A. Fences. All pad sites and off-site fracture ponds shall be secured with a permanent fence with a secured gate and knox box as follows:
1. The fence shall be at least six (6) feet in height;
2. Support posts shall be set in concrete and shall be imbedded into the ground to a depth sufficient to maintain the stability of the fence; provided, however, so long as stability of the fence is maintained, temporary fence posts shall not be required to be set in concrete;
3. The site shall be completely enclosed by a permanent dark green or black steel chain link or wrought iron fence on at least two (2) sides of the pad site, one (1) of which will face the City's right-of-way, if applicable. A solid masonry fence may be constructed on the remaining two (2) sides of the pad site;
4. The chain link fence shall have a minimum thickness of eleven (11) gauge;
5. Posts and rails shall be standard black or dark green welded pipe;
6. Tension rods shall be three-eighths (3/8) inch round steel bolt stock. Adjustable tighteners shall be turnbuckle or equivalent having a six (6) inch minimum take-up. Tension bars shall have a minimum thickness of one-fourth (1/4) by three-fourths (3/4) inch; and
7. Fences shall not be required on drill sites during initial drilling, completion or re-working operations as long as twenty-four (24) hour on-site supervision is provided. A secured entrance gate on the access road containing a knox box shall be required and all gates are to be kept locked when the operator or his employees are not on the premises.
B. Gate specifications. All chain link fences shall be equipped with at least one (1) gate. The gate shall meet the following specifications:
1. Each gate shall be not less than twelve (12) feet wide and be composed of two (2) gates, each of which is not less than six (6) feet wide, or one (1) sliding gate not less than twelve (12) feet wide. If two (2) gates are used, gates shall latch and lock in the center of the span;
2. The gates shall be of black or dark green chain link construction that meets the applicable specifications, or of other approved material that are at least as secure as a chain link fence and shall be included in the chain link or wrought iron portion of the fence;
3. The gates shall be provided with a combination catch and locking attachment device for a padlock, and shall be kept locked except when being used for access to the site;
4. Gates shall be designed so that they do not interfere or obstruct the public rights-of-way; and
5. Operator must provide the Fire Chief with a "knox padlock" or "knox box with a key" to access the well site to be used only in case of an emergency.
C. Landscaping.
1. All oil and gas well, compressor and fracture pond permits will require tree preservation and/or planting measures. A tree canopy requirement through preservation and/or planting will apply as follows:
a. A forty percent (40%) requirement in one- and two-family residential zoned areas;
b. A thirty percent (30%) tree canopy requirement in multi-family, institutional and commercial zoned areas; and
c. A twenty percent (20%) tree canopy requirement in industrial zoned areas.
d. Payment to the tree fund of two hundred dollars ($200.00) per diameter inch will be required for twenty-five percent (25%) of the removed trees greater than six (6) inches on pad sites located in agricultural (AG) zoned areas. The operator may choose to plant a twenty percent (20%) tree canopy in lieu of payment into the tree fund.
2. The following requirements shall apply to all wells, including wells located along City rights-of-way. Wells located in agricultural (AG) zoned areas are exempted from the requirements:
a. A minimum retention of twenty-five percent (25%) of the existing trees will be required as with other land uses unless removal necessary for location of equipment as determined by the Oil and Gas Inspector.
b. No more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the same species may be planted at one (1) site.
c. A minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the planted trees must be an evergreen species.
d. A minimum of seventy-five percent (75%) of the planted trees must be located between the oil and gas well site and protected uses or public right-of-way. An administrative waiver of the seventy-five percent (75%) placement can be approved by the City with proof that the proposed planting will screen the views into the well site from the protected uses.
e. The percent coverage is established by the actual canopy coverage area retained and tree plantings. For planted trees, two thousand (2,000) square feet will be credited for large canopy trees, seven hundred (700) square feet will be credited for medium canopy trees, and one hundred (100) square feet will be credited for small canopy trees at normal grow out.
f. The minimum size of tree planted will be three (3) inches in diameter measured one (1) foot above ground level. If the tree is multi-trunk, the main stem will be given full credit for its diameter and all other stems will receive one-half (½) credit. The total of all must be three (3) inches or greater. All planted trees will be credited its canopy coverage at normal grow out.
g. All trees that die within two (2) years of the date of project completion will be replaced by another replacement tree. The replacement tree carries the same two (2) year replacement requirement. A replacement of any tree that dies within two (2) years of planting will be replaced by the operator or agent and a new two (2) year guarantee will begin at the time of replacement.
h. All other interpretations of the tree canopy coverage and regulations will be made by the City and/or the designated City board or commission.
i. Landscaping shall be installed no later than one hundred eighty (180) days after completion of the first well.
3. Except as allowed in subsection (C) below, fracture ponds established for the intent of storing and supplying water for fracturing operations are required to comply with the City's direction and supervision. The document shall identify the delineated scope of work area of any surface disruption related to the "fracture pond" installation, operations and shall exhibit any existing tree canopy coverage based on the applicable zoning classification.
4. Upon approval of the Assistant Director of Planning and Development- Oil and Gas Well Division, payment may be made into the City's tree fund at an amount of six hundred dollars ($600.00) per required tree in lieu of planting requirements for oil and gas well sites and fracture ponds.
5. The following list of trees is considered desirable and adapted trees for the Purcell area. Planting of trees from this list is acceptable. Other trees will be considered by the City Forester and granted on a case-by-case basis. The approval of additional species will be judged on adaptability, long-term health and growing characteristic of the tree type.
Common Name | Scientific Name | Canopy Size |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Canopy Size |
Redbud | Cercis canadensis | Small |
Mexican Plum | Prunus mexicana | Small |
Cherry Laurel | Prunus caroliniana | Medium |
Eve's Necklace | Sophora affinis | Medium |
Crab Apple | Malus angustifolia | Medium |
Bradford Pear | Pyrus calleryana var. Bradford | Medium |
Golden Raintree | Koelrueteria paniculata | Medium |
Cado Maple | Acer saccharum | Large |
Red Maple | Acer rubrum | Large |
Bigtooth Maple | Acer grandidentatum | Large |
Bur Oak | Quercus macrocarpa | Large |
Chinquapin Oak | Quercus muhlenbergii | Large |
Live Oak | Quercus virginiana | Large |
Shumard Red Oak | Quercus shumardii | Large |
Oklahoma Red Oak | Quercus texana | Large |
Post oak | Quercus stallata | Large |
Blackjack Oak | Quercus marilandica | Large |
Pecan | Carya illinoensis | Large |
Lacebark Elm | Ulmas parvifolia | Large |
Cedar Elm | Ulmas crassifolia | Large |
American Elm | Ulmas americana | Large |
Bald Cypress | Taxodium distichum | Large |
Black Walnut | Carya nigra | Large |
Green Ash | Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Large |
Oklahoma Ash | Fraxinus | Large |
Southern Magnolia | Magnolia grandiflora | Large |
(Ord. No. 10-08, 7-6-2010)