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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION <br />APPROVED <br />June 4, 2018 <br />1 CITY OF LINO LAKES <br />2 MINUTES <br />3 <br />4 DATE June 4, 2018 <br />5 TIME STARTED 6:00 p.m. <br />6 TIME ENDED 8010 P.M. <br />7 MEMBERS PRESENT Council Member Rafferty (arr. 6:08, <br />8 Manthey, Stoesz and Mayor Reinert <br />9 MEMBERS ABSENT Council Member Maher <br />10 <br />11 Staff members present: City Administrator Jeff Karlson; Public Safety Director John <br />12 Swenson; Community Development Director Michael Grochala; Finance Director Sarah <br />13 Cotton; City Planner Katie Larsen; Public Services Director Rick DeGardner; City <br />14 Engineer Diane Hankee; City Clerk Julie Bartell <br />15 <br />16 1. Community Solar Gardens —City Planner Larsen noted the application received <br />17 from an organization wishing to develop solar gardens in the city. The city has no <br />18 regulations in the area at this time. She introduced consultant to the City, Kendra Lindahl <br />19 of Landform, to review options. <br />20 <br />21 Ms. Lindahl noted the Planning and Zoning report and pointed out some key areas for the <br />22 council. <br />23 - Energy is cheaper to subscribers, through different models; <br />24 - Xcel Energy is required to work on solar; Connexus is not required; <br />25 - There are limitations to the amount of solar produced; <br />26 - Solar facilities is exempt from taxation, but not a complete loss; <br />27 - Application does not identify specific sight but applicant requests that the city clarify <br />28 that it will allow solar gardens; <br />29 - City should consider such things as minimum lot size, amount of time a garden could <br />30 function; are certain areas more appropriate for this use; full screening is not possible but <br />31 there are things to help; is permit process appropriate. <br />32 <br />33 Staff wishes to get feedback from the council on the possibility of moving forward with a <br />34 text amendment to allow solar gardens. <br />35 <br />36 Mayor Reinert remarked that this isn't an area where there is much common knowledge. <br />37 He wonders about the current state of the technology. <br />38 <br />39 Council Member Stoesz remarked that there can be glare and that was discussed by the <br />40 Planning and Zoning Board. Ms. Lindahl explained that there are mitigations for the <br />41 glare situation but only to eliminate the damaging glare. <br />42 <br />43 Council Member Manthey remarked that he has also heard stories about some types of <br />44 alternative energy and the amount of subsidies that can be involved to develop and he <br />1 <br />