What’s Happening in Copper Canyon – March 2010

By Sue Tejml

Mayor of Copper Canyon

Extensive Information on Natural Gas Pipeline Route across Orchid Hill Lane’s northern road right-of-way begins at the midpoint of this article.

Town’s First Cookbook is close to goal of 300 Recipes by 100 Town Residents!

The Cookbook Committee celebrated 212 Recipes submitted by 66 current and former Town residents! But in order to complete publication by May, the deadline for recipe submittal was shortened to March 10th from April 1st. Recipes can be left at the front desk of Town Hall or submitted on the Town web site at www.coppercanyon-tx.org. On the front page, top left side under Mayor is the “Recipe Form”. Click on it, type directly into the form, and hit email. Or print out the form, hand write your recipe, and mail to 400 Woodland Drive, Copper Canyon, TX 75077. (Because of copyright restrictions, please do not send a recipe directly from another cookbook.)

To date there are four entries in the “Name Our Cookbook” Contest. “Copper Canyon Cookin’ ” by Kaye Hill, “What’s Cooking in Copper Canyon” by Jim Lokie, “Copper Canyon Cuisine” by Rita Lokie, and “Treasures of Copper Canyon” by Dale Svatik. For fun, exercise your imagination and creativity and send us your suggestion!

The Cookbook Crew also decided to liven’ up the Category Dividers by including personal color photos from Town residents. If you have a favorite snapshot of bar-b-cueing with your neighbors in the backyard or baking cookies in the kitchen with your kids, send them to us. We would also love old historic black and white photos of Copper Canyon.

My favorite photo is my three youngest grandchildren sitting around the dining room table Christmas Day, each one happily involved in decorating their own ginger bread house from the piles of gum drops, candy canes, squirt icing, etc. – and their Uncle John’s gigantic chocolate lab “Balloo” right in the midst of the kids with his huge nose resting on that same table seriously observing the fun. (Actually, he was waiting for a crumb to drop to the floor, but was too well behaved to “snitch” off the table.)

Please Place Trash Cart within TWO feet of road pavement – but NOT on the street!

Recently there have been several near accidents as vehicle drivers have dodged trash carts placed in the street or too close to the street. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated in minimizing such driving hazards. Please place your trash cart within two feet of the edge of the pavement by 7:00 a.m. every Tuesday. For any questions regarding your collection, please call (800) 333-7301 and the Allied Waste Customer Service Division will be happy to assist you.

Problems with construction on northern end of Copper Canyon Road

There have been problems with the northern section of the rebuilding of Copper Canyon Road, specifically the section from Hickory Hill Road north to the Old Alton Bridge. Driveways have been blocked. Mail could not be delivered. Trash cans could not be disposed of. This is not acceptable.

My appreciation to Precinct Four Commissioner Andy Eads for immediately investigating the circumstances. And for Teague, Nall and Perkins engineer in charge Jeff Chapman for immediately responding to the complaints. Thanks go to Copper Canyon residents Dan and Linda Ruehs and “Cotton” Hancock and daughter Marty Hancock for calmly bearing the incredible inconveniences. And thanks to our dedicated Sheriff’s Officer Danny Bates for immediately responding to our residents’ calls for help.

Engineer Chapman says the northern section of Copper Canyon Road from Hickory Hill to Old Alton Road will be closed to all through traffic for at least a month now. Only residents who live on that section of Copper Canyon Road will be able to access it. The detour route is Old Alton Road and Hilltop Road.

Winning Bid on Copper Canyon Road’s rebuilding is a Historical Low

The engineering estimate for the rebuilding of the southern portion of Copper Canyon Road was $1.47 million. The actual winning bid was $1.05 million or 22% lower. Even more remarkable was the concrete surface bid was less expensive than the alternate asphalt surface bid. This is promising for the cost of rebuilding interior Town roads at a historically low construction price. The current planned start date on the southern portion or Copper Canyon Road is August 2010.

