratorium on new development applications included the area served by the Big Dry Creek Sewer Interceptor (BDCIS) and was put in place in July 2018.

A 2015 study indicated that several segments of the BDCIS were reaching the end of their useful lifespan and/or had insufficient capacity to support continued development and redevelopment in the area. While plans to rehabilitate the pipeline were already underway more recent modeling indicated a need to address the interceptor conditions sooner than originally planned. Therefore, both field surveys and new engineering studies were conducted during the moratorium period.  The results of these studies serve as the basis for a staff recommendation to remove the moratorium. 

On Monday, staff recommended that the development moratorium be removed effective April 29, based on progress that has been made over the past seven months, including:

• Installing an internal lining to a four-mile section of the pipe system that’s been in place since the 1970s. This new lining will enable the aging pipe to now work at full capacity. Work is currently underway, at a cost of $3.4 million, and is expected to be completed by April 29.
• Completing a new, detailed survey of 22 miles of pipes and 515 manholes to accurately determine the condition of the pipelines sewer capacity and condition. A $1.2 million contract was approved for this work.
• Updating the wastewater modeling system that is used to determine sewer flow and capacity.
• Conducting a comprehensive analysis of potential future development and its impact on sewer capacities.

City Council will formally consider removing the moratorium during their regular meetings at 7 p.m. in Westminster City Hall on Monday, March 11, for a first reading, and Monday, March 25, for final reading. If approved, the development moratorium would be removed effective April 29.

Work will continue over the next several years to address sewer capacity in the Big Dry Creek Basin area. The next step includes an intense re-design of the sewer system to assure sewer demands are not impacted in the future. The total project cost is $35 million, with construction to begin in 2020 through 2022. 

View the agenda item from the City Council Study Session

View the presentation from the City Council Study Session

Get more information about the moratorium.