[00:00:59]
[1. Call To Order]
AND THIS IS THE START OF THE MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR GLAND COUNTY.MS. PARKER, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM THIS EVENING? YES, SIR.
MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE A QUORUM.
UM, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION.
[2. Pledge of Allegiance]
MY PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.[3. Invocation - Led By Mr. Pituck]
MOST GRACIOUS GOD, THANK YOU FOR ENABLING US TO GATHER HERE TODAY.THANK YOU FOR THIS BODY OF PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE ORDAINED TO RULE THIS GREAT COUNTY.
NOW, AS WE GO ABOUT DOING THE BUSINESS SET FORTH TODAY, HELP US TO KEEP YOU FIRST IN EVERYTHING THAT WE SAY AND DO BLESS ALL WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY WITH THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, SO THAT WE MAY PROSPER UNDER THEIR LEADERSHIP.
MOST OF ALL, BIND US TOGETHER IN A SPIRIT OF LOVE, WHICH SURPASSES ALL THINGS.
[4. Election of Officers]
WE HAVE THE ANNUAL ELECTION OF OUR OFFICERS AND THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE HEAD MET, AND THEY ARE NOMINATING FOR CHAIRPERSON MR. TOM ROCKER, CHARLIE, AND FOR VICE CHAIR MR. MATT BREWER FOR THE NEXT TERM.AND WE DO NEED A MOTION AND A VOTE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I MOVE.
UH, SO THAT ONE NOW HEREBY PRESENT MR. ROCKER CHAIRPERSON.
UH, EVERYONE HAS RECEIVED A COPY OF THE MINUTES, UH, FROM MS. PARKER HAS ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS? NO.
MR. CHAIR AND I MOVE TO, UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING.
[5. Approval of Minutes]
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, WHEN THEY'RE OPEN FOR A CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD ON ANYTHING IS NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.[6. Citizen Comment Period]
UH, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO COME UP AND SPEAK ABOUT, UH, ANYTHING THAT YOU WISH.GOOD EVENING, JONATHAN LYLE, 1521 MANNEQUIN ROAD.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, I, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST SAY, UH, PUBLICLY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT, UH, STAFF HAS PUT INTO SOME OF THE ITEMS YOU'LL BE LOOKING AT TONIGHT.
UH, IT HAS BEEN A, UH, EXTENDED PROCESS IN, IN SOME PRO IN, IN SOME VIEWINGS, BUT ACTUALLY I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY THOROUGH AND IT'S GONE THROUGH A NUMBER OF ITERATIONS.
UM, STAFF HAS REACHED OUT AND REALLY, MR. VILE, IS THIS REGARDING TONIGHT'S AGENDA? NO, THIS IS REGARDING THE STAFF AND THE GOOD JOB THEY'RE DOING.
UH, SO, UM, I, I JUST WANT TO SAY I SO APPRECIATE WHAT THE STAFF HAS DONE TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY TO GET INPUT AND TO, UH, REALLY MAKE THIS SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT BE PERFECT.
TO MAKE THE PROCESS THAT YOU FOLKS CONSIDER MAY NOT BE PERFECT, BUT IT'S NOT FROM A LACK OF EFFORT ON THEIR PART.
SO, UH, I, I WILL REFRAIN FROM REFERRING TO SPECIFICS, BUT I WILL SAY THAT, UH, THERE REALLY HAS BEEN A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT, A LOT OF OUTREACH, AND, UH, WE AT THE FARM BUREAU APPRECIATED SEEING THEM.
WE AT MONAN DISTRICT APPRECIATED SEEING M THEY'RE ENGAGED AND, UM, I THINK THAT SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED WITHOUT SPEAKING TO ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY, CUZ I'M SURE THEY'RE DOING IT ON OTHER,
[00:05:01]
ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES THERE.AND THEY ALWAYS ARE MY COMMENTS.
ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK CLOSE? THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD? WE'LL GO INTO THE REGULAR AGENDA.
UH, IS ANY, UH, REQUEST TO, TO ADDITIONS, DEFERRALS, NOTHING?
[7. Requests to Defer, Additions, Deletions, or Changes to the Order of Public Hearings]
NO, SIR.OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ITEM IS COUNTYWIDE, C O A 20 22 2.
AMENDMENT TO ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION 15 1 0 2, 1 12, 1 32, 1 42, 1 52, 1 62, 72, 82 92, 2 0 4 2 14, 2 32, 2 42, 2 52, 2 62,
[8. Public Hearing Items]
AND 2 72.USES AND STRUCTURES PERMITTED BY RIGHT OR BY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW ENERGY STORAGE FACILITIES BY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IN THE AGRICULTURAL GENERAL, A ONE AGRICULTURAL LIMITED, A TWO INDUSTRIAL LIMITED M ONE AND INDUSTRIAL GENERAL M TWO DISTRICTS TO ALLOW PRINCIPAL SOLAR ENERGY FACILITIES BY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND THE AGRICULTURAL GENERAL A ONE DISTRICT TO ALLOW SUPPLEMENTARY SOLAR ENERGY FACILITIES BY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IN THE INDUSTRIAL LIMITED M ONE AND INDUSTRIAL GENERAL M TWO DISTRICTS, AND TO ALLOW ACCESSORY SOLAR ENERGY FACILITIES AS A PERMITTED USE AND ALL ZONING DISTRICTS EXCEPT THE AGRICULTURAL INTENSIVE.
A THREE DISTRICT TO AMEND SECTION 15, 500 DEFINITIONS TO ADD SOLAR RELATED TERMS AND TO AMEND SECTION 15,289 RENEWABLE ENERGY TO ADD YOUTH STANDARDS.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE IT'S REALLY, REALLY, REALLY BIG WHEN YOU HAVE AN AD THAT GOOD.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS SOMETHING, UM, THAT WE'VE PREVIOUSLY VISITED, UM, ABOUT AND HAD BEEN DEFERRED, UM, TO THIS TIME.
UM, PART OF THAT DEFERRAL WAS TO ALLOW US TO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
WHAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IN THE PUBLIC HEARING IS REALLY ACTIONS OF STAFF SINCE THE PREVIOUS HEARING, GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AS TO WHAT WE, WE DID.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE COUNTY CODE ITEMS THAT WERE JUST REFERENCED BY MS. PARKER.
UM, WE'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT THE BOARD POLICY PROPOSAL THAT A ACCOMPANIES IT AT THE END.
I'LL START GOING OVER SPECIFIC TOPICS RELATED TO THE SOLAR POLICY AND THE POLICY CHANGES THAT HAVE COME ABOUT, UM, THAT REALLY FROM COMMENTARY, UM, AND MEETINGS WITH THE PUBLIC.
SO SINCE WE LAST SAW YOU, UM, WE HAD MEETINGS WITH, UM, MR WITH DIFFERENT INTERESTED PARTIES.
UM, COULD HAVE BEEN INDIVIDUALS, THOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS, UM, UH, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT ENTITIES, UM, THAT COULD BE PRODUCED IN THE SOLAR OR CITIZEN, UH, GROUPS OR OTHER STATE, UM, PROMOTED GROUPS THAT, UH, WE WERE RESPONSIBLE TO.
UM, WE HAVE REVIEWED COMMENTS AND RESPONSES.
IN FACT, WE HAD ALREADY DONE A LOT OF REVIEW PRIOR TO WE, UH, SEEING YOU LAST TIME.
WE HAD MODIFIED A BUNCH TO MATCH COMMENTS WE'D ALREADY HEARD.
WE DID HAVE A COUNTYWIDE MEETING, UH, BACK IN FEBRUARY, UM, WHICH WAS PRETTY WELL ATTENDED.
UM, WE GOT GREAT FEEDBACK AT THAT MEETING AND ACTUALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF TO LEARN AS WELL, HEARING FROM PEOPLE.
UM, AND WE HAD DONE SOME MINOR CHANGES TO THE POLICY SINCE THEN.
SO GO INTO REALLY WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS.
UM, FOR THE COUNTY CODE CHANGES.
AS MS. PARKER REFERENCED, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING THE ACCESSORY SOLAR, DOING WHAT'S CALLED NEW SOLAR ENERGY SUPPLEMENTARY, UM, SOLAR ENERGY PRINCIPLE, UM, WHICH IS FORMALLY THE SOLAR FARM AND THEN NEW ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SOLAR ENERGY FACILITY ACCESSORY, WE ALREADY HAD IT IN THE ORDINANCE AS PANELS OR STRUCTURE.
THIS REALLY, WE REDEFINED THE USE TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS YOU'RE PRODUCING ENERGY FOR YOUR ONSITE CONSUMPTION.
COULD BE YOUR ROOFTOP, SOLAR, COULD BE SOME OTHER TYPE OF PRESENTATION FOR BUSINESSES.
UM, THE ORDINANCE WAS MISSING WAS THE ABILITY FOR FARMERS IN THE AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS TO ACTUALLY USE THAT BY RIGHT PROVISION TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION BEYOND WHAT THEIR CAPACITY WAS.
ALL THIS IS LAY DOWN STATE CODE.
ALL WE DID WAS MAKE SURE OUR CODE ACCOUNTED FOR IT.
UM, AGAIN, THE ROOFTOP IS THE EXAM.
MOST COMMON EXAMPLE, SOLAR ENERGY FACILITY.
SUPPLEMENTARY IS ONE WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR CONDITIONALLY IS, UM, STABILITY WITHIN M ONE AND M TWO DISTRICTS AND HAS TO BE LOCATED ON A SITE THAT ALREADY HAS A PERMITTED PRINCIPLE USE.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN'T JUST GO OUT THERE AND PUT PANELS.
YOU ALREADY HAVE A BUSINESS THAT OPERATES THERE.
