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Xcel Energy – Site Plan, CUP Amendment, Variance, Easement Vacation 2 Existing Site Characteristics The property is roughly 28 acres in size. The site has some sloping terrain, with upland areas and a slope downward toward the west. The southern half of the site, approximately 12.5 acres, is occupied by two existing buildings and outdoor training area. There are wetlands on the portion of property where the new construction is to take place. 3. BACKGROUND: There is a training facility owned and operated by Xcel Energy on property within the Bald Eagle Industrial Park. The original site plan and CUP were reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission and City Council in 2012, amended in 2017 to allow for a 12,000 square foot building addition, and again in 2021 to construct additional training facilities. A variance was approved by the Planning Commission and City Council to allow for the construction of training transmission poles which were higher than the 50-foot maximum height allowed by ordinance. The applicant is proposing to construct multiple new training facilities at the property they have named Hugo Training Center (HTC). The outdoor facilities are an extension of outdoor training transmission lines as well as a new training substation. The transmission lines will feature 4 different lines, ranging in height from 43 feet to 105 feet. The training substation will simulate real life substations at 5 different voltages, and will be built on an approximately 1.65-acre gravel pad with a galvanized steel perimeter fence. The new transmission lines and the substation will both be non-energized, minimizing hazards to both employees and surrounding properties. The applicant estimates that the project will be completed by the end of 2023. The second proposed project is a two-story, approximately 40,000 square foot building which will house relocated training activities that previously took place in Minneapolis, MN, which include laboratories and classrooms. The applicant is proposing a significant amount of employee traffic using the building during peak training event times. 4. ANALYSIS: A. LEVEL OF DISCRETION IN DECISION-MAKING The City’s discretion in approving or denying a site plan is limited to whether or not the proposed project complies with the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance requirements. If it meets these standards, the City must then approve the site plan. The City’s discretion in approving or denying a conditional use permit amendment is limited to whether or not the proposed application meets the standards outlined in the Zoning Ordinance. If it meets these standards, the City must approve the conditional use permit. The City’s discretion in approving or denying a variance is limited to whether or not the proposed project meets the standards in the Zoning Ordinance for a variance. The City has