Article published Aug 20, 2007

Ice rink, energy contract top commissioners' agenda

By RICHARD ECKE

Tribune Staff Writer

City officials will tour a house of ice during a work session Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

Commissioners will take a tour at the new ice arena under construction on Gore Hill, which will eventually house the Great Falls Figure Skating Club and local hockey teams.

The new building is located directly south of the Flying J Truck Plaza on Gore Hill.

Later, commissioners, at their regular meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the commission chambers of the Great Falls Civic Center, are expected to set a public hearing for Sept. 18 on rezoning the ice arena to C-2 general commercial zoning.

The property also is scheduled to be annexed into the city limits. The city this summer agreed to pay $400,000 to run utility lines to the arena and beyond. Officials said most of the costs will be recovered later when nearby property is developed and annexed.

City commissioners also are scheduled to vote Tuesday night on contracts the city will sign with its electric utility arm, Electric City Power. The city plans to be the first Electric City Power customer to sign a 30-year agreement to obtain power from the proposed coal-fired Highwood Generating Station east of Great Falls.

City officials say they need to sign customers to the long-term contracts by Oct. 1, when a new state law that partially re-regulates the state's energy system takes effect.

Commissioners also plan to:

Vote on whether to annex BNSF property located near West Bank Park in Great Falls.

Set a public hearing for Sept. 18 on a zoning change to R-3 high-density residential for a 20-unit Meadow Lark Addition No. 5 in the Fox Farm area.

Set a public hearing for Sept. 18 to change zoning from R-1 single-family suburban zoning to planned-unit development zoning for the Upper River Road Estates subdivision and Southridge First Addition. The development will feature 20 single-family houses, 12 condominium units and cul-de-sacs. People would reach the development via Upper River Road and 40th Avenue South.

Set a public hearing for Sept. 4 on an ordinance that would allow the city to extend sewer and water services to certain property without immediate annexation. The move would allow the city to supply utility services to certain projects, including the controversial coal-fired Highwood Generating Station. The city plans to delay annexing the power plant property until more development occurs between the city limits and the site eight miles east of Great Falls. Under the ordinance, the property owner would consent to future annexation at a time chosen by the city and 15 criteria would need to be satisfied before city services could be provided.