WE OFTEN SEE IN CERTAIN BUSINESSES OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE THE GREEN FOCUS OF ECONOMY AND STUFF, THAT THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL ELECTRICITY ON THEIR EXISTING FACILITIES.
WHAT THIS PROVIDES FOR IS THAT A TOTAL OF 10% OF YOUR LAND, OF THAT SITE OCCUPIED SITE CAN BE ALLOW FOR SOLAR, BUT WE WOULDN'T COUNT AGAINST YOU IN THAT 10% CALCULATION.
IS THE ROOFTOP OR OTHER TYPE OF EQUIPMENT THAT YOU HAVE IN THE SITE, SUCH AS PARKING STRUCTURES OR THE LIKE.
UM, SOME EXAMPLES WE HAVE UP HERE ON THE BOARD, PARTICULARLY THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS REALLY THE MORE, THE, THE EXAMPLE THEY'RE USING ABOUT EVERY ROOFTOP AND STRUCTURE AND PARKING, UH, CANOPY OR WHATEVER THEY HAVE TO, UH, UTILIZE ADDITIONAL SOLAR.
UM, THE OTHER ONE IS PROPOSED, UH, TR TRY TO GROW.
I THINK DOMINION ENERGY ON THEIR SITE IS USING IT.
THAT'S REALLY ON SITE, BUT IT'S UTILIZING THEIR PARKING GARAGE.
[00:10:02]
UH, NEXT IS, UM, AS A PERSON IN THE ORDINANCE THAT ALWAYS LIKES TO CORRECT ME WHEN SOLAR FARM COMES UP AND HE IS CORRECT.UM, LIKE TO SAY WE GROW THE FARMER HERE IN GOLAND, BUT WE DON'T.
UM, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE SOLAR ENERGY FACILITY PRINCIPLE IS THE NEW TITLE FOR THAT.
UM, AGAIN, THAT IS WHERE YOU'RE GENERATING PRIMARILY ON THE PROPERTY.
THE USE IS WHOLESALE, UM, ENERGY.
IT'S NOT DESIGNED FOR ONSITE USES.
IT'S DESIGNED TO GO ELSEWHERE.
THE POLICY THAT WE HAVE, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER, IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON HANDLING THE CCEP P REQUEST FOR THESE.
THE ORDINANCE ONLY ALLOWS THIS USE IN THE A ONE DISTRICT AS A CONDITIONAL USE.
UM, WE'RE PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THE TERMS OF THE SOLAR BY NOW, AS EXAMPLE HERE, THESE ARE PANELS THAT ACTUALLY FOLLOW THE SUN AS THE, AS THE DAY GOES, UM, FORWARD.
THERE'S TONS OF DIFFERENT VARIATIONS TODAY AND THEY'RE SORT OF CHANGING PROBABLY AS WE SPEAK.
SO THE POLICY, WHICH IS THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE TOPIC TONIGHT, IS REALLY THE BOARD POLICY THAT'S INTENDED TO SERVE IN OUR EVALUATION AND AN APPLICANT'S PREPARATION OF A CONDITIONAL USE APPLICATION FOR EITHER THE SONER SOLAR ENERGY, UH, GENERATION FACILITY OR ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY.
IT'S GIVEN A GENERAL CRITERIA APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.
IT ALSO PROVIDES SOME STANDARD RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS.
UM, AS WITH ANY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT WE BRING BEFORE YOU, UM, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER IT IN ITS OWN MERIT.
WE HAVE TO CONSIDER EACH CASE.
EACH CASE IS UNIQUE, EACH PROPERTY IS UNIQUE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, OUR POLICY MAY NOT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS EVERY OPERATIONAL OR LOCATIONAL CONCERN FOR THAT APPLICATION.
UM, THEY COULD BE MODIFIED DURING THE DISCUSSION, UM, UH, WITH THE CASE WITH FINALLY, AS WE BRING IT FORWARD TO THE BOARD, AS WE RECOGNIZE USING OUR STANDARD EVALUATION PRINCIPLES THAT WE NEED TO ADJUST THE CONDITIONS FOR THIS CASE, OR IT HAS MERIT TO OPERATE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
UM, THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF A POLICY VERSUS AN ORDINANCE.
AND THAT WAS SORT OF THE INTENT AS WE CAME FORWARD.
WHAT WE'VE DONE SINCE THE PLANNING COMMISSION CHANGES WISE, WE DID, UH, I CHANGED A BUNCH OF THINGS FROM TH SHOUT TO SHOULD, UM, WHICH REALLY GETS RID OF THE MANDATE KIND OF PROVISIONS THAT ON THE OTHER COUNTY ATTORNEY DOESN'T LIKE US TO USE FOR THEY SEARCH CIRCUMSTANCES.
UM, WE'RE ALSO REQUIRING THAT WE GET CERTAIN FARM AND LAND DATA, UM, COME UP OUT FROM EXISTING AVAILABLE SOURCES AT THE TIME OF ZONING APPLICATION.
SO WE REALLY HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF THE LAND BEING UTILIZED.
IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE UPDATED WHEN WE FINALLY GET TO PLAN A DEVELOPMENT, WHEN WE REALLY KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL LAYOUT OF A SITE IS.
THE OTHER IS THAT WE'D LIKE TO REQUIRE ELECTRONICALLY THE, THE SIZE AND SCALE OF THE PLAT SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE FACILITY BOUNDARY IS.
THAT'S ADVANTAGE IN CALCULATION FOR THE PERCENTAGES THAT COME ABOUT IN THE POLICY.
BUT IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE LAND USE AND THE, UM, REAX THAT COMES ABOUT WHEN YOU PUT SOMETHING INTO OPERATION AND YOU'VE BEEN SITTING IN LAND USE FOR YEARS.
UM, WE'VE DONE SOME UPDATES TO MATERIAL SIZES AND BUFFERS TO MORE INCENTIVIZE NATIVE PLANTS.
WE ARE ALLOWING SOME FLEXIBILITY OR POTENTIAL FLEXIBILITY TO, UM, DISTURB AN ADDITIONAL ACREAGES BEYOND THE 100 ACRES.
THAT'LL BE A SITE SPECIFIC EVALUATION AND REQUIRE UPDATES TO OUR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR ROADS.
UM, IT'S NEED IF IT'S NEEDED FOR THE DECOMMISSIONING PLAN UPDATES.
SO AS THE POLICY, I WON'T GO INTO EVERY DETAIL, I'LL STAY PRETTY GENERAL, TRY TO MOVE US ALONG TONIGHT.
THAT'S ALSO THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE POLICY.
THAT'S WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS.
UM, WE ALSO ARE LOOKING FOR A MINIMUM TWO MILE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE FACILITIES AT THIS POINT.
AND THEN WE DON'T WANT IT TO CLUSTER THEM.
WE'D LIKE TO PRESERVE THE RULE OF VIEW SHEDS INCUR, BUT WE ALSO, WE ARE ENCOURAGED THE CONTINUED RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL USES.
WE ANTICIPATE IT AND OUR PLAN FOR THE WEST, WE'RE LIMITING THE FACILITY AREA TO CONTINUOUS ACRES BETWEEN 30 AND A THOUSAND ACRES.
WHEN WE CAME FORWARD WITH THIS, WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO ALLOW FOR SMALLER SOLAR FACILITIES AND PRESERVE, UM, LAND THAT'S IN THERE IN THE WEST ENERGY GENERATION.
JUST AS YOU THINK ABOUT IN YOUR HEAD, A SOLAR FACILITY CAN GO FROM ANYWHERE TO FIVE TO 10 MEGAWATTS, UM, YOU KNOW, PER ACRE.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE CALCULATIONS OF 150, UM, I MEAN ACTUALLY THAT'S THE OPPOSITE.
BUT ANYWAY, IT TAKES, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LARGER FACILITY SITE, UM, IT TAKES A A LOT TO GET A LOT.
UM, MOST ORDINANCES FOCUS ON ENERGY OUTPUT.
WE INSTEAD TURN THE POLICY TO FOCUS ON THE LAND INVOLVED IN THE IMPACT STANDARD SITE EVALUATION AS YOU'D EXPECT.
AND WE WANNA PROTECT ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVE AREAS.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT FOR THIS IN A LOT OF OTHER POLICIES IS WE'RE ONE OF THE FIRST TO COME FORWARD.
WELL, BLOOMINGTON, THE MOUNT OF PRIME AGRICULTURAL OR STATE LANDS OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE USED WITHIN A PARTICULAR PROJECT, UM, AS I'LL SHOW YOU A MAP IN A FEW MINUTES, THAT'LL KIND OF, UH, SELL US WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT.
[00:15:01]
A MAP, UM, IN THIS MAP SHOWS YOU OUR A ONE AREA OF THE COUNTY, WHICH IS REALLY EVERYTHING SORT OF WEST OF WHERE WE'RE STANDING TODAY.UM, PARCELS 30 ACRES OR GREATER ARE WHAT'S IN ORANGE.
UM, THE GREEN THAT'S IN THAT MAP AREA IS THE UNDERLYING PRIME FARMLAND.
SO IF YOU SEE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES, HOWEVER, IF YOU SEE WHERE THE GREEN AND THE ORANGE OVERLAP, RECOGNIZING ONLY 20% OF, LET'S SAY OF ONE OF THOSE LARGE PARCELS CAME IN, ONLY 20% OF THAT LAND COULD CONTAIN THE GREEN.
UM, THE RED LINE IS THE MAJOR TRANSMISSION LINE THAT GOES ACROSS THE WESTERN TIER OF THE COUNTY.
