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<br /> <br />Minutes for the Planning Commission Meeting of Thursday, July 11, 2024 <br /> <br />Chair Kleissler called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. <br /> <br />PRESENT: Andress, Arcand, Derr, Granger, Kelly, Kleissler, Lessard, Petty <br /> <br />ABSENT: None <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 May 9, 2024 <br /> <br />Commissioner Derr made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Andress, to approve the minutes for <br />the Planning Commission meeting of April 11, 2024. <br /> <br />AYE: Andress, Derr, Kelly, Kleissler, Petty <br />NAY: None. <br />ABSTAIN: Granger, Lessard <br /> <br />Motion carried. <br /> <br />Public Hearing: Ordinance Amendment – Solar Farms <br /> <br />Associate Planner Gort presented background on the history of the city ordinance relating to solar <br />farms, and the current directive from the City Council to proposed an ordinance amendment that <br />would prohibit their construction within the city. The solar energy systems ordinance was adopted in <br />2016, which outlines rules and regulations for accessory solar, which provides solar energy for <br />individuals to use on their own property, and solar farms, which distribute solar energy to off-site users <br />on a larger scale. There was one solar farm project approved in 2018 on 165th Street that drew <br />significant negative feedback from the community, primarily concerned with aesthetics and character <br />of the area. Due to rising interest in solar farm development, the City Council and Planning Commission <br />decided to review the ordinance relating to solar farms in 2023. The Ordinance Review Committee <br />(ORC) convened and recommended several revisions to the performance standards, including <br />increased setbacks, a maximum size of the solar array, and landscaping requirements. The City Council <br />adopted these revisions in 2023, and a solar farm was proposed on Everton Avenue with the new <br />development standards in place. The Everton Avenue solar farm proposal was heard by the Planning <br />Commission at its April 11, 2024 meeting with a public hearing, and drew significant negative feedback <br />from the community – largely the same concerns that were heard in 2018. The Planning Commission <br />recommended approval of the proposal, but the City Council found that the solar farm would not meet <br />the character of the area, and denied the request on May 6, 2024. The City Council discussed the <br />direction for the ordinance, and wanted to get feedback from the community about prohibiting the