Arapahoe County wants to hear from the people who would be living closest to a new oil and gas site before it decides whether the project moves forward.
The county is taking public comment on a proposed production facility known as North Rim, an oil and gas pad that GMT Exploration Company LLC hopes to build in unincorporated Arapahoe County. The plan calls for 12 wells on a site just west of County Line Road near South Oakleaf Street, with residents able to weigh in through April 22,, according to the county.
What’s on the Table at North Rim
According to Arapahoe County, GMT Exploration Company LLC has filed Record AE25-003 for the North Rim site. The application proposes twelve oil and gas wells on currently undeveloped property zoned A-1 at T5S R64W Section 28.
The county record notes that the pad would be reached from County Line Road using one existing access road that would be upgraded, along with a new access road. The submission also includes technical materials such as air- and water-monitoring plans, leak detection and repair measures, and wildlife mitigation proposals.
How Residents Can Speak Up
Public comments are being accepted exclusively through the county’s Arapahoe County online comment form until 11:59 p.m. on April 22. The deadline has also been shared on Facebook.
For residents who want to do more than skim the headlines before weighing in, the county’s oil and gas portal lists the full application package. That includes documents on noise and odor control, traffic impacts, emergency-response planning, and other technical studies that are available for public review.
Why Neighbors Are Dialed In
The North Rim application is landing in a community that is already attuned to drilling proposals. It is one of several recent oil and gas filings in Arapahoe County that have stirred intense debate over health and water impacts, wildlife, and how close industrial sites should be to homes and the Aurora Reservoir.
Coverage by Colorado Politics and local advocacy from groups like Save The Aurora Reservoir have tracked the broader Lowry Ranch dispute and community pushback over nearby pads, setting the backdrop for how closely North Rim is being watched.
What Happens After the Comment Window
According to Arapahoe County, staff will evaluate the North Rim materials under the county’s Land Development Code once the public comment period and technical review are complete. The director of Public Works and Development will then issue a decision on the application.
If GMT Exploration Company LLC submits a complete final package, the county says it will conduct a more detailed review of the proposed mitigation and monitoring measures. If appropriate, officials may open an additional two-week public comment window while that deeper evaluation is underway.