THE OTHER PART OF THE POLICY TALKS ABOUT STANDARD CONDITIONS THAT WOULD COME FOR WITH THE CCEP P JUST LIKE WHEN WE HAVE AN ACCESSORY DWELLING, WE HAVE STANDARD CONDITIONS.
THIS WOULD SERVE THAT FUNCTION FOR, UM, THOSE TWO USES.
UM, SUBJECT TO PLANNING DEVELOPMENT, COMPOSITE OF THE SIGHTING AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, WE'VE DONE SOME UPDATE FOR THE BUFFERS TO MAKE 'EM MORE, UM, ENHANCED THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR ZONING ORDINANCE TO MAKE A MATCH MORE OF A NATURAL FORCE OR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND NOW WE'VE PUT IN AN INFERENCE THAT WE WANT TO PRESERVE.
WE WANT TO HAVE MORE NATIVE SPECIES, UM, STANDARD OTHER THINGS.
WE SCREEN THE EQUIPMENT, TRANSMISSION LINES.
WE WANT TO BE BELOW GROUND, UM, LIMIT THE CONSTRUCTION, THE DISTURBANCE, AND THEN LIMIT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE BETTER NEIGHBORS.
EVEN DURING THE CONSTRUCTION AND DECOMMISSIONING PROCESS.
WE'D ALSO LIKE TO HAVE CONDITIONS REGARD HOW THEY OPERATE THE FACILITIES, UH, CONDITIONS IT'S DESIGNED.
UM, WE WANT TO BE AWARE OF OWNERSHIP CHANGES OR WHEN THEY START UP AND THINGS LIKE THAT CUZ IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW THE FACILITY IS OPERATING.
DECOMMISSIONING PLAN IS ONE OF THE MOST KEY INTEGRAL PARTS OF THIS THAT, UM, STAFF REVIEWS IT THAT WAY AND THE STATE, UM, HAS VIEWED IT THAT WAY AS WELL.
WE WANT TO HAVE THAT COMMITTEE COMMISSIONING PLAN, THE SHUT DOWN PLAN WITH THE P OD REVIEW.
UM, WE WANT TO HAVE DIFFERENT PROTECTIONS THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED DURING THE DEVELOPMENT TO REMAIN IN PLACE.
WE DON'T WANT THE PANELS TO BE, UM, RECYCLED OR DISPOSED OF IN GLAND COUNTY.
THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A BIG TOPIC WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE.
TECHNOLOGY'S CHANGING THE, UM, TOXICITY OF THE PANELS MAY CHANGE OVER TIME OR CONCERNS OF THAT, BUT IT'S IN OUR POLICY, THE DECOMMISSIONING, WE WANNA UPDATE EVERY THREE YEARS FOR THAT UPDATE THE PLAN TO SEE WHAT'S CHANGED.
AS WE ALL KNOW, PRICES ARE CHANGING PRETTY QUICKLY THESE DAYS, AND IF I'D HAVE HAD A PLAN THREE YEARS AGO, WE'D ALL BE IN TROUBLE, UM, FOR THAT.
UM, THE NEXT IS TO DO ENERGY STORAGE FACILITIES AND WHAT THOSE ARE, ARE THE BATTERIES.
UM, SO WHAT WE'RE DEFINED, THIS IS BASICALLY THEY TAKE AND ABSORB THE LAND.
I MEAN THE, THE ENERGY FROM THE LINES, UM, DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE WITH JUST A SOLAR FACILITY, WHICH IS REASON IT'S CALLED OUT SEPARATELY.
THESE COULD BE IN, IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WHERE YOU'D HAVE OTHER SUBSTATIONS, UM, DIFFERENT PIECES WHERE BASICALLY TAKE AND STORE THE ENERGY COMING OFF THE LINE.
IT'S ABSORBED, IT SITS INSIDE OF THOSE BATTERIES TO SERVE LATER IN PEAK TIMES.
OR PERHAPS WHEN A CLEAN ENERGY SYSTEM LIKE THE SUN IS NOT OUT
SO YOU CAN, UH, ACTUALLY KEEP THE GRID MOVIE.
UM, THIS WOULD ALSO HAVE A CITING POLICY, UM, AGREEMENT, THAT CITING AGREEMENT THEY HAVE TO MAKE WITH THE COUNTY.
AND ALSO SOME CONDITIONS THAT WE THOUGHT WERE APPROPRIATE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROTECTING ADJACENT PROPERTIES.
THESE, HOWEVER, WOULD BE ALLOWED IN DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT PLACES.
A ONE BECAUSE THIS LIKELY WITH SOLAR A TWO BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF OUR LINES.
UM, THE NORTH SOUTH LINE THAT'S IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY GOES IN A ALLOTTED A TWO PROPERTY, AN M ONE AND M TWO, BECAUSE THAT'S MOST LIKE, LIKELY WHERE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE MORE OF, UM, EXTENSIVE OR HEAVY POWER EQUIPMENT.
UM, THESE IS WHAT DAYS LOOK LIKE.
I'VE BEEN TOLD THEY LOOK BETTER TODAY THAN THIS ONE, BUT THERE'S ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AS A, UM, WHAT YOU SEE AS A SHIPPING CONTAINER.
THEN THERE'S A SIGHTING AGREEMENT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME.
FOR ANY SOLAR FAC, UM, UH, PRINCIPAL SOLAR OR ENERGY STORAGE PROJECT BY STATE CODE, THE APPLICANT MUST MEET WITH THE COUNTY AND FORM US, DISCUSS AND NEGOTIATE A SIGHTING AGREEMENT.
THIS IS IN ADDITION TO ANY ZONING REQUIREMENT.
UM, WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL SORTS OF THINGS WITH IT, BUT PRIMARILY IT'S ABOUT THE MITIGATION OF THE IMPACTS, FINANCIAL COMPENSATION TO ADDRESS CAPITAL NEEDS.
THERE THERE TO BE A NEXUS BETWEEN THE APPLICATION AND WHAT THE SORT OF THE AGREEMENT DISCUSSION IS ABOUT.
UM, BUT IF WE FAIL TO MEET AN AGREEMENT, THAT CANNOT BE THE ONLY REASON WE DENY THE CU.
UM, BUT IT CAN BE AMONG YOUR REASONINGS FOR THAT.
SO NEXT NUMBER, REALLY GO THROUGH SOME OF THE, THE LARGER TOPICS THAT CAME UP IN DISCUSSION WITH THE PEOP WITH, UM, CITIZENS AND AT DIFFERENT MEETINGS.
KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
SOME OF THESE WE'VE ADDRESSED, SOME, WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE, EXPLORE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KIND OF PUT THOSE IN YOUR HEAD AND JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE UNDERSTAND WE'RE SHARING PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS HERE.
UM, FIRST OFF, WHY DO WE USE AGRICULTURE LANDS FOR SOLAR AND NON-INDUSTRIAL? UM, IT'S SO THAT THE
[00:20:01]
STATE MORE INCENTIVIZES.THE USE OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS COMES ABOUT FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
THE LAND COSTS, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM, IT'S ALSO IN A LOT OF WAYS LAND USE.
IT'S A PASSIVE USE ON IF WE DO PROPER MITIGATION AND PRESERVATION, REDUCE ITS IMPACT OPPORTUNITY, THE DIFFERENT SCALES TO PRESERVE FAMILY LAND.
UM, LIMITED IMPACT ON PUBLIC SERVICES AND COUNTY INFRASTRUCTURE.
I DON'T HAVE TO GENERATE SCHOOL BUSES FOR SOLAR PANELS.
UM, SOLAR ENERGY CAN BRING, UH, UPGRADES TO OUR GRIDS IN OUR RURAL AREAS THAT ARE IN, OFTEN IN POOR SHAPE AND COULD BRING HIGH SPEED INTERNET.
IT'S ALSO, IT ALLOWS THE YOUTH TO GO ON THE LAND THAT'S RELATIVELY PASSIVE AND PEOPLE CAN USE THEIR LANDS.
SO WE DON'T GET IN SCENARIO WHERE A LOT OF OUR SUBURBAN LOCALITIES ARE, WHERE THE LAND'S JUST SITTING THERE WAITING FOR HOUSES.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE PEOPLE BE ABLE TO PRESERVE THEIR LAND AND NOT LOOK FOR OTHER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN LEAD TO SPRAWL.
UH, INDUSTRIAL, YOU DON'T PUT 'EM INDUSTRIAL VERY OFTEN, MAINLY BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, A LOT OF OTHER, UM, HIGH POWER, UM, UH, LOT OF MONEY FROM FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL DOLLARS GOING TO GENERATE THE SALE, THE JOBS, THE SALES TAX, THE MNT TAX, REAL ESTATE REVENUES AND UTILIZING THE PLANNED INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED IN, FOR INSTANCE, IN THE THE WEST CREEK AREA OR UP IN THE NOTCH, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR STAFF.
WE ALSO, AS WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE WAYS THAT WE PRESERVE THAT RURAL CHARACTER.
WE THINK THE, AND I AGREE, OTHER PEOPLE WILL SAY IT, I LIKE TO EAT AS IT CAN BE SEEN.
AND I REALLY AGREE THAT WE NEED TO DO OUR BEST TO PRESERVE THE FARMLAND.
THE UPPER POLICY HELPS THAT, UM, ENCOURAGE THE USE OF INDUSTRIAL BROWNFIELD AND QUARRY LANDFILL SITES.
UM, OUR ORDINANCE DOES PROVIDE FOR LIMITED WHOLESALE PRODUCTION OF SOLAR FROM THOSE INDUSTRIAL SITES.
AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE LARGE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, UM, THAT SOME OTHER, UH, MORE INDUSTRIAL LOCALITIES HAVE.
