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<br /> <br />310 E 38th Street St #109, Minneapolis, MN 55409 | 612.568.2334 | <br />www.cooperativeenergyfutures.com <br /> <br />purchase of the project, transferring ownership of CEF Lake Elmo Community Solar, LLC to <br />Cooperative Energy Futures, until November 15, 2023. <br /> <br />This extended delay for us to assume ownership impeded our ability to mobilize towards <br />construction. However, since November 15th, we have made substantial construction. <br /> <br />On November 20, 2023 we engaged Braun Intertec to begin work on the Stormwater <br />Management Plan and Valley Branch Water District permit. They have been able to get all the <br />field work done and draft a SWPPP that they are now finalizing. They are on the verge of <br />submitting for the VBWD permit. <br /> <br />November 21, 2023 we issued a Request for Proposal to 10 interested General Contractors. <br />Responses were due December 22, 2023. After thoroughly vetting the candidates, on January <br />23rd, we awarded the project to Apadana Solar and are currently in contract negotiations. <br />Apadana Solar has built several of our operating solar gardens, is currently building one on the <br />Community Center in Eden Prairie and will be building a large parking ramp canopy solar <br />installation at Allina Health in Minneapolis this year. Cooperative Energy Futures and Apadana <br />have a proven track record of building successful community solar gardens. <br /> <br />Current Progress: <br /> <br />We have satisfied the following elements of the Conditional Use Permit conditions: <br />• Revised landscape plan which shows that tree plantings will be 9 feet at the time of <br />planting <br />• Approved Interconnection Agreement with Xcel <br />• Confirmed collaboration with the Fire Department on gate design and key lockbox <br />• All other necessary permits will be in place prior to applying for building permit. <br />• A Letter of Credit for decommissioning will be provided prior to applying for building <br />permit <br />We are actively working on the following elements of the Conditional Use Permit Conditions <br />and Building Permit Requirements: <br />• Stormwater Management: <br />o Braun Intertec, as mentioned, is in the final stages of the SWPPP and VBWD <br />application <br />o WSE Massey surveyors are working on legal descriptions for the Stormwater <br />Maintenance and Easement Agreement with City of Lake Elmo <br />• Braun Intertec will soon be performing the required Geotech studies needed by RP <br />Construction Services to produce the technical foundation plans for the racking <br />o These plans will be required for both the building permit and to satisfy the CUP <br />condition for a statement from a qualified engineer regarding the design of the <br />racking and support <br /> <br />However, current timelines on some of these outstanding steps make an April 4th substantial <br />construction deadline challenging, including: <br />• That all Geotech analyses must be completed before RP Construction services can <br />complete a technical foundation plan