2024.07.15 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 site use and are accessory to the primary use of the property, and solar farms, which distribute solar energy to off-site consumers and are the primary use of the property. Solar farms are currently permitted in the AG, LA, RR, and FUS zoning districts, all other zoning districts only in the floodplain, and on parcels greater than 10 acres in size. Additionally, solar farms require an Interim Use Permit (IUP), and have specific performance standards and criteria of approval. The first solar farm project was approved in 2018, which drew negative feedback from the community related to aesthetic characteristics and setbacks from property lines. In 2023, the Planning Commission and City Council identified reviewing the ordinance as it relates to solar farms as a goal for the year, due to an increased interest in solar farm development and related feedback from the community. At its February 6, 2023 meeting the City Council enacted a moratorium on applications for solar farms and directed that a study of the ordinance be conducted. Th e City Council and Planning Commission held a joint workshop on March 23, 2023, and discussed directions for reviewing the solar farm ordinance, including leaving it as-is, prohibiting solar farms, or drafting revisions to address some of the aesthetic concerns that have come up during public comment. The workshop resulted in the Ordinance Review Committee (ORC) convening to draft revisions to the ordinance, which included: • An increase in minimum setbacks from property lines from 50 feet to 100 feet • A minimum setback from public rights-of-way and dwellings on adjacent property to 200 feet • A limit of the size of the solar array to five acres • A requirement that trees at least 6 feet tall at the time of planting be provided for screening • A requirement that solar farm applications include a vegetation establishment and management plan • A requirement that ground areas within the solar array not occupied by equipment be planted with deep-rooted, native, pollinator-friendly plantings The ORC’s revisions were presented at a Public Hearing at the Planning Commission meeting of July 13, 2023 meeting, and approved by the City Council on July 24, 2023, repealing the moratorium. With the new ordinance in effect, the City received an application for a solar farm on a vacant 12-acre property on Everton Avenue. During the public hearing at the April 11, 2024 Planning Commission meeting, several neighbors spoke in opposition to the project, primarily with concerns that the proposed solar farm would not be compatible with the present character of the surrounding area. However, the Planning Commission determined that the proposal met the necessary requirements to approve a solar farm IUP, and unanimously voted to recommend approval to the City Council. At its May 6, 2024 meeting, the City Council heard the request for the IUP, and the residents who spoke at the Planning Commission meeting stated that the proposal was not compatible with the character of the area. Subsequently, the City Council found that the proposed solar farm d id not meet the character of the area requirement, and approved a resolution with findings of fact for denial of the solar farm IUP. At its May 20, 2024 meeting, the City Council enacted another moratorium on solar farm applications, directing staff to study the ordinance again. The City Council had a discussion at