Monster “Pothole” forms on Jernigan Road

“Pothole” is an understatement for this monster hole of approximately 12 feet in length by 6 to 8 feet in width and a foot deep. Driving west on FM 407 and turning north onto Jernigan Road, a driver was immediately confronted by this gaping hole in his lane. Due to the location just inside the turn, it was almost a blind traffic hazard. Even more hazardous was the fact that northbound drivers had to veer into the oncoming lane to avoid sinking their vehicle into the hole.

This is a perfect example of why resurfacing an old road with asphalt over a nonexistent base is a “Band-Aid” repair at best. (The southern section of this road was resurfaced with asphalt barely a year past.) Though Jernigan is not a heavily traveled road, the edge crumbled from the pressure of turning vehicles because there is no sub base to support the pavement surface. I wish the need to rebuild the Town’s 20 to 35 year old roads was not quite so graphic.

Thanks to Town Engineer Brian Haynes of Halff Associates for immediately obtaining the assistance of Kurt MacDonnell of DDM Construction. DDM placed orange hazard cones around the hole until asphalt millings could be placed and rolled into the pothole. Thank you DDM for not charging for this temporary repair. Once the temperature of the ground warms enough, the surface of the pothole will be re-asphalted. (Asphalt repairs are avoided in winter, because they do not last if made when the surrounding earth is too cold.)

Council retains Bond Counsel to prepare for May 8, 2010 Municipal General Obligation Bond Election for Roads and Drainage

Leroy Grawunder, Jr. of McCall, Parkhurst and Horton, L.L.P. has extensive experience helping small towns prepare for their first bond election. The Council unanimously voted to hire Mr. Grawunder to begin preparations for the May 8th town wide bond election.

Canyon Oaks Garden Club Plants Oak Tree at new Fire Station

Members of the Canyon Oaks Garden Club unanimously voted to purchase a red Shumard Oak and plant it at the new Argyle Fire District fire station on Copper Canyon Road. It was the members’ way of showing their appreciation for the dedicated service of the firefighters and emergency medical personnel. Club members personally planting the tree were David Magee, Tim Mathis, Keola Slane, and Mary and Roger Smyers. Special planters were Danita and David Morton and their very helpful small grandson. Photos to commemorate the occasion were taken by Janet Graham and Denise Remfert. Special thanks go to Calloway’s Nursery at Vista Ridge for donating their profit on the 25 gallon oak tree.

Saturday April 24th is Plant Sale and Tour of Eight Gardens in Canyon Oaks!

President Judy Johannesen announced a tour of eight home gardens sponsored by the Canyon Oaks Garden Club. Canyon Oaks is a heavily wooded residential community of gracious homes on large one acre plus lots. The three street entrances are on the west side of Copper Canyon Road, approximately one mile north of FM 407. Homes on the Garden Tour will have helium balloons attached to their street side mail boxes. Tickets are $5 per adult and can be purchased at any of the eight homes on the tour. Children are free. (There will be no pre-sale of tickets.) Tour maps will be provided with each ticket. One of the garden sites will also feature a Plant Sale, with plants that garden club members have potted from their own yards. The Garden Tour will be from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm in the afternoon.

Nineteen Mayors endorse the “Best Practices” between Municipalities and Pipeline Companies

Mayor Mark Burroughs of Denton recently hosted the quarterly meeting of Mayors in Denton County. One of the three main topics on the Agenda was a discussion of the “Best Practices” drafted this past Fall by a joint effort of Mayors in the Barnett Shale, elected officials at the County and State level, pipeline companies with operations in the Barnett Shale, and officers and staff of the Texas Pipeline Association. This document is designed to facilitate pipeline routing through municipalities by the timely communication and mutual respect of all participating parties.

At that meeting the following Mayors personally signed the Cover Letter endorsing the Intent of the “Best Practices.”

Argyle …………....Greg Landrum Aubrey …………...Gary Hammett

Carrollton ……….R.F. Branson Copper Canyon…..Sue Tejml

Corinth ……….....Paul Ruggiere Crossroads …….…Harve Kitchens Denton …………..Mark Burroughs Dish ………………Calvin Tillman Double Oak ……..Mike Donnelly Flower Mound …...Jody Smith

Frisco …………....Maher Maso Krugerville ………Erich Ransleben Krum …………….Terri Wilson Lakewood Village...Mike Schnittker Northlake ………..Peter Dewing Roanoke ……...Carl E. Gierisch,Jr. Sanger …………...Joe Higgs Shady Shores ……..Olive Stephens

Trophy Club ….…Connie White

What is especially rewarding is the support of Mayors who represent Towns who are not directly involved in gas well drilling. The Cover Letter is now being circulated to other Mayors in the North Texas area with a request for their consideration and personal endorsement of the “Best Practices”. Questions can be addressed to Denton Mayor Mark Burroughs at (940) 349-7717.

