Pueblo City Council passes resolution that blocks Black Hills

Black Hills Energy plans to demolish Power Stations 5 and 6 near the Pueblo Riverwalk. The energy company will file paperwork with the state’s Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday, but the company will soon encounter a road block.

Pueblo City Council passed a resolution Monday night that would prevent Black Hills from getting a demolition permit. Council unanimously approved a resolution that places a temporary moratorium on issuing demolition permits for buildings larger than 15,000 square feet. Power stations 5 and 6 encompass an 18,000-square-foot facility.

Council agreed on the resolution after the city asked Black Hills for more time to figure out what it wanted to do with the building. Several Pueblo residents expressed interest in having the building re-purposed.

Black Hills wanted a definitive answer from the city by the end of this month. When the city asked Black Hills for a six-month extension, Black Hills said no.

“The fact that we did have a group of stakeholders come forward — they deserve to have some more time and I think council agrees with that,” said Council President Steve Nawrocki.

Nawrocki added that the city also wanted more time to figure out how to address the asbestos in the building.

Black Hills told city administrators that delaying the demolition would add another $500,000 to the already $3.5 million costs that ratepayers will incur. Nawrocki said the city plans to fight that with the state’s Public Utilities Commission should it happen.