Consideration and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2022-17:  An ordinance of the City Council of the City of Flagstaff, authorizing the acquisition of real property for the Red Gap Ranch Pipeline project; providing for delegation of authority, subsequent Council approvals, severability, authority for clerical corrections, and declaring an emergency

This ordinance authorizes the purchase of easements for the purpose of water transmission on lands controlled by the Arizona State Land Department in Coconino County. These easements are necessary in order to build the water transmission infrastructure from the Red Gap Ranch property to the City limits. The easements will be offered for sale at a public auction on a future date by the State Land Department. 

Property acquisition for the Red Gap Ranch Pipeline Project is budgeted in Water Production account number 202-08-370-3426-0-4435.

None.

Priority Based Budget Key Community Priorities and Objectives

• Deliver outstanding services to residents through a healthy, well maintained infrastructure system
• Utilize existing long-range plan(s) that identify the community's future infrastructure needs and all associated costs

Carbon Neutrality Plan
 
Regional Plan

WR.3  Satisfy current and future human water demands and the needs of the natural environment through sustainable and renwable water resources and strategic conservation measures.

WR.4  Logically enhance and extend the City's public water, wastewater and reclaimed water services including their treatment, distribution and collection systems in both urbanized and newly developed areas of the City to provide an efficient delivery of services

In 2004, Flagstaff voters approved a $15 million bond for Water Rights Acquisition and/or Water Development to provide for anticipated and demonstrated future water needs of the city in response to years of declining surface water supplies from drought. Subsequently in 2005, the City Council approved the purchase of Red Gap Ranch 40 miles east of Flagstaff for the purpose of developing a well field, pipeline and booster stations in order to provide for a long-term water supply to residences and businesses. In 2008, the City contracted with JACOBS Engineering to conduct a pipeline feasibility study to select the most feasible alignment for a pipeline and define a conceptual design and facility location. The first phase of that analysis was completed in 2009. After evaluating multiple alternative alignments, the frontage along Interstate 40 was selected as the preferred alignment. City staff subsequently started discussions with Arizona Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration in early 2010 about the use of the right-of-way along Interstate 40 as a proposed location for a pipeline. On January 19th, 2016, the City entered into an intergovernmental agreement between Arizona Department of Transportation which allows the City to utilize the Interstate 40 corridor within ADOT controlled right-of-way. City staff are currently working with JACOBS Engineering to complete the pipeline feasibility study. Early estimates of project cost were upwards of $280,000,000. The project would be constructed in phases with the buildout of the project able to meet community water demands at build-out based on current zoning and the Regional Plan 2030.

The project cannot be delivered in its current alignment without securing these property rights.