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Council Meeting Minutes for May 6, 2024 <br />Page 9 of 12 <br /> <br />become a walking area for the surrounding community, and he has had to explain that it was <br />private property to residents who think it is a nature preserve. He said it’s 160 acres with less <br />than two dozen homes, and a very special place. He commented on the City’s part in protecting <br />the land when the Everton Avenue Coalition was created to keep it from development. He talked <br />about the word “AG” being created to preserve and protect the character neighborhoods and keep <br />10-acre minimums. Udstuen described it as a jewel of the community, something to be proud <br />of. He talked about some of the properties being listed as a green corridor according to the Parks <br />Plan. He said that is the true character of the neighborhood, open and undisturbed land. He said <br />the main portion of the request for denial will be presented by Laura. <br /> <br />Laura Syring, 15149 Everton Avenue North, said she has been a resident for the past 21 years. <br />She read a letter that they had sent to the City Council and Mayor addressing their concerns. In <br />the letter, the history of the neighborhood and its residents was provided to show the character of <br />the area. This letter will be retained as part of the official record. <br /> <br />Daniel Skaar, 13857 Geneva Avenue North, had questions to ask. He wanted to know if the City <br />was under any renewable mandate; who was getting/buying the power and what was the <br />contract; were there output goals, power purchase agreements, and performance guarantees; what <br />would happen if he couldn’t get these agreements with Xcel; and was there a substation on this <br />property. He noted the property was adjacent to a power line. He said he had done a lot of solar <br />projects in California, and he found this location to be a bit awkward. He said it would be helpful <br />to see some analog from other municipalities that have put this type of solar array in this type of <br />environment. <br /> <br />Carlson responded to some of the questions explaining this would be a community solar garden, <br />and when they put power in the grid, they get grid credits rather than selling it right to a utility. <br />There was no substation and would go right into the line that goes into people’s houses. The bill <br />credit was then sold to people, known as subscribers, who don’t have a good spot for solar <br />panels. He explained how it was different than the utility scale development that plugs into the <br />transmission lines, which is a federal interconnection process. He said that it was different than <br />community solar, which provided solar to people that do not have a good spot. Carlson said they <br />would sign a contract with Xcel who would give them 25 years to sell the bill credits. That was <br />why they were asking for a 25-year IUP. After 25 years, they would need to renew or <br />decommission after the useful life was done as per application requirements. He explained there <br />were no concrete footings poured into the ground. Instead, high beams would be hammered into <br />ground in rows with a rack on it that the panels go into. He said he had applied for an <br />interconnection agreement with Xcel that was in an advanced study phase, so it was ready for <br />construction. He explained the steps he went through to have his plan reviewed and accepted by <br />experts. He talked about other projects that are several smaller projects with points of <br />interconnections that would have a lot of poles. He said this would be a small one-megawatt <br />project on 3.9 acres that would have two more poles than what is located along the road right <br />now. Carlson said his vegetation management plan preserved all existing habitat that’s possible; <br />everything that flies could still be there, and he explained the deer-style fence. He said by doing <br />this they were preserving this habitat for the future. <br /> <br />Weidt asked how the area was calculated because it appeared it took up more than 3.9 acres. <br />Carlson responded that the fenced area would be 5.5 acres, and the solar panel area would be 3.9 <br />acres. Carlson stated that he would be open to an alternative public use of the setbacks. <br /> <br />Bear addressed the question on whether there was a renewable mandate saying there was not, but