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Amendments and Conditional Use Permit. City Staff also supports the recommended approvals <br />as well as the appeal for the issuance of a development permit within an officially mapped area. <br />Commission Business <br />Chairperson Bauer asked if this site were to not move forward if a solar farm would be located in <br />another community. <br />Brian Burandt, Connexus Energy, explained the membership wanted more renewable energy <br />within the cooperative. He explained three solar sites were being sought for Anoka County. He <br />reported Connexus was pursuing Federal grant dollars for these solar farms that would sunset in <br />2019. He indicated the original vision was to place the solar farm on Connexus property. <br />Chairperson Bauer questioned if the solar farm energy would be used by Ramsey residents. <br />Mr. Burandt reported this was the case. He stated all energy gathered within a Ramsey solar farm <br />would benefit and be used by Ramsey residents. <br />Commissioner VanScoy asked why Connexus decided to go elsewhere when they originally <br />wanted to place the solar farm on their own property. <br />Mr. Burandt commented the EDA recommended the corner property and he was looking for a <br />showcase parcel given the size and scale of this solar panel/solar collection project. He explained <br />the Anoka County parcel would fit the needs of Connexus Energy. <br />Commissioner VanScoy inquired if the solar panels would create any glare. <br />Andrew Dallin, SilCore Energy, described the panels that would be used by Connexus Energy and <br />noted they were covered with an anti -reflective coating meant to absorb as much sunlight as <br />possible. He indicated there were several different technologies that used mirrors and this would <br />not be used in Ramsey. He stated airports around the country were installing similar systems. He <br />provided further comment on the initial glare study and the findings within this report. <br />Commissioner VanScoy expressed concern that the property surrounding the proposed solar farm <br />was zoned R-2. He questioned how the solar farm would impact future development of the <br />surrounding land. <br />Mr. Dallin reported the future homeowners would be going into their purchase with full knowledge <br />of the solar farm. He reiterated that the glare study showed there would be no impacts on the <br />surrounding properties, except from one receptor. <br />Commissioner VanScoy asked if Connexus would consider installing some sort of transitional <br />space between the solar farm and the R-2 zoned properties. <br />Mr. Dallin deferred this question to Connexus Energy. <br />Planning Commission/October 12, 2017 <br />Page 9of15 <br />