After a 20-minute discussion Tuesday, the Sherburne County Board approved amendments to the zoning ordinance regarding solar energy systems.
The issue came before the board in April after a number of solar energy companies expresses interest in locating solar farms within the county.
At the time, Zoning Administrator Nancy Riddle asked the board to consider a moratorium on solar energy systems while her department worked on an ordinance to determine where they should be allowed. The existing ordinance didn’t address solar energy systems.
The board voted unanimously not to impose a moratorium.
Tuesday, Riddle was back with an amended ordinance, and the commissioners were especially interested in discussing areas where systems weren’t permitted.
Riddle said zoning staff reviewed the county’s comprehensive land use plan, then contacted the townships to see if they had any areas where they wanted to prohibit solar farms.
The plan had designations for commercial and industrial development along Hwy. 10 and Hwy. 169,
“Through those discussions, it came out that Baldwin (Township) wanted a half mile buffer on each side of 169. Livonia wanted a quarter mile and Big Lake wanted an eighth of a mile,” said Riddle.
Rather than have varying distances, planning staff decided to make the buffer a half mile along Hwy. 10 and Hwy. 169. But that didn’t satisfy everyone.
“When it went to the planning commission and there was lengthy discussion and the recommendation was to eliminate prohibited areas along the highways,” said Riddle.
Commissioner Rachel Leonard asked whether the county still had discretion to deny an application in those areas.
Assistant County Attorney Tim Sime said it might not be possible. He said if the county eliminates the prohibited areas in the ordinance and the use is allowed in a zoning district, generally it has to be approved.
“You can’t say, “this area we want to leave aside for commercial and industrial,” he said. “The time to pick and choose that is now.”
Commissioner Felix Schmiesing said he didn’t see solar energy systems as detrimental to commercial and industrial districts. He said eventually, the land will be available for future development after the solar farm is gone.
“They don’t even pour cement. They drive posts in the ground, tie a panel to it and they wire it up,” he said. “Probably, it’s a good way to preserve ground for 20 or 25 years.”
Commissioner John Riebel said other commercial uses, such as a restaurant, would bring in more tax revenue to the county and townships.
But Schmiesing said there isn’t currently a big demand by businesses to develop along the highway corridors.
“You’re much better off having solar panels that will come out in 20 years than if you don’t do anything and end up with housing,” he said. “And they’re paying commercial taxes.”
The board approved the ordinance amendments without the prohibited areas.
Under the amendments, solar farms, which are larger systems designed for wholesale sales of generated electricity, are interim uses in Agricultural, General Rural and Heavy Industrial districts.
Smaller ground-mount systems and rooftop systems are considered accessory uses and are allowed in Urban Expansion, Commercial and Industrial districts.
Other Business
In other action the board:
• Approved a request by the zoning department to apply for up to $10,000 in MPCA grant money to fund compliance inspections of subsurface sewage treatment systems;
• Approved a contract with Damon Farber Associates for $40,000 for planning and design services for Phase I of Grams Park development
• Approved the purchase of NEOGOV Onboarding software at a cost of $10,000 for use when hiring new employees;
• Approved the hiring of an intern in Human Resources for 10 hours per week at a cost not to exceed $2,000;
• Appointed Jennifer Pim and Erin O’Toole-Tomczik as primary an alternate delegates to the MN Counties Computer Cooperative - Attorney User Group;
• Accepted a $1,000 state emergency fund grant for victims of crime;
• Approved a temporary On-Sale Liquor License for Santiago Lions Club for use at Santiago Town Park on Aug. 15;
• Accepted a $500 donation from Zimmerman Lions Club to the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Reserve Unit;
• Approved a contract with Ehresmann Engineering to complete a tower map and analysis of the German Hill site in Becker Twp. at a cost of $6,975;
• Approved the Community Corrections Comprehensive Plan;
• Approved a plan by Health & Human Services (HHS) to apply for a $100,000 grant from the Office of Justice program to fund mental health and parent education services;
* Approved grant application by HHS to support Zimmerman Educational and Support Program ($5,000) and Truancy Prevention and Early Intervention in Elk River schools ($6,500);
• Approved the final residential plat of Dills Grove, consisting of two lots on 30 acres on 253rd Ave. near 117th Street in Livonia Twp.;
• Approved the preliminary residential plat of Mystic Ridge, consisting of 13 lots on 40 acres on 255th Ave. and Co. Rd 1 in Orrock Twp.;
• Approved a host fee schedule for GRE’s Becker Ash Landfill. GRE will pay the county $2 per ton in 2016. That amount will increase by about $0.07 per year through 2020.
