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<br />Minutes for the Planning Commission Meeting of Thursday, July 13, 2023 <br /> <br />Chair Kleissler called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. <br /> <br />PRESENT: Derr, Kelly, Kleissler, Lessard, Petty <br /> <br />ABSENT: Andress, Arcand, Granger <br /> <br />STAFF: Rachel Juba, Community Development Director <br />Max Gort, Associate Planner <br /> <br />Pledge of Allegiance. <br /> <br />Approval of Minutes for the Planning Commission Meeting of February 23, 2023 <br /> <br />Commissioner Derr made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Lessard, to approve the minutes for <br />the Planning Commission meeting of February 23, 2023. <br /> <br />All ayes. <br />Motion carried. <br /> <br />Public Hearing: Zoning Ordinance Amendment – Revisions to the section of City Code regulating solar <br />farms. <br /> <br />Staff gave background on the proposed revisions to the section of City Code regulating solar farms. The <br />Planning Commission and City Council had both identified examining the ordinance as a goal for 2023 . <br />Solar Farms are currently allowed under certain circumstances with an Interim Use Permit, for no more <br />than 25 years. The City Council enacted a six-month moratorium on solar farm applications effective <br />February 6, 2023, and extended the moratorium an additional six months on June 12, 2023. The City <br />Council and Planning Commission held a joint workshop on March 23, 2023 to The consensus from the <br />joint workshop was to revise the solar energy systems ordinance as it relates to solar farms with the <br />Ordinance Review Committee (ORC). The ORC met three times and discusses changes that could <br />address community concerns such as zoning and land use considerations, dimensional requirements, <br />and aesthetic considerations. The ORC has proposed revisions to the performance standards for solar <br />farms: an increase in setbacks from property lines to 100 feet, an increase in setbacks from public road <br />rights of way and principal structures on adjacent dwellings to 200 feet, a requirement of landscaping <br />for screening to consist of 6 foot tall vegetation, a requiremen t of a vegetation establishment and <br />maintenance plan at the time of application, and a limitation on the size of solar farms to be no greater <br />than 5 acres measured at the perimeter of the solar array. Additionally, the ORC proposed an addition <br />to the conditions of approval section reading that additional setbacks may be recommended by the <br />Planning Commission and imposed by the City Council. <br /> <br />Commissioner Derr asked if the existing solar farm on 165th Street N would meet the proposed <br />requirements. Community Development Director Juba states that it would.