Arkansas - Las Animas Sanitary Sewer System Improvements_Application

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Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form Fonn Revised May 2007 This action has effectively "debruced" the community. The action allows the city to retain excess revenues generated within the sewer fund as well as to accept any state related grant assistance that may be available for the sewer fund as such activities have been preauthorized by virtue of the passage of the ballot question by the city's constituents. Location The City of Las Animas is located in southeastern Colorado's Arkansas Valley within Bent County. The general location of the community and its relationship to neighboring communities is shown on Figure 1 - General Vicinity Map. The planning area for the city's potable water system generally encompasses the incorporated area of the city together with a few, adjacent services around the periphery of the city together with the Bent County Correctional Facility (BCCF) owned and operated by the private Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). The general planning area is shown on Figure 2 - Area Map. Figure 2 has been taken from the Las Animas U.S. Geological Survey Quadrangle. It depicts the street configurations within the community, the general density of development within the area, general topography, U.S. Highway 50 and the Arkansas River. The scale of Figure 2 is approximately 1-inch equals 2,000 feet. The city's sanitary sewer service area lies with Sections 2, 3, 9, 10 and 11, Range 52 West, Township 23 South of the 6th Principal Meridian. Additional future demands on the city's sanitary sewer system will be brought about primarily as a result of infilling within the corporate limits of the city. Reportedly, several areas within the city are suited for residential building renovation and reconstruction. Future adjacent development, which may be annexed into the community for service, is also a potential. The City of Las Animas' governmental authority is that of a statutory city. The city was incorporated in 1886. The city provides general municipal services authorized under its statutory city enabling legislation. Those services include street maintenance, park and recreation, potable water, sanitary sewer service, mosquito control, storm water management, electric power, police protection and library services. These services are anticipated to be provided by the city into the foreseeable future based upon its role as the governmental authority for the community. Other utility related services are provided by private enterprise including natural gas service through Kinder Morgan, telephone service provided by Century Tel and cablevision services through Charter Communications. The City of Las Animas is the largest municipality in Bent County. The city serves as the county seat. The economic roots of the area lie within agriculture although in the last two decades diversification of the employment base has been pursued. While agricultural activities are still a primary employment base in the region, major employers in the area include the BCCF correctional facility owned and operated by the CCA; the Bent County Health Care Center; the Colorado Department of Corrections, Fort Lyons Correctional Facility; the M2P2, LLC, Farrowing Facility (formerly Bell Farms); Las Animas RE-1 School District, Bent County and the City of Las Animas. Additional employment within the area consists of retail, commercial and service industries typical of a small rural city necessary to support itself and outlying smaller communities. Agricultural related activities still serve as a significant economic activity within the region. Socio-Economic Characteristics The City of Las Animas reflects land use patterns of typical rural communities. The majority of the community is zoned residential. Limited commercial activity occurs within the planning area. No industrial development exists within the planning area. Current land use practices are expected to continue. No major departure from the current land use patterns established within the city's service areas are envisioned. Representatives of the city state that the only significant development pressure comes by means of the doubling in size of the local correctional facility. Some growth is expected from this expansion; however, limited growth is anticipated to occur as a result of infilling within the service F:\WPDATA\Las Animas\Wastwater\06 SSCoI\Financial\Roundtable\06-07 Application (may 07).doc 11