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July 11, 2024 PC Minutes <br />Page 4 <br /> <br /> <br />Commissioner Arcand said that the current ordinance and its revisions went through a long and <br />intensive process and weren’t rushed, and that he would prefer to live next to a solar farm compared <br />to a more disruptive use. <br /> <br />Commissioners Lessard, Petty, and Arcand all stated that they would prefer to revisit the ordinance <br />before prohibiting solar farms. <br /> <br />Commissioner Kelly stated that there could be places within the city that the community is more <br />comfortable with solar farms. <br /> <br />Commissioner Granger stated that the review process with the Everton Avenue solar farm proposal did <br />its job since there were multiple bodies reviewing it, and the proposal was ultimately denied. <br /> <br />Commissioner Derr stated that the last time the Planning Co mmission considered prohibiting a use was <br />with short-term rentals, which was due to extensive community complaints without any feedback in <br />the other direction. Derr stated that solar farms are much less disruptive than short -term rentals and <br />other allowed agricultural uses. <br /> <br />Chair Kleissler said that the Planning Commission was able to hear several different perspectives <br />including some that they hadn’t heard before. Kleissler stated that she personally would not want to <br />live next to a solar farm, but recognizes that property owners don’t own their view. <br /> <br />Commissioner Granger stated that of the comments they’ve heard there has been a balance of those in <br />favor of the prohibition and those against it, but points to the small sample compared to the <br />community as a whole. Commissioner Petty stated that while the representative sample size is small, <br />that the viewpoints expressed were different enough from each other that she felt the Planning <br />Commission could make a sufficiently informed decision. <br /> <br />Chair Kleissler asked about viewpoints from Xcel Energy or the city’s planning consultants at Landform. <br />Juba stated that Landform hasn’t been involved with this discussion topic, but that Xcel’s <br />representative, Mike Wilhelmi, spoke at the 2023 workshop. Wilhelmi stated at the workshop that <br />while they’re required to accept solar energy systems to interconnect into their distribution system, <br />that they prefer larger utility-scale systems over the small-scale systems that third-party developers <br />propose. Commissioner Lessard asked if the smaller systems make a sizable difference for renewable <br />energy generation, Juba said that Xcel Energy would be better suited to answer that question. <br /> <br />Commissioner Derr stated that he thinks there’s some room for more restrictions that could eff ectively <br />address community concerns. <br /> <br />No further discussion. <br /> <br />Commissioner Petty made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Granger, to recommend denial of the <br />text amendments as presented, and to recommend a joint workshop with the Planning Commission <br />and City Council.