Agenda Date: 10/21/2025
Subject:
Title
Ordinance 21-2025: An ordinance on second reading approving a sanitary sewer easement with Southwest Metropolitan Water and Sanitation District for construction of the D-Line Interceptor within South Platte Park
Body
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From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
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Prepared by: |
Ryan Germeroth, Deputy Director of Public Works & Utilities |
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Presentations: |
Ryan Germeroth, Deputy Director of Public Works & Utilities |
PURPOSE:
An ordinance to grant an expansion of an existing Sanitary Sewer Easement from 20 feet to generally 50 feet.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
Safe Community
DISCUSSION:
A 20-foot easement was granted to Southwest Metro Water & Sanitation District (SWMWSD) Reception Number 805674 on April 26, 1962. A portion of the sanitary sewer main within the easement area needs to be modified to increase the sanitary capacity to serve the new development in the area. A portion of the existing Easement runs through an existing Conservation Easement and South Platte Park, Carson Nature Center.
The park was established through an agreement between Littleton and the Army Corps of Engineers/CWCB in 1977. South Suburban manages the park under an IGA with Littleton dated April 13, 1993. Additionally, City Council and the South Suburban Board of Directors approved the 2017 Management Plan that providing guidelines to meet the goals and objectives of the 1983 Master Plan (revised 1988) as approved by Council and our Board.
With the annexation of what is now Aspen Grove and the existing condos/apartments, land dedication provided to Littleton as a buffer to South Platte Park. This is referred to as the Ensor Buffer.
Through a cost sharing agreement with SWMWSD and Private Development Groups this improvement was planned alongside the greater common development occurring south of Mineral Avenue and west of Santa Fe Parkway. This project is needed to prevent the existing sanitary sewer from being over capacity once the new developments connect to the existing sanitary sewer system.
Approximately 2,200 feet of sanitary sewer main is proposed to be upsized from 33 inches to 36 inches and will be installed parallel the existing Sanitary Sewer. As this portion of the sanitary sewer main is very flat, the additional pipe capacity provides the district with the ability to fully serve the new developments without the risk of a sanitary sewer overflow.
BACKGROUND:
The proposed infrastructure will have minimal at grade (above ground) visual permanent elements and efforts have been made to ensure that all interested party(ies)'s interests are maintained during and after construction.
Futures planned developments that convey sanitary flows to this section of pipe have anticipated this improvement through numerous Sanitary Sewer Analysis preformed in partnership with SWMWSD. For the active development to continue these improvements needs to occur. This capacity increase was designed to only serve the developments in this corridor of Santa Fe Drive.
Prior Actions or Discussions
Council has previously reviewed several items related the Greater Common Development
• RiverPark
• Angeline
• Toll
This ordinance passed on first reading on October 7, 2025.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
There is not a direct financial impact to granting the easements. The relocated public sanitary sewer main will be designed, constructed, and installed to industry standards; therefore, the city receives an indirect benefit by having a new section of sanitary sewer main installed, as an improvement to our infrastructure assets.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the Ordinance to grant a sanitary sewer easement.
ALTERNATIVES:
Until the public sanitary main has been installed, inspected, and approved, there will be a sanitary capacity issue and future developments in the area may be affected and uses could be restricted based on the SWMWSD sewer capacity.
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve Ordinance 21-2025 on second reading approving a sanitary sewer easement with Southwest Metropolitan Water and Sanitation District for construction of the D-Line Interceptor within South Platte Park.