HOWEVER, WE DO RECOGNIZE THE OPPORTUNITY IN THIS NEXT GENERATION OR THE NEXT, UM, SEVERAL YEARS, NEXT DECADES THAT WE HAVE SOME LAND THAT WILL BE READY FOR THAT.
UM, SO STAFF WANTS TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE, UM, THE OPPORTUNITIES AND THE TRENDS, UM, FOR THAT.
SO WE'VE RECOMMENDED NEW ORDINANCE CHANGE OR POLICY CHANGE AT THIS TIME.
UM, BUT WE'LL STILL BE EVALUATING THAT.
AND ACTUALLY I'LL BE MEETING WITH SOME INTERESTED PARTIES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
UM, WHY DO WE LIMIT THE SIZES BETWEEN 30 AND A HUNDRED ACRES? THAT WAS A BIG CONCERN.
UM, SO WHAT WE'VE DONE, WE WERE ENCOURAGING ORIGINALLY SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED FACILITIES.
UM, WE DIDN'T WANT THE 16,000 ACRE MODEL IN, IN GOLAND.
UM, BUT THERE WAS OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE OF SMALLER THAT ARE ONE TO THREE MEGAWATT SITES.
SO YOU'RE TALKING 15, 20 ACRE SITES.
UM, WE ALSO DIDN'T, WE WANT TO EV EVALUATE JUST LIKE WE EVERYTHING ELSE.
WE WANNA EVALUATE THIS POLICY OVER TIME.
DID WE HIT IT RIGHT? IS THIS WHAT THE MARKET'S LOOKING FOR IN GLAND? UM, THE BOARD OF COURSE, AND THE COMMISSION CAN RECOMMEND DIFFERENT SIZES AND YOU'LL SEE, I'M SURE WE'LL SEE APPLICATIONS OF VARIETY OF SIZES.
THE OTHER CONCERN WAS LIMIT THE TOTAL ACREAGE OF SOLAR IN THE COUNTY.
WE HAVEN'T PROPOSED A LIMIT AT THE START.
SOME OF THE LOCALITIES HAVE HAD OVER TIME ADDED THOSE IN.
MY CONCERN AT THIS POINT WAS IT'S LIKE, IT'S A LOT OF GUESSWORK.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INTEREST IS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT IS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MARKET INTEREST IS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE OUR SIT ACCEPTANCE IS.
ONCE WE GET A COUPLE OF THESE APPLICATIONS GOING, WE'LL START TO EVALUATE THAT, WHAT THE INTEREST IS, WHAT THE TECHNOLOGY IS COMING ABOUT, WHAT IS, WHAT'S DOMINION ENERGY AND THE STATE LOOKING FOR.
WE CAN START EVALUATING WHAT'S THE GOOD NUMBER FOR GOLAND? WHY REQUIRE UNDERGROUND TRANSMISSION LINES? THIS IS A BIG CONCERN OF THE INDUSTRY.
UM, FOR US, WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT, ABOUT, WE RECOGNIZED THAT THEY NEED THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE POWER WE'RE YOU'RE MAKING A POWER GRID.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE GENERATING THE ENERGY NEEDS TO GO SOMEWHERE.
WE WANTED TO GET THE PEOPLE TO HOMES, TO THE BUSINESSES.
UM, BUT WHAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IS THAT WE'RE PRESERVING AGAIN, THAT RURAL CHARACTER.
UM, WE THOUGHT THAT, UM, LIMITING THE ABOVE GROUND TRANSMISSION LINES WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE LOCATED CLOSER TO THE LAR THE LINES THAT ALREADY EXIST OR THE ABILITY TO CONNECT TO THOSE.
WE ALSO WANT TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF HAVING NEW LINES OR TREE CUTS THAT TRANSVERSE THE COUNTY AND, YOU KNOW, OR RUN ALONG OUR ROADS.
UM, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT OVER TIME WILL NEED TO BE EVALUATED.
I'VE, I'VE MET WITH, UM, DOMINION AND SOME OTHERS ABOUT THE, THE CONCEPT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING ALSO WE RECOGNIZE THAT SHOULD BE EVALUATED AS PART OF AN INDIVIDUAL APPLICATION.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT BEYOND THE SITE, UM, OF THOSE LINES.
UM, THAT'S ALL PART OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WILL BRING TO YOU.
NEXT IS THE BOND REQUIREMENTS FOR DECOMMISSIONING WOULD LIMIT INVESTMENT.
THAT WAS A PUT FORWARD, UM, THAT WAS CONCERNED.
WE'VE SEEN IT AS A COMMON PRACTICE IN THE REGION AND IT'S ALSO PERMITTED BY STATE CODE.
UM, WE ENCOURAGE, WE THINK IT ENCOURAGES SITE UPKEEP ASSURES THE NEIGHBORS AND THE COUNTY THAT THE SITE WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF OVER TIME.
[00:25:01]
OF THESE FACILITIES IS NEW.THERE IS NOT, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE HASN'T BEEN ONE DECOMMISSIONED IN THIS REGION CUZ IT'S STILL AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY.
WE'D RATHER WRITE IT OUT AND SEE.
AND THEN EVERY TIME, IF THAT POLICY NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED, IT CAN BONDING AT STARTUP, NOT SITE APPROVAL IS ANOTHER REQUEST.
EVERY OTHER USE WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY, WE REQUIRE BONDING AT TIME OF P O D APPROVAL TO INCLUDE SUBDIVISIONS.
UM, STARTUP IS A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT THAT RAY CASH IS NOT INVITED TO THE TABLE TO TALK ABOUT WITH THEM.
WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO BE THE ONE HOLDING UP A STARTUP.
WE'D RATHER MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS AHEAD OF TIME.
THIS IS OUR BONDING AGREEMENT.
AND THEN AS WE GET HERE, THE THE FINAL THINGS IS REALLY, UM, STUFF WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE INTERESTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT, UM, IS TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF NATIVE, NATIVE SPECIES AND PROTECT HABITATS.
WE HAVE ADDED INCENTIVES AS I MENTIONED BEFORE FOR THE BUFFERS.
WE ALREADY ENCOURAGE NATIVE USE, NATIVE HABITATS, WILDLIFE, UM, FRIENDLY FENCING AND THE LIKE IN THE PLAN, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PRESERVATION OF EXISTING HABITATS AND INGRA NATIVE GROUND COVER.
WE WANT NATIVE TREES TO COME IN HERE CUZ WE WANT THE SAME ANIMALS, THE SAME SPECIES TO GENERATE, TO LET THESE BLEND BACK INTO THE LAND SURROUND THERE.
UM, A KEY PART OF OUR POLICY IS WE DO NOT WANT YOU TO RIDE DOWN THE ROAD AND SEE SOLAR PANELS.
WE WANT YOU TO DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD AND SEE THE BEAUTY OF THAT GLAND ALREADY HAS.
AND THIS IS A WAY TO ENCOURAGE THE PRESERVATION OF THOSE AREAS AND MAKING SURE OUR NATIVE SPECIES ARE HERE TAKING CARE OF, UM, THE INSECTS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN FINALLY IS ALLOW FOR AGRI VOLTAIC OR SHARED AGRICULTURAL AND SOLAR USES.
THE UNDERLYING USES AGRICULTURAL, THAT'S THE UNDERLYING ZONING.
SO IF YOU CAN DO YOUR AGRICULTURAL FARMING ACTIVITY AT THE SAME TIME THAT YOU'RE GENERATING POWER, GREAT.
NOW WE, WE APPLAUD THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, THERE WAS A PERSON I THINK IF YOU WERE AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING, SAW HIS BUSINESS IS BRINGING SHEEP LIKE THAT OUT THERE TO, UM, TO, UH, FEED UNDERNEATH THE, TO GRAZE UNDER THE PANELS.
THAT IS AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY.
UH, THERE IS WEBINARS AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME.
WE'RE LEARNING LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS.
THE INDUSTRY IS LEARNING MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THIS WORK.
UM, THAT SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERATION OF ANY CASE WE BRING FORWARD TO YOU.
IS THAT PART OF THE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S MAKES THAT THAT SITE MORE SPECIAL, UM, THAN OTHERS OR MEETS THE CRITERIA WE'RE LOOKING FOR AS SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY? SO I RAN QUICKLY THROUGH SOMETHING THAT'S A BIG TOPIC.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE.
WE'VE ALSO DISCUSSED WITH THE PUBLIC.
UM, THIS IS A BOARD POLICY THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT OVER TIME IT CAN BE MODIFIED.
THAT'S THE REASON IT'S PART OF A POLICY, NOT AN ORDINANCE.
YOU HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY AS A COMMISSION AND YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS JUDGING THEM BASED UPON THIS CRITERIA WE HAVE, HOW DO THEY FIT WHAT CONDITIONS SHOULD APPLY HERE OR WHAT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SITUATION.
UM, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, A LOT OF THESE I HAVE RECOGNIZED OVER THE, OVER THE COMING YEARS.
MAYBE IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, WHO KNOWS WHEN WE'LL PROBABLY BE DOING SOME MODIFICATIONS AS WE LEARN MORE, AS WE EXPERIENCE MORE.
AND, UM, AS, AS THE INDUSTRY ALSO BECOMES, UM, MORE FAMILIAR WITH US.
SO STAFF OF COURSE IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
HAVE YOU HAD MUCH IN A WAY OF INQUIRIES AS FAR AS, UH, FUTURE FACILITIES? WE HAVE? WELL, I WILL SAY PROBABLY THE FIRST WEEK I WAS HERE, I HEARD WHEN IT HAD ONE COMING AND I GOT CONTACTED WITH HIM NOT TO HAVE A MEETING SINCE THEN ABOUT IT.
