Agenda - Council - 11/28/2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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7.01: Consider Approvals Related to Connexus Energy Solar Array (Project No. 17-135); Case of Connexus Energy 1. Ordinance Amending Official Zoning Map to Guide the Property as Public/Quasi-Public to Guide Future Uses 2. Ordinance Amendment Zoning Code Amending Allowable Uses in the Public/Quasi-Public District Allowing Solar Energy Systems as a Conditional Use Permit 3. Resolution #17-11-289 Approving Conditional Use Permit Community Development Director Gladhill reviewed the staff report and recommendation to approve the project with the necessary actions. He noted that both private and municipal substations are already permitted uses within the Public/Quasi-Public District. He stated that it seems reasonable to also consider solar energy systems as a principal use of property in this district as a conditional use. He noted that this would not only encourage development of this renewable energy source but would also still afford the City to address requests on a case by case basis and apply reasonable conditions to an approval. He reviewed and addressed some of the issues that were raised at the public hearing, and since the public hearing, including concern regarding aesthetics, property values, financial surety, landscape buffering, whether this would deter future development, whether this is the best location, and the timing of the approval. Brian Burandt, Connexus Energy, stated that this project is one of three sites being brought forward in Anoka County. He stated that they began the search for a site in Ramsey to be a showcase for the project. He noted that this would be the largest solar storage project in the state of Minnesota and also between Indiana and California. He stated that these projects have to be built and online by 2019 in order to monetize the credits available. Councilmember Kuzma asked for information on the decommissioning plan. Mr. Burandt noted that the site would be returned to its existing state following the 25-year lease period. Mayor Strommen invited members of the public to provide input, noting that the Council does have the minutes from the Planning Commission meetings. Jeff Nobe, 8390 Highway 10 NW, Shorewood RV Center, thanked staff for identifying the concerns of the residents that were brought up at the Planning Commission. He stated that the Planning Commission meeting was very confusing. He stated that this is a discussion about a conditional use of a property that will be put on the property for 25 years and would affect the adjacent properties for the next 25 years. He stated that Connexus has property already available to them that could be used for this purpose. He stated that if the City were looking at the decommissioning and setup, those figures would have been set in on the same 17 acres Connexus already owns. He stated that this would change the zoning of the property to fit another purpose that is not by ownership but lease, which will affect the other landowners and business owners for the next 25 years. He did not believe that due diligence was done to continue to move this forward.