Council thanks Energy Transfer for its proposed Pipeline Route, which is minimally intrusive on Town residents.

At its February Meeting the Council sincerely thanked Energy Transfer for designing a pipeline route that was minimally intrusive on Copper Canyon residents. With one exception, this route requires no trees, shrubs, or fences to be removed and no intrusion across homeowners’ front yards or driveways. (The exception may be the lot on the southeast corner of Orchid Hill and Copper Canyon Road.) This is an incredible advantage over the twenty foot wide “clear cutting” of many pipeline routes in North Texas. Those pipeline easements cross homeowners’ private property – and often only after bitterly contested eminent domain proceedings.

At the February 22nd Council Meeting, Energy Transfer presented the Council with aerial maps illustrating its proposed gas pipeline route across Orchid Hill Lane. The line is a 6” diameter low pressure “gathering” line, which will collect natural gas from the Great Expectations well site at the northern end of Bishop Road. From there the gas will be moved west through the pipeline in Orchid Hill’s northern road right-of-way to the Town limits west of Copper Canyon Road. At that point, the smaller pipeline will connect to ETC’s larger existing 10 inch diameter “transfer” line and be transported north to market.

Sale of the natural gas will provide royalty income to a large pool of Copper Canyon mineral interest owners, including homeowners located at the eastern end of Orchid Hill Lane, on Mobile Drive, on Blackjack Road, and at the northern end of Chinn Chapel Road. Even homeowners on Brooks Court with mineral interests will benefit.

ETC proposes to place its pipeline in a minimum 12 foot deep bore in the northern road right-of-way of Orchid Hill Lane, from the Smith property at the east end of Orchid Hill west to the beginning of the “S” curve. Since the bore path will be below existing driveways, even they will not be affected. Through the “S” curve, the pipeline will be trenched in the northern road right-of-way, with a minimum depth of four feet coverage from the existing grade surface.

East of the entrance to Landseer Drive, the company will again begin a bore that will extend west to the top of Orchid Hill and end just east of the railroad crossing. This bore will also be a minimum of 12 feet deep and possibly much deeper due to the steep terrain of the hill. At that point the bore will go under Orchid Hill Road at a southwest angle and under the Burlington Northern railroad tracks, Texas New Mexico’s electrical power line, and Upper Trinity’s water line. Those utilities usually require that a bore under their facilities cross at a predominantly perpendicular line.

Public Hearing for Residents on Orchid Hill to Give Input on proposed Energy Transfer 6” Gas Gathering Pipeline

There will be a Public Hearing Monday Evening March 8th 7 pm at Town Hall to discuss the proposed Energy Transfer 6” gas gathering pipeline. This Public Hearing is a standard prerequisite of our Pipeline Ordinance, before a Pipeline Permit can be issued. Town residents on Orchid Hill Lane have been specially invited to the Public Hearing by letter from the Mayor, as they are the residents most impacted by the pipeline’s construction. (A map of the proposed route of the pipeline will be included with the Mayor’s letter.) However, all Copper Canyon residents are welcome to attend the hearing and share their suggestions and input with the Council.

Town to provide North Lane of Orchid Hill as temporary work easement during Construction of the Pipeline.

Traditionally, the pipeline company pays for, or condemns, a twenty foot wide “temporary” working easement alongside the permanent usually twenty foot wide pipeline easement. Unfortunately, trees and shrubs that are stripped out of this “temporary” work easement do not magically reappear when the land is returned to the owner after construction of the pipeline is complete. To avoid this destruction of natural beauty and intrusion on private landowners, Copper Canyon is providing the north lane of Orchid Hill Lane as a temporary work easement during the construction of Energy Transfer’s pipeline.