AND THAT WAS A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
WE DO KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME INTEREST STEPPED UP, BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVEN'T HAD A FORMAL MEETING WITH STAFF ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL PROJECT, IF I'M CORRECT.
UH, I'M ASSUMING THAT, UH, WHEN YOU PUT THESE UP ON THE ROOF THAT YOU HAVE TO GET A BUILDING PERMIT AND THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE ROOF IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THAT THEY WON'T BLOW OFF OR CONSTANT LEAK, SO RIGHT.
THAT'S PART OF THE EVALUATION.
UM, I ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING RECENTLY ABOUT, THERE'S, UM, ACTUALLY A NATIONAL DRIVE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ABOUT CREATING A SORT OF A UNIFORM PERMITTING SYSTEM TO HELP HELP WITH THAT TYPE OF THING FOR PEOPLE TO GENERATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, I I TAKE IT BACK, WE DID HAVE ONE LARGE SCALE ROOF.
ITS A PIPER PROJECT FOR SOLAR, BUT IT WAS FOR AN INDUSTRY HERE, BUT IT WASN'T, THEY WEREN'T PRODUCING MORE THAN WHAT TO, TO DO.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE HAD TO, WE HAD TO GET A PLAN, WE HAD TO GET BUILDING PERMITS FOR, UM, TO MAKE IT WORK.
WILL THESE BE PERMITTED IN A, UH, A CONSERVATION DISTRICT? UM, IT, IT WOULD NOT BE ANYTHING THAT'S, WE WOULDN'T LET THEM CLEAR LAND FOR SOLAR PANELS OR, OR THE LACK WITHIN CONSERVATION AREAS ALREADY CLEAR.
[00:30:01]
YEAH, THEY COULD BE, IF IT'S AN AREA THAT'S NOT PROTECTED AND YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT, UM, DISTRICT, BUT THAT WOULD BE BECAUSE YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY TAX.YOU GET A TAX BREAK IF YOU PUT YOUR LAND IN THE, IN THE CON WELL, IF YOU'RE BRINGING IT OUT TO GO INTO A GENERATION OF, FOR WHOLESALE FOR PROFIT, I WOULD ASSUME THAT MAY SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO EXPLORE WOULD PROBABLY MAY TAKE YOU OUT OF THAT.
UNLESS THAT'S PART OF THE AGREEMENT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY KICK YOU OUTTA THAT.
THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY ASSUMPTION, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I'D HAVE TO RESEARCH TO BE SURE.
IS THIS SIMILAR TO HANOVER? CHESTERFIELD PAR IT, IT ACTUALLY, UM, MOST OF 'EM HAVE COMMONALITIES, UM, AS WE STARTED TO LEARN TOGETHER A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
UM, AS THESE COME ON, IT'S A LOT OF THE ORDINANCES OR LESSONS LEARNED FROM THOSE WHO FIRST EXPERIENCED IT, ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHERN VIRGINIA.
UM, UH, WE'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS A LOT OF COMMONALITIES WITH CHESTERFIELD.
UM, I KNOW CAUSE I I WRITTEN THAT ONE AND IT HAS SOME COMMONALITIES WITH THE ONE THAT JUST GOT ADOPTED IN LOUISA AS WELL.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THE WORDS ARE A LOT DIFFERENT, BUT THE CONCEPTS ARE ABOUT THE SAME.
SOMEBODY HAS, SOME HAVE SMALLER BUFFERS, SOME HAVE BIGGER, SOME HAVE DIFFERENT LIMITATIONS IN DIFFERENT WAY, BUT THEY'RE ALL USUALLY ADDRESSED WITH MITIGATION AND, UM, CONCERNED ABOUT EROSION CONTROL.
WHY WOULD A SOLAR ENERGY, WHAT'D YOU CALL IT, SOLAR ENERGY FACILITY PRINCIPLE FACILITY BE DECOMMISSIONED? UM, WELL, RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE, THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT THE LIFE OF THE PANELS, UM, IS MY UNDERSTANDING AND SOME ANYWHERE, ORIGINALLY STARTED TALKING AT 20 YEARS CAN BE 30 YEARS.
UM, AGAIN, ONCE THE FACILITY IS PUT IN PLACE AND, UH, I THINK THE WAY TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING AND THE LIKE, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS INVOLVED IN THAT, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY MAY BE SEEKING DECOMMISSIONING.
UM, HOWEVER, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT BEING A CONCERN WITH PEOPLE TO LEAVE THAT ALL THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN WHAT WAS ESPECIALLY INHIBIT BEFORE CONSIDERED A RURAL AREA WOULD BE OF CONCERN THAT YOU CREATE THESE, UH, SORT OF, UH, JUNK GRAVEYARDS IN A WAY, GALVANIZED, UH, UH, PIPE AND A BUNCH OF, UM, SOLAR PANELS.
UM, THAT'S ALSO A CONCERN THAT YOU'RE MAKING SURE THAT THESE THINGS ARE BEING REPLACED AND, UH, PANELS AND STUFF ARE BEING STORED PROPERLY.
SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT MAYBE SOMEBODY FROM THE INDUSTRY COULD, COULD TELL YOU FOR SURE.
UM, BUT I ALWAYS BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE CURIOUS OF THE INVESTMENT THAN WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF DECOMMISSIONING, UM, OR PERHAPS THE SITES, BECAUSE IT'S SO EXPENSIVE TO REGENERATE AND REIN REPLACE ALL THESE PANELS AND MAYBE IT'S CHEAPER TO BRING THINGS DOWN THE, LIKE, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ALMOST A LESSON LEARNED FROM BACK TOWERS.
I MEAN, WHEN THOSE FIRST WENT UP, RIGHT? YEAH.
THEY WERE THE, THE BIG DEAL, THE HOT THING, AND NOBODY THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN THOSE WERE NO LONGER TECHNOLOGICALLY FEASIBLE.
AND THE FIRST TIME THOSE STARTED COMING TO WHERE SOMEBODY JUST ABANDONED 'EM, WE WERE ALL LIKE, UH, WAIT A MINUTE,
IT'S NOT, YEAH, IT'S NOT LIKE SOMETHING THAT'S A GOOD ADAPTER REUSED AS FAR AS, UM, CAN'T HOUSE PEOPLE ON TOP OF THAT TELECOMMUNICATION TOWER, UM, OR UNDERNEATH SOLAR PANELS.
IS THE BOND IN THE BEGINNING GONNA PAY FOR DUE COMMISSIONING? IS THAT WHAT THE BOND IS FOR? THAT'S THE INTENT, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, SOMEBODY'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECOMMISSIONING.
JUST LIKE WE BOND FOR ROADS WHEN A SUBDIVISION OCCURS IN SOUTH, THAT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT EVENTUALLY THEY GET IN STATE SYSTEM, UM, OR GET, GET BUILT, UM, PART OF THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEBODY IS RESPONSIBLE.
IT'S FOR THE CLEANUP AT THE END.
WE HAVE LANGUAGE IN THERE ABOUT HOW WE COULD STEP IN AS SOMEBODY FAILS TO OR WHATEVER, BUT IT'S NEVER THE COUNTY'S DESIRED TO BECOME THE CONTRACTOR AND TAKE THOSE DOWN.
I WANNA USE THE ROADS AS A GOOD EXAMPLE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT I OFFER.
AND THAT'S A LESSON LEARNED, RIGHT? AND YOU KNOW, AS SAME AS WE'VE TAKEN STEPS TO IMPROVE OUR POLICIES IN THAT WAY, WE'RE GONNA STAY AHEAD ON THIS ONE.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE.
THE APPROACH, A LOT OF OUR POLICY HERE IS MAYBE PEOPLE MAY SEE AS CONSERVATIVE.
OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, QUESTION ONE COMMENT.
SO THE, AS MRS. MCGEE STATED, THE, UM, I I WAS THINKING ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, VERTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TOWERS AND, AND COMMUNICATION TOWERS REQUIRE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT MM-HMM.
SINCE THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A NEWER TERRITORY, WOULD IT BE, WOULD IT BE BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY AND THE CITIZENS TO HAVE IT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT ONLY, UH, FOR THIS, UH, APPLICATION? SO FOR BOTH THE, UM, THE STORAGE ENTER FAC ENERGY FACILITY PRINCIPLE, WHICH FORMER SOLAR FARMS, UM, AND THE BATTERY STORAGE PROVISION, BOTH OF THOSE ARE ONLY PERMITTED BY CONDITIONAL USE.
RIGHT? UM, THE SOLAR PANELS ON YOUR HOUSE OR THOSE, THOSE ARE ALREADY, UM, BY RIGHT THROUGH STATE CODE.
NOW THE ONE FOR INDUSTRIAL WE'VE PROPOSED
[00:35:01]
THAT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE, UM, COUNTY INPUT C P GREAT.THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WOULD, WOULD LAST AS LONG AS, UM, THAT'S UP TO US.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THE RENEWAL, UM, YOU KNOW, STANDARDLY WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR FOR MOST STANDARD APPLICATIONS BECOME BEFORE YOU.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE WHEN LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE OR LARGE INVESTMENTS OCCUR, THE TIMELINE COULD BE THERE.
WE COULD ESTABLISH A TIMELINE, NEGOTIATE WITH THE, THE DEVELOPER AT THE TIME AND SAY, YEAH, IT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUT IN 20 YEARS WE PLAN ON SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR THE LAND.
UM, THEY HAVE TO WEIGH THE BUSINESS DECISION.
AND THAT'S PART OF OUR C P EVALUATION WITH THE SPIN DOWN OF ONE OF THESE SITES.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, IF IT'S, IF IT'S A STORAGE FACILITY, YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BATTERY, UM, EQUIPMENT MM-HMM.
