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