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<br />Councilmember Specht shared that he had gone and toured the location. He explained that when <br />this was originally proposed, there were concerns that this could be an eyesore; however, after <br />touring the land, the berms are very high and there would likely be very little visibility of the <br />system. He added that there were also concerns in the past about this system being abandoned after <br />its useful life, but recycling and reinstalling new modules would solve this concern. He stated that <br />Connexus Energy is being required by the State to have certain amounts of solar energy, and this <br />is a great place to do that. He shared his support for this. <br /> <br />Councilmember Olson asked about the stability of anchoring the solar energy system, given that <br />the soil is not suitable to be built on. <br /> <br />Mr. Gast explained that they have performed a substantial amount of geotechnical exploration on <br />the site. He said they would install a driven beam to a depth of around 10 feet into the soil to secure <br />these systems to the ground. He noted that during wind events, the system would go into a wind <br />stow mode, which would make the panels go flat and allow wind to pass over the system. He added <br />that this has been signed off on by structural engineers. <br /> <br />Mayor Heineman asked if there will be any immediate benefits for Ramsey residents with this <br />system. <br /> <br />Brian Burandt, CEO of Connexus Energy, came forward and shared that it is a well-known fact <br />that Ramsey is growing, causing a greater electrical need. He explained that there is a mandate <br />from the State to decarbonize their portfolio. He said that adding solar energy to this site would <br />negate the need for additional substations and transmission lines. <br /> <br />Motion by Councilmember Peters, seconded by Councilmember Buscher, to adopt Resolution <br />#25-065 approving a Site Plan Review for a Solar Energy System on the Ramsey Landfill Property. <br /> <br />Further Discussion: <br /> <br />Councilmember Buscher stated this would have a lot of benefits for the community, including a <br />20% tax coming to the City from the Minnesota Solar Production Tax. She shared her excitement <br />for what this project would bring to Ramsey, including the apprenticeship program. <br /> <br />Debra Musgrove, 15247 Fluorine Street NW, came forward and shared that she is very familiar <br />with this project. She noted that when this was originally discussed, there was going to be some <br />land that the City would still be able to use for industry in the bottom corner of this site. She asked <br />if this was still the case. <br /> <br />Planning Manager Larson reviewed the site map and showed the areas of the overall site that could <br />potentially be developed into something else. <br /> <br />Ms. Musgrove asked about the parcel across the street. <br /> <br />City Council /April 8, 2025 <br />Page 5 of 10 <br /> <br /> <br />