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Contributing Writer
Aleah Stenberg
Gordy Simanton (L) and Kaya Tarhan (R) of Solar Stone Partners brought six variance requests to the Big Lake Township Board Wed., night about their proposed community solar garden that would be located between Co. Rd. 17 and Hwy. 25, just northeast of the old airport. (Photo by Aleah Stenberg.)
The Big Lake Township met for its first meeting of 2016 Wednesday. They started the new year by adopting Resolution 2016-01, which implements amendments to the Big Lake Township Zoning Ordinances, and approving Resolutions 2016-02 and 2016-03, which set the absentee ballot board for the March 8 town election and accepts donations to the Big Lake Fire Dept, respectively.
Sanford Solar Farm
During open forum, Joe Tierney of Sunrise Energy Ventures, who is representing the Sanford Solar Farm request, asked the board for some informal timing advice on removing a cartway from the property in order to use that area to position solar panels. Jim Sanford, the property owner, would make the cartway vacation request if he had assurance that they were progressing on the IUP request.
The board replied that the cartway vacation procedure would require a public hearing, and they did not see anything barring that from happening.
Solar Garden Project
Two representatives from Solar Stone Partners, Gordy Simanton and Kaya Tarhan, the chief development officer for the project, brought six variance requests to the board regarding the construction of a Minnesota Community Solar Garden Project between Co. Rd. 17 and Hwy. 25.
The project would be located on a 2.6 acre parcel owned by the City of Big Lake that would be leased to Solar Stone Partners for 30 years. While this plot is small, they hope to output five megawatts, the maximum allowed output, from the site.
"We are trying to maximize this space in a very small footprint," said Simanton.
Their first request was a 65-foot variance from the northern property line for a required 85-foot tall essential service communication pole which connects to a substation in Monticello. This essential service communication pole would be for the safety and security of the garden, giving Xcel Energy turn-off power from the substation in case of weather or other emergencies.
The solar panels are very sensitive, and any shading on a pane shuts down that particular panel. Simanton and Tarhan would like such a tall tower to be placed at a 20-foot setback from the north boundary so its shadow does not cause the panels to lose productivity.
"The 85-foot (the height of the tower) setback is required by the county. If it falls, it falls on the property of the owner," said County Zoning Administer Nancy Riddle.
Because the substation is so close to the solar garden and the terrain is level, Tarhan is hopeful that the tower will not need to be 85 feet tall in actuality.
"We don't want it to be any higher than it needs to be," said Tarhan. "Right now we're asking for a worst case scenario, and if we can do better than that, we definitely will."
The second request was a variance from being requireSolard to install vegetative screening to be planted around the solar garden, whose panels have a maximum height of 15 feet. Simanton and Tarhan hoped that fencing and the distance from residents and thoroughfares would make this landscaping unnecessary. Having the vegetation would invite the risk of shadows on the solar panels.
The board decided to deny both of these variance requests, reluctant to set a precedent for other solar farm variance requests. Supervisor Bruce Aubol stated that this area is ideal for solar gardens because land is cheap, abundant, and flat.
Simanton and Tarhan said by following those setback requirements, they would only be able to produce about four megawatts from their parcel. The board made a suggestion that they purchase additional land from an adjoining plot.
The other four requests were 30-foot variances from the property line on each side. This would allow them to set up solar panels only 20 feet from the property line, instead of the required 50-foot setback, maximizing the use of their footprint.
As long as the tower was in compliance and the vegetative screening was in place, the board decided to grant the 30-foot variances. The county will ultimately make the final decision.
Treasurer's Report
Ken Warneke's treasury report revealed that the budget was in good shape due to higher than expected revenues and a mild fall and winter.
"There's $528,000 left in the budget," stated Warneke. "That's better than where we thought we would be."
Warneke has also been searching for a new CPA to furnish auditing services for the township. He is leaning towards Schlenner Wenner & Co., a firm based out of St. Cloud that already has similar townships and several Minnesota Cities as their clientele.
The board approved a motion to accept Warneke's recommendation, after Warneke finishes finalizing details with the firm.
Hwy 25 Coalition
On the agenda for the next Big Lake Township meeting Jan, 27, is Chairman Bob Hofer's report on the Hwy. 25 Corridor Coalition Joint Powers Agreement which will also include the proposed budget and funding.
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