THESE PANELS THEMSELVES ARE NOT CHEAP.
AND THE EFFICIENCY OF THOSE IS, IS CHANGING QUITE A BIT.
FROM WHAT WERE, AND YEAH, AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY I DIDN'T WANT TO GO FORWARD AND SAY IT'S, WE'RE GENERATING MEGAWATT.
IT'S LIMITED TO THIS MANY MEGAWATTS THAT CAN CHANGE.
UM, THERE COULD, THERE COULD BE ANOTHER, I MEAN THERE WAS ALREADY INCREASE IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
WE EXPECT, WE HOPEFULLY EXPECT MORE IN THE FUTURE, UM, FOR THIS, UM, BATTERIES, I WOULD ASSUME TOO, THAT'S A NEWER TECHNOLOGY EMERGING.
I WOULD HAZARD TO GUESS HOW LONG THOSE ARE INTENDED TO LAST.
UM, FOR THOSE YOU OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, THANK YOU.
WE'LL NOW OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, UH, ALL WE GO AND, UH, CHAIRMAN, WE'LL KEEP A THE TIME AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS WHEN YOU COME UP TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
WE'VE ALSO GOT THE TIMERS WITH THE LIGHTS AS WELL.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING THE SAME THING AS THE BOARD NOW.
ASHLEY'S CAPABLE OF DOING THE TIME RIGHT THERE.
I GOT COVER TIME, WHICH ALLOWS THE APP, THE PERSON WHO'S SPEAKING TO, TO HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MUCH TIME THEY'VE LEFT.
THEY'LL FIND OUT I HAVE TO BE THE ONE.
WELL, GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND, UH, SPECIAL HELLO TO, UH, SOME FAMILIAR FACES AND UNFAMILIAR FACES AS WELL.
UH, MY NAME IS JACOB CAROUSEL.
I'M A DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH THE NONPROFIT CALLED ENERGY.
UM, AND IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH ENERGY, RIGHT, UH, WE, WE GO AROUND THE STATE OF VIRGINIA AND WE EDUCATE AND ENCOURAGE CLEAN ENERGY DEVELOPMENT WITH CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES.
UM, AND WE BELIEVE GOOD PROJECTS CAN COME FORWARD WHEN GOOD CONSERVATIVE POLICIES ARE IN PLACE.
UH, MY COLLEAGUE SKYLAR ZUKA HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU PREVIOUSLY AND HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING THE, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING IN FEBRUARY, UM, ON SOLAR POLICY PROPOSALS.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO, UH, MR. CASH, UH, FOR HOSTING AN OPEN DISCUSSION AND INVOLVING ENERGY RIGHT IN THE CONVERSATION.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THE RECENT UPDATES, UH, MADE TO THE SOLAR POLICY.
THE ADDED FLEXIBILITY, UH, AND THE CURRENT DRAFT IS HELPFUL TO LANDOWNERS, NEIGHBORS, AND THE COUNTY'S REVENUE POTENTIAL.
SIMPLY MOVING AWAY FROM THE SHELLS TO SHOULDS, UH, ALLOWS THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE BOARD MORE FLEXIBILITY IN LOCAL LAND USE DECISIONS.
UH, SOLAR IS A HUGE BENEFIT TO SO MANY RURAL LOCALITIES WHEN IT IS DEVELOPED RESPONSIBLY ON THE UTILITY SCALE.
UH, THE PROVISIONS TWO REQUIRE VEGETATIVE BUFFERS.
REASONABLE SETBACKS AND REASONABLE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP ARE TENANTS OF GREAT CONSERVATIVE POLICY.
HOWEVER, A FEW ELEMENTS OF THE POLICY DESERVED RECONSIDERATION AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING ON THOSE POLICIES.
ERIC BRONSON OF JAMES RIVER, UH, WHO WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, UH, SHARED HOW HE WAS CREATED AN AGRICULTURE OPERATION OF SHEEP GRAZING UNDER THE PANELS, UM, UH, OF THE, OF THESE SOLAR PROJECTS.
AGRICULTURE CAN AND SHOULD BE PART OF SOLAR PROJECTS, BUT LIMITING THE INCLUSIONS OF GOOD SO SOILS TO 20% LIMITS THE RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF LANDOWNERS AND FARMERS.
THE TWO MILE DISTANCE GOAL BETWEEN PROJECTS SHOULD BE FURTHER REMOVED, UH, ALTHOUGH NOT INTENTIONAL, UM, IT DOES, IT DOES HURT NEIGHBORS ONLY REALLY HURTS NEIGHBORS THAT ARE, UH, ADJACENT NEIGHBORS TO THESE SOLAR PROJECTS.
UH, LASTLY, LIMITING SOLAR PROJECTS TO ONLY A ONE DISTRICTS UNNECESSARILY PREVENTS GOOD PROJECTS FROM COMING FORWARD.
UH, AND SAY THE A TWO DISTRICT, THERE CERTAINLY ARE DECENT, THOSE SMALLER SITES OVER 30 ACRES AND THE A TWO DISTRICT TO INCLUDES AND TO INCLUDE CLOSED LANDFILLS AND MINEFIELD MINE SITES.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THESE MATTERS AND THANK YOU FOR THE COUNTY STAFF, UM, FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THESE ROBUST RECOMMENDATIONS WITH A FEW HELPFUL CHANGES.
UH, WE DO BELIEVE GOODWIN CAN LEAD AND WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD THE STATE IN A RESPONSIBLE SOL SOLID SOLAR, UH, ORDINANCE, UH, WITH A, WITH A PROPOSAL YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT.
SO, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND, AND PLEASE, I HOPE YOU CONSIDER SOME, SOME OF THESE MINOR CHANGES
[00:40:01]
TO THE, TO THE CURRENT DRAFT IN FRONT OF YOU.AND, UH, I'M A LIFELONG, I'M SORRY I DID NOT FORGET, I FORGOT TO SAY MY ADDRESS.
I'M A LIFELONG VIRGINIAN, CURRENTLY RESIDING IN WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA.
SO HAPPY TO JOIN Y'ALL HERE IN GLAND THIS EVENING.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN.
JONATHAN LAU 1521 MANNEQUIN ROAD BEFORE THE TIMER STARTS, OR IF IT HASN'T ALREADY AS A POINT OF INFORMATION, UH, MONICAN SOIL WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT IS CURRENTLY WE WILL BE, WE, WE CO HOLD, UH, CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND A CONSERVATION EASEMENT SPECIFIES WHAT CAN BE DONE ON LAND THAT'S IN A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
AND IF IT'S NOT STATED THAT A SOLAR COLLECTION FACILITY COULD BE THERE, IT WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED WITHOUT VIOLATING THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
AND THERE WOULD BE LAWSUITS I WOULD, UH, PREDICT.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION EARLIER, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING OR NOT, BUT THAT'S JUST POINT OF INFORMATION.
UM, AS I SAID, MY NAME'S JONATHAN LYLE, 1521 MANNEQUIN ROAD.
I AM CHAIRMAN OF THE MONICAN SOLAR WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT THIS YEAR, AND ALSO A GLAND FARM BUREAU DIRECTOR.
THEY ARE NOT, UH, FROM THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, THE FIRST QUESTION I'D LIKE TO, UH, MAYBE MENTION IS THAT, UM, WE'VE BEEN HEARING MORE AND MORE ABOUT LITHIUM BATTERIES STARTING JUST SPONTANEOUSLY ON FIRE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE FIRE RESCUE, UH, SERVICES HERE IN THE COUNTY HAVE BEEN CONTACTED.
UH, WE SAW A PRESENTATION NOT LONG AGO ABOUT BLANKETS THAT CAN GO OVER AUTOMOBILES, BUT, UH, I, I'M NOT AN ENGINEER.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE POSSIBILITY IS OR IF THAT'S BEEN INVESTIGATED, BUT IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOMETHING OF THIS STATURE OR SIZE AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT, UH, A FIRE COULD HAPPEN, HAVE WE THOUGHT THROUGH WHAT WE MIGHT NEED TO DO FROM OUR, OUR RESPONSE SAFETY RESPONSE? UM, THE OTHER IS THE LAND IS STILL GONNA REMAIN TO A ONE ZONED, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE CONSERVA, OR I'M SORRY, COLLECTION FACILITIES ARE A PERMITTED, UH, LAND USE OPERATION.
UH, I, I CAN SEE THAT THERE WILL BE SOME NUANCES THAT IF YOU GRAZING SHEEP UNDERNEATH IT, THAT TRULY IS AN AGRICULTURAL USE AND WOULD, UH, UH, QUALIFY FOR LAND USE, UH, BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING AGRICULTURE.
BUT IF YOU JUST HAVE SOLAR COLLECTION FACILITIES, UH, PANELS, THAT'S NOT AGRICULTURE.
AND SO WOULD WE HAVE A CLAW BACK ON LAND USE BECAUSE THEY'VE GONE OUT OF LAND USE AND SO FOR FIVE PREVIOUS YEARS THEY NOW HAVE TO, I GUESS EVEN UP.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE DETAILS THAT I THINK CAN BE ADDRESSED, BUT THESE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE THINK THROUGH OR HAVE BEEN THINKING THROUGH AS TO WHAT HAPPENS IF, UH, THE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTED AND NO LONGER QUALIFIES FOR LAND USE.
AND I THINK COUNTY ORDINANCE I THINK SAYS THAT, UH, THERE WOULD BE A FIVE YEAR CLAWBACK ON THAT.
UH, THE LAST THING I WOULD MENTION IS THAT, UH, BY LIMITING IT TO A ONE, UM, WE WE'RE REALLY MAKING A DECISION FOR THAT LANDOWNER AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE FOR THEM TO PUT A SOLAR COLLECTION FACILITY IN.
