HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023.03.23 CC+PC Minutes Solar Farm Joint Workshop
MINUTES
City Council and Planning Commission
Solar Farm Ordinance Joint Workshop
Hugo City Hall
Thursday, March 23, 2023
6:00 p.m.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Klein, Miron, Petryk, Strub, Weidt
COUNCIL ABSENT: None
PLANNING COMMISSION PRESENT: Andress, Arcand, Derr, Granger, Kelly, Kleissler,
Petty
PLANNING COMMISSION ABSENT: Lessard
STAFF PRESENT: City Administrator Bryan Bear, Community Development Director Rachel
Juba, Associate Planner Max Gort
Mayor Weidt called the workshop to order at 6:00 PM. Staff presented background on the
existing ordinance relating to and regulating solar energy systems, an existing solar farm project
in the city, and the public response to said project. Due to the rising interest for solar farm
development in the community, the City Council and Planning Commission both identified a
review of the City’s ordinance as it relates to solar farms as a goal for 2023. The City Council
approved a six-month moratorium on solar farm development at its February 6th, 2023 meeting,
and subsequently directed staff to call a joint workshop with the City Council and Planning
Commission. Although the City’s ordinance refers to both accessory solar energy systems and
solar farms, this workshop was to focus exclusively on the language relating to solar farms. The
existing solar farm in the City, which received development approval in 2018, exceeded the
ordinance standards in a number of ways to mitigate visual impact such as increased setbacks,
plantings of tall evergreen trees, and the use of a fixed tilt system that does not move. The
Planning Commission and City Council discussed the City’s role relating to land use, whether
solar farms remain a compatible land use in rural zoning districts, and if there are items in the
ordinance that can be revised to mitigate the visual impact.
The Councilmembers and Planning Commissioners discussed a wide spectrum of items relating
to three main options of outcome: leave the ordinance as-is, make changes to the ordinance, or
prohibit solar farms within the City. The consensus was to review and possibly make changes to
the ordinance to mitigate the visual impact. After reviewing public feedback, the workshop
determined that visual aesthetics are the primary concern that neighbors are having relating to
solar farms. A few ideas brought forward for changes to the ordinance included limitations on
project size and density, more expanded landscaping and buffering requirements, and more
conditions of approval. The workshop determined that a meeting with the Ordinance Review
Committee to determine appropriate changes to the ordinance was needed. An update will be
presented to the City Council at its April 3rd, 2023 meeting before an Ordinance Review
Committee meeting date is set.
The workshop adjourned at 7:30 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Max Gort
Associate Planner