Triview Newsletter — November 2022
Northern Delivery System Update
One of the most important long-term issues facing our district is access to water. We have shared the steps we have taken to ensure that our community has access to the reliable, high-quality water sources that our residents require now and in the future.
One of those steps is the Northern Delivery System (NDS), which will help us transition from dependence on nonrenewable Denver Basin groundwater, which the district obtains through nine wells, to creating our own water delivery system connecting our community to renewable water rights we have acquired. Once it is completed and fully operational, we expect that 80% to 90% of our water will come from renewable water sources, rather than relying on far-less-reliable nonrenewable groundwater.
Plans for the NDS continue to move forward. We have held a series of public meetings with our residents, neighborhood groups, county officials and other stakeholders to share our plans and receive feedback. As a result of that public feedback, we made an extensive adjustment to the NDS route to minimize as much as possible any impact on community members.
Our revised plan calls for the 16-inch pipeline to begin at Colorado Springs Utility’s Highway 83 tank and extend into the Triview Metro District service area utilizing Old Northgate Road, Roller Coaster Road and Baptist Road. Forest Lakes Metropolitan District is partnering with Triview on this project, which will be able to deliver nearly 2,800 gallons of water per minute. Kiewit has been selected as the general contractor, and its partner JBS Hydro has submitted the permit application for the pipeline to El Paso County.
Construction is expected to begin in Q2 2023 and will take approximately 18-20 months. You can learn more about the NDS and other Triview water projects on our website, triviewmetro.com/water-resources
Snow Removal Reminder
As winter is fast approaching, residents are reminded to not park on any of the streets when there is snow in the forecast. Streets that are free of cars makes it much easier for plow drivers to clear the roads and minimize the risk
of plowing in cars, or worse, accidentally hitting a car during snow removal.
While the district is responsible for snowplowing the streets, residents must clear their own driveways and sidewalks. You can visit our website (click on “District Policies”) for the detailed snow removal plan, but the general details are:
- Less than 2 inches of snow or slush: No plowing takes place.
- Between 2 and 4 inches of snow or slush: Primary streets are plowed; secondary streets are plowed at intervals and all streets are plowed once the storm is over.
- Between 4 and 8 inches of snow or slush: Primary streets are plowed; secondary streets are plowed at intervals; all streets are plowed once the storm is over; district-maintained sidewalks and other areas will be cleared.
- At least 8 inches of snow or slush: This is considered a major snowstorm. Concentration is focused on high-traffic areas.
Triview Expands Services to Forest Lakes Metro District
We mentioned earlier in the year that Triview is providing contract operations for the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District. Their residents visit our website to pay their water and wastewater bills. Triview has expanded the services to now include landscaping such as mowing and trimming. Our district team has been doing this work without adding any additional staff. The benefit of providing these services to our neighbors in Forest Lakes is that it brings in additional revenue that goes directly into the Triview Metro District’s General Fund and Utility operations budgets.
2023 Budget Preview
The Triview Metro District staff and board are working hard to finalize the 2023 budget. The board will be reviewing the proposed budget on Dec. 13, 2022. Once approved, we anticipate being able to share the highlights of the 2023 budget in our next newsletter.
One piece of good news in these turbulent economic times is that residents will be paying less property taxes than originally planned. Earlier this year, the Colorado Legislature voted to temporarily reduce residential and commercial property tax assessment rates from 7.15% to 6.95% in 2023 and to 6.76% in 2024. Both of these moves by the Legislature were designed to give homeowners and businesses some relief on their taxes because property values have been rapidly rising.
In addition to those property tax reductions, the Triview Metro board of directors voted in late 2021 to reduce the district mill levy from 27 mills to 24 mills. This reduction saved homeowners, on average, several hundred dollars per year in property taxes paid to the district. One of the reasons we have been able to continue to reduce the mills – which have dropped from 35 a few years ago to 24 now – is because of the growth in the district. New homes and commercial properties have increased overall revenues, meaning that the average amount paid can be reduced.
One question we get is why residents pay property taxes to the district. When Triview Metro District was formed in the mid-1980s, it issued bonds to pay for the initial construction of all the district’s infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer facilities, and area parks. The principal and interest on those bonds are paid for through the 24-mill property tax assessed on residential and commercial properties in the district. Of the 24 mills, 21.5 go toward debt service and 2.5 are for district operations and maintenance.
Warning: Do Not Flush Wipes or Pour Grease Down Drains
Please do not put so-called flushable wipes (cleaning, baby, make-up remover, etc.) down the toilet as they cannot break down like toilet paper and are problematic with the sewer collection system. This could lead to sewage back-ups in your homes and result in costly repairs to the district’s entire sewer system. The only paper that should ever go into the toilet is toilet paper.
Also, as Thanksgiving and Christmas are approaching, residents are reminded not to pour grease, cooking oil, fat, etc. down your drains. These “liquids” harden, collect in pipes and sewers and can lead to bigger, costly problems in the future. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation.
Buy Local
Nov. 26 is Small Business Saturday®, a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do in our community.
Show your support and visit our local stores and restaurants this holiday season.