UH, THE COUNTY SAYS IT WANTS TO DETERMINE WHAT ITS BEST REVENUE STREAM MIGHT BE FROM A SOLAR COLLECTION FACILITY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD TAX IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REVENUE WOULD COME FROM A 30 ACRE FACILITY OR A THOUSAND ACRE FACILITY.
MR. ALLOW YOUR TIME AS I PROBABLY IT IS, APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK CLOSE? THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD? ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I AM, I'M I CORRECT THAT MR. LYS MENTIONED THIS, THIS THING ABOUT THE, UH, CONSERVATION DISTRICT AND THE STATE LAW.
THEY HAVE, THEY'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE SOLAR ENERGY USAGES AND WE CAN'T PROHIBIT IT UNLESS THERE IS A SPECIFIC ORDINANCE IN A CERTAIN AREA.
LIKE MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THE HOA HAS VOTED TO PROHIBIT SOLAR PANELS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I'D HAVE TO REVIEW THE EXACT, UH, LANGUAGE IN THAT.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT COULD HOAS PROHIBIT OR LIMIT THE USE OF, OF LIKE PANELS ON YOUR HOUSE.
THE STATE MANDATES THAT WE HAVE THROUGH ZONING TO DO THAT.
UM, THAT IS A ISSUE THAT TYPICALLY LOCALITIES DON'T GET INTO IT.
WHETHER YOUR HOA HAS A SAY IN THAT, I'M NOT SURE.
I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND REVIEW THE EXACT SIGHTING OF STATE CODE FOR THAT.
[00:45:01]
STATE CODE SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED THAT, THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY.I COULDN'T SAY AS A LOCAL, AS A LOCALITY, I, YOU KNOW, UNLESS YOUR HOA SAYS NO.
UM, BUT I'D HAVE TO, I'D HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT THAT SECTION OF STATE CODE TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY CARVE OUT.
UM, AS TO OTHER CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, MR. LYLES? CORRECT, MOST OF THOSE ARE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE, THE EASEMENT HOLDER, UM, AND THERE IS OFTEN LANGUAGE, UM, UH, REGARDING WHAT THE ALLOW WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO, HOW MUCH LAND'S ALLOWED TO BE CLEARED, WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC USE IS IN THERE.
UM, I PERSONALLY HAVEN'T SEEN ONE THAT ALLOWS FOR THE, THE SOLAR PANELS, BUT AGAIN, IT'S A NEWER THING AND SOME OF THOSE EASEMENTS MAY END UP ALLOWING FOR, IT DEPENDS ON, UM, PROBABLY THE AGENCY THAT'S HOLDING THE EASEMENT, THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT AS FAR AS SPECIFICS VERSUS, UM, SORT OF PRESERVED LAND THAT'S IN LAND JUICE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF A COUPLE DIFFERENT TOPICS.
I GUESS WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT AS ALL, UH, WELL, YEAH, A LOT OF THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE STUFF LIKE THE STATE MANDATES, UM, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO IN BETWEEN THEM
JONATHAN ALSO BROUGHT UP FIRE AND RECO.
THEY'VE BEEN DISCUSSED FOR THIS, RIGHT? THEY'RE, THEY'RE AWARE OF THIS POLICY.
UM, WE TALKED TO THEM EARLY ON, UM, IN REGARDS TO THIS.
UM, THEY HAVE BEEN PREPARING TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ON THE NEEDS FOR THE BATTERIES.
UM, WE KNOW THAT A NEIGHBORING LOCALE HAS ALREADY BEEN EXPLORING, UH, THEY'RE ALREADY IN A NEIGHBORING TO THE NEIGHBORING LOCALITIES AND THEIR FIRE AND RESCUE HAVE LEARNED, UM, ABOUT THOSE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, I KNOW I DON'T THINK CHIEF FERGUSON'S HERE TONIGHT, BUT I KNOW THAT HE'S AWARE OF IT AND WE, WE DISCUSSED IT.
IS IT THERE'S A LOT OF EXTRA EXPENSE, THEY'RE NOT REALLY ANSWER FOR HIM THEN? NO.
A LOT OF EXTRA EXPENSE FOR FIRE RESCUES ON THE NEXT, UM, YOU KNOW, I AM, I AM NOT AN EXPERT AS TO WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY EN ENTAILS IN THOSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE JUST ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND UM, YOU KNOW, SOME EQUIPMENT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'D EVALUATE.
THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER DURING OUR SIGHTING AGREEMENTS IS THAT WE NEED, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT IN THAT DISTRICT TO FIGHT THAT FIRE.
UM, THAT'S A CONCERN FOR US BEING THERE.
WHAT CAN YOU PROVIDE FOR US ON SITE OR WHATEVER TO DO THIS.
SO THESE ARE THINGS WE CAN LEARN ABOUT.
EXPENSES COULD BE PROPERTY AND JUST LIKE IN SUBDIVISION WITH, UH, RIGHT.
YEAH, I THINK ESPECIALLY WITH THE SITE AGREEMENT ELIGIBILITY, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED WITH THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOME, I KNOW PEOPLE WHO ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERT IN THE AUDIENCE OF TONIGHT.
UM, AND THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS I, I CAN HAVE WITH THEM ALSO AND PROVIDE FURTHER UPDATES TO YOU.
UH, HE ALSO BROUGHT UP ROLLBACK RESPONSIBILITIES ON ROLLBACK TAXES.
IF YOU'RE ALREADY IN LAND USE DUST, DO, DO SOLAR PANELS KICK YOU OUT OF THAT LAND USE? IN MY EXPERIENCE THEY DO, AND I, I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR COURSE WITH OUR, UM, OUR, OUR, OUR DEPARTMENTS WOULD LOOK AT THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU TAKE IT OUT OF WHICH IS BASICALLY THE LAND USES SITTING THERE, UM, THIS WOULD BE A GENER UH, INCOME GENERATING TYPE OF USE.
UM, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE PART OF IT.
IT WOULD ONLY BE THE LAND UNDER WHICH THE FACILITIES ARE LOCATED.
THAT'S PART OF WHY IT'S VERY, I'VE ADDED THE SPECIFIC CONDITION IN THERE IS WE NEED A FULL, UM, PLAID OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DATA, LIKE A CAD FILE OR SOMETHING THAT SHOWS US THIS IS THE EXACT LAY AREA IMPACTED.
I'VE BEEN AT ONE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION TRYING TO GO BACK AND CALCULATE THAT
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S UP FRONT.
EVERYBODY KNOWS IS THIS IS COMING OUT, THIS IS NOW GONNA BE TAXED DIFFERENTLY.
UM, DOESN'T MEAN IT'S PRECLUDING THE AGRICULTURAL USES TO CONTINUE UNDERNEATH OF IT.
UM, AND IN FACT THAT SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED HOW EXACTLY THAT GETS BALANCED OUT IN THE FUTURE.
THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN'T ANSWER TONIGHT IF THERE IS A CHANGE PROPOSED.
ANYBODY ELSE? SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, UM, THE VEHICLE OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WILL ALLOW US TO, TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO EACH CASE.
ALLOW IT TO BE MORE OF A FLUID, YOU KNOW, PROCESS FOR THE COUNTY AS WE GO.
THAT'S THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE POLICY.
I THINK WE CAN STRENGTHEN A CASE OR, OR MAKE, YOU KNOW, AND MAKE IT BETTER.
AND I, IT MAKES PEOPLE COME TO US AND NEGOTIATE AND BY HAVING THE C U P WE GIVE THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN RIGHT ON THE, UH, APPLICATION.
YEAH, I SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT'S NEWER AND COULD TAKE UP A LOT OR DIDN'T WANNA SPRING IN ON PEOPLE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S PUBLIC PROCESS, RIGHT? THAT'S THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS BOARD POLICY AND YOUR, YOUR, YOUR INPUT WILL DO.
BOARD OF ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HEAR A MOTION ON THE WAY OR THE OTHER MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UM, COUNTYWIDE AMENDED ZONING ORDINANCE.
ALL FAVOR US SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MOTION? UH, I DON'T THINK WE HAD IT PROPERLY AGENDA, BUT IF YOU WANT TO FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION ON THE POLICY AS WELL WOULD BE JUST TO LET THEM, YOU KNOW, IF THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PART YOU VERY, BUT IF
[00:50:01]
THAT WOULD, IF YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD, IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THE POLICY AS WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL LET THEM KNOWAND THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE SOME SEPARATE VOTE THAT ASHLEY WOULD HAVE TO MOTION FIGURE TO APPROVE MR. MR. PROTECTIVE ALL YOU WANT TO ADD THAT TO YOU? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND MR. MEYER, THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
THE MOTION TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL PASSES ON A FIVE OH VOTE.
THIS CASE WILL BE HEARD BEFORE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON MAY 2ND, 2023 WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
MS. ASHLEY, WE HAVE NO OLD BUSINESS.
[9. Old Business - None]
OF OTHER BUSINESS.UM, OUR FIRST IS ADOPTION OF THE 2023
[10. Other Business]
PLANNING COMMISSION BYLAWS, WHICH MS. MCGEE WILL RE WILL REVIEW THE CHANGES.UM, GENTLEMEN, YOU ANNUALLY CONSIDER YOUR,
[1. Adoption of 2023 Planning Commission Bylaws]
UM, BYLAWS AND RULES OF PROCEDURE AND STAFF ALSO ANNUALLY CONSIDERS YOUR BYLAWS AND RULES OF PROCEDURES AND SEES ANY WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN MAKE THEM, UM, BETTER, MORE APPROPRIATE OR MORE RESPONSIVE TO THINGS THAT YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED IN THE PRIOR YEAR.UM, AND IN FACT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CHANGES TO, UM, 2.63 AND 2.64 IN TERMS OF HOW, UH, A VOTE IS OCCURRING WHEN A VOTE TO APPROVE FAILS AND, UM, THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO WHAT HAPPENED, UH, I GUESS IN THE TRUITT CASE EARLIER THIS YEAR, UM, IT WAS CLEAR WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WANTED, BUT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT ON STAFF, BOTH CALLIE AND MY OFFICE AND ASHLEY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORD ALL THAT WHEN IT WAS AN APPROVAL MOTION THAT FAILED.
SO WE THINK IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT TO YOUR BYLAWS TO SIMPLY SAY HERE WHEN THAT OCCURS, IT IS IN FACT DEEMED EQUIVALENT TO ADOPTING A RESOLUTION TO DENY WHICH PROCEDURALLY IS ACCURATE, BUT IT JUST WAS NEVER STATED.
AND, AND SO THIS CLARIFICATION WOULD MAKE THAT EASIER.
IN ADDITION, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN YOU ALL HAVE A, A TIE VOTE AND IT TYPICALLY AUTOMATICALLY THEN GETS MOVED ONTO YOUR NEXT MEETING IF THERE'S STILL TIME TO DO IT.
BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT A TIE WOULD OCCUR, IT WOULD BE THE WISH THAT THE THERE'D BE ANOTHER MOTION BE PASSED, UM, SO THAT SOMETHING FOR INSTANCE DOESN'T WAIT ANOTHER MONTH AT THE COMMISSION.
AND SO THE CHANGE IS TO 2.64 ABOUT A THAI VOTE, WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO SAY IF THERE'S BEEN A THAI VOTE AND SOMEONE WANTS TO MAKE ANOTHER MOTION THAT COULD OCCUR, BUT THEN IF IT DOESN'T OCCUR, IT WILL BE DEFERRED TO THE NEXT MEETING.
AND THAT JUST ALLOWS THAT SITUATION WHEN YOU MIGHT HAVE AN APPLICANT VERY TIGHT ON TIME AND A THAI VOTE IN THAT 30 DAYS IS REALLY JUST GONNA BE A KILLER FOR THE PROJECT.
IF SOMEONE THEN WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENT MOTION WHICH MIGHT PASS, AT LEAST IT GETS THE CHANCE TO MOVE ON TO THE BOARD.
SO THAT JUST BECOMES ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE.
WE THINK IT WOULD HELP YOU OPERATE IN THE ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH YOU FIND YOURSELF.
UM, ALSO ALLOWS, UH, FOR A SECOND THAI VOTE TO JUST GO AHEAD AND HAVE THAT BE REPORTED TO THE BOARD.
I ALSO WANNA TELL YOU THAT THIS DOESN'T CHANGE THIS COMMISSION'S OPPORTUNITY.
IF THERE'S BEEN A THAI VOTE AND YOU DO WANT TO PASS IT TO THE BOARD, IF YOU REMEMBER, YOU HAVE IN THE PAST WAIVED YOUR BYLAWS AND ASKED TO HAVE A THAI VOTE REPORTED TO THE BOARD THE FIRST TIME AND THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
THAT'S NOT BEING TAKEN AWAY BY THIS CHANGE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE THINK THAT WOULD HELP, UM, IMPROVE, UM, PUT IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
UM, THEN IN THE TIME LIMIT, SECTION TWO DASH SEVEN, THE LANGUAGE, UH, THIS IS JUST MEANT TO CLARIFY WHAT WE THINK.
THE LANG HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH TIME THE COMMISSION HAS TO ACT ON SOMETHING.
WE'RE BLESSED THAT YOU ALL ARE NOT DEFERS AND THAT TYPICALLY YOU TAKE THINGS RIGHT UP AND HANDLE 'EM AND MOVE THEM ON.
BUT AS WE LOOKED AT THE SOLAR UM, POLICY, WHICH DID TAKE ADDITIONAL TIME AND YOUR DEFERRAL OF THAT ALLOWED FOR GREAT MORE COMMUNITY INPUT AND AND STAFF TIME.
UM, BUT IT WASN'T CLEAR FROM YOUR BYLAWS THAT A, UH, ORDINANCE AMENDMENT WAS SUBJECT TO THAT SAME 70 DAYS STAFF DID THINK THAT IT WAS AND SHOULD BE.
AND SO THIS IS JUST CLARIFYING WHAT WE BELIEVED TO BE THE CASE SO THAT NEXT TIME WE WON'T SPEND TWO DAYS RESEARCHING IT AND TALKING ABOUT IT, WE JUST LOOK DOWN AND GO, YEP, THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UM, IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE COUNTY ORDINANCE AND IN STATE LAW THE CHANGE TO 5.5 ABOUT ATTENDANCE.
AND THIS WAS JUST AN IDEA TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT THAT WHEN PEOPLE LOOK TO WHAT HAPPENS IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE TEND TO LOOK HERE.
AND SO TO GO AHEAD AND INCLUDE THAT ATTENDANCE EXPECTATION HERE WAS JUST AGAIN, TRYING TO PUT ALL THE PERTINENT INFORMATION IN ONE PLACE SO THAT WE COULD RELY ON THIS DOCUMENT WITHOUT HAVING TO GO LOOK AT THE COUNTY ORDINANCE THAT SAYS THAT SAME THING OR
[00:55:01]
THE STATE LAW THAT SAYS THAT SAME THING THAT YOU COULD LOOK HERE.SO THESE ARE GENERALLY THE, YOU KNOW, TO CLEAN UP YOUR PROCEDURE TO DO THINGS IN KEEPING WITH WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING AND TO JUST DO SOME CLARIFICATIONS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, APPROVE ADOPTION? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE.
ALL FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THE MEETING CALENDAR? YES SIR.
WE'LL NEED, UM, A MOTION AND A VOTE TO APPROVE THE ADOPTION OF THE 20 23 20 24 PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING CALENDAR.
[2. Adoption of the 2023/2024 Planning Commission Regular Meeting Calendar]
IT SHOULD BE THE LAST PAGE OF THE PACKET.I THINK THE ONLY MEETING THAT WE GENERALLY HAVE, UH, CAPITAL IS A JULY MEETING AND, UH, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE CALENDAR LOOKS OKAY.
THIS IS, ANYBODY HAS AN OBJECTION TO ANY OF THE OTHER DATES ON THERE? GOOD.
SOMEBODY MOVE TO ADOPT THAT, THAT MOVE TO ADOPT SECOND HALL FAVOR SAYING AYE.
VILLAGE PLANS UPDATE? YES, SIR.
[3. Village Plans Update]
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES,I'M JAMIE SHERRY, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS GONNA SOUND VERY FAMILIAR TO YOU SINCE I JUST REPEATED MOST OF THIS, UH, STATED THIS MOST TO YOU AT OUR PRE-MEETING.
BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AT HOME.
AND FOR THE FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON THE SMALL AREA PLANS FOR BOTH THE COURTHOUSE VILLAGE AND THE CENTERVILLE VILLAGE.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, BEEN MAKING GREAT PROGRESS IN, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DRAFT.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH TIMMONS GROUP ON A, ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UM, UPCOMING EVENTS, UH, THIS UPCOMING TUESDAY, THERE WILL BE A WORK SESSION FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT WILL BE HELD HERE IN ROOM TWO 70.
UM, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CONSULTANT GROUP WILL BE THERE.
THEY'LL BE, UM, ASKING SOME QUESTIONS, GENERATING SOME ANSWERS TO, TO HELP THEM MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, THE PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, SOON AFTER THAT, UH, THE DRAFT PLANS ARE EXPECTED TO GO PUBLIC SOMETIME IN EARLY TO MID-MAY, FOLLOWED BY TWO COMMUNITY MEETING UPDATES.
SO THAT'S WHEN THERE'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CONSULTANT TO COME OUT AND, UH, BRING THE, UM, COMMUNITY UP TO SPEED AS TO, UH, WHAT THE, THE DRAFT ENTAILS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UM, AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, WE, UM, EXPECT TO HAVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING, UM, IN MAY FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC HEARINGS IN JUNE FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, EACH VILLAGE WILL GET THEIR OWN SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO THERE'LL BE TWO MEETING DATES IN MAY AND THEN ALSO IN, UM, JUNE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UH, WE HAVE SOME CASES AND GONNA BE COMING UP BETWEEN NOW WE ACTUALLY ADOPT THE VILLAGE PLANS.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING THAT IS IN THE QUEUE TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, BETWEEN NOW AND THE POTENTIAL ADOPTION DATES FOR ANY OF THE PROPERTIES WITHIN EACH OF THOSE VILLAGES.
OF COURSE, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE UPDATE.
YOU HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ALL IF FAVOR HAVE US SECOND HAVE BY SAYING AYE.
[11. Adjournment]
THANK YOU.ANOTHER EXCITING NIGHT COMMISSION.
WANT ME TO GIVE THAT TO HER? I'M GONNA GO OVER THERE.
LOOK AT, I GET THOSE GUYS OUTTA HERE.
[01:00:01]
CONGRATULATIONS MEETING.HUH? SORRY, I JUMPED IN ON MR. LYLE CUZ HE MENTIONED, HE SAID COULD COUNT THE, THE STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THIS APPLICATION.
I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR YOU TO ASK ME BECAUSE HE JUST STARTED GOING OFF, YOU KNOW? YES SIR.
AND, AND HE SAID ABOUT THE APPLICATION AND THAT'S WHY I SAID, SON, TONIGHT'S CASE, MR. LYLE.
IT'S JUST ABOUT HOW GREAT OF A JOB